Advocate issues warning as percentage of seniors living in B.C. doubles over past five years
B.C. Office of the Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie says the province is yet to feel the true impact of the grey wave.
The B.C. Office of the Seniors Advocate has released the 2022 Monitoring Seniors Report revealing the percentage of seniors living in the province has jumped 10 per cent over the past five years.
According to the report from Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, the number of seniors (people aged 65 and over) in B.C. has grown 17 per cent in the past five years — meaning 20 per cent of B.C.’s population is over 65 (a 10 per cent increase on 2017).
According to the report from Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie, the number of seniors (people aged 65 and over) in B.C. has grown 17 per cent in the past five years — meaning 20 per cent of B.C.’s population is over 65 (a 10 per cent increase on 2017).
“It is important to understand most of the seniors population in B.C. is relatively healthy,” Mackenzie said.
“This tells us we have not yet begun to feel the real pressures that will come to many programs and services as the baby boomers begin living into their 80s. We need to act now to ensure supports are there for them in the future.”
Mackenzie’s annual report card found waiting times for four of the top five surgeries most accessed by seniors had fallen over the past five years and access to preferred long-term housing was improving.
The report found the life expectancy of someone who is 65 in 2022 is 87 (88 if you are female and 85 if you are male).
In good news for the health care system, emergency department visits per 1,000 seniors has fallen 10 per cent in the past five years, and hospitalization rates have fallen six per cent.
The report showed 96 per cent of seniors live independently in private dwellings, with the remainder living in assisted living or long-term care facilities. Eighty per cent of seniors own their home, while the waiting list for seniors subsidized housing with B.C. Housing has grown 50 per cent.
Article by David Carrigg originally appeared here on December 16th, 2022.
The full report, Monitoring Seniors Services can be accessed here
