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December 2024 Message from the Seniors Advocate

In November, my office launched a survey to find out more about ageism in B.C. and hear first hand about how age discrimination is impacting people in our province, particularly seniors.

As the number of seniors in B.C. increases, it is more important than ever to examine the issue of age discrimination and how it affects the independence, safety, mental and physical health, social life and even financial well-being of older people

If you have not already, I encourage you to share your experiences with ageism in our online survey. You can also have a paper copy mailed to you by calling 1-877-952-3181 or emailing info@seniorsadvocatebc.ca. The survey is the beginning of a discussion on ageism and the results will help direct future work at the Office of the Seniors Advocate (OSA).

Last week my office released our updated Long-Term Care and Assisted Living Directory. The directory is a searchable online resource providing objective, standardized information including care quality indicators for more than 400 publicly-subsidized B.C. seniors’ facilities. I suggest anyone searching for up-to-date information on care homes in the province should start with accessing the directory.

The 2024 Monitoring Seniors Services report, our annual check-up on the state of B.C. seniors’ services, is also being released soon. Keep an eye on OSA’s social media channels and website to compare the findings from the past year to previous years.

As we head into the holiday season, I want to remind everyone to be aware of the many scams circulating this time of year. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to learn some of the most common ways fraudsters are targeting seniors. These scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and it is important to be skeptical of unsolicited demands and requests. Find resources on identifying holiday scams on our website.

Finally, I’d like to express my warmest wishes for the holiday season and a restful start to the new year. I look forward to continuing to work to improve the lives of B.C. seniors in 2025.

Yours sincerely,

Dan Levitt