Friendly faces needed to meet with Salmon Arm seniors for provincial survey

Volunteers in process of conducting survey at publicly subsidized long-term care homes

Friendly faces and listening ears are wanted in Salmon Arm to spend time with and record the experiences of seniors living in long-term care.

The Office of the Seniors Advocate, with help from volunteers across the province, is in the process of surveying all residents in publicly subsidized long-term care homes in B.C. In Salmon Arm, that work has already been done with residents of Bastion Place. There are three other facilities to be surveyed soon, Hillside Village, Piccadilly Seniors Community and Mount Ida Mews.

“More volunteers are needed throughout April and May to ensure that each one of these seniors has the opportunity to share their perspective with a friendly face and listening ear,” said Emily Jurek, regional engagement lead with the Ministry of Health.

Jurek said volunteers go into the care homes, sit down with seniors and ask them about their experiences living in care.

Surveys are being conducted in 294 publicly subsidized long-term care homes across the province. Family and visitors of each resident in care will be invited to complete a related online survey, asking them to share their perceptions of their loved one’s care and their own experience visiting care homes.

According to the Office of the Seniors Advocate, information collected from the resident interviews and family/frequent visitor surveys “will be an important source of information for the Seniors Advocate to identify system-wide issues.”

Information about joining the survey team is available by calling the Office of the Seniors Advocate at 1-877-952-3181 or 2-1-1, or by visiting surveybcseniors.org.

Written by LACHLAN LABERE, originally appearing here on March 14, 2023.