Seniors Advocate’s Statement on International Day of Older Persons
As the International Day of Older Persons deadline passes without commitment, Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt says the provincial government has failed to develop an action plan to address the long-term care crisis.
OSA Council of Advisors Meets in Richmond
The OSA Council of Advisors met recently, bringing together members from across the province to discuss pressing issues affecting B.C. seniors. This meeting focused on ageing in place and seniors’ homelessness, with thoughtful input from council members who shared their perspectives from urban, rural, and remote communities. We were also joined by guest presenters, including leaders from community organizations and health authorities, who shared valuable expertise and helped deepen the discussion.
Ageism Awareness Day
BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt issued a statement to highlight Ageism Awareness Day on October 9 and encourages B.C. to be a leader in advancing the rights of seniors by improving health care; building more long-term care and seniors subsidized housing; strengthening rent subsidies and income supports; supporting reliable and affordable transportation services; and creating age-friendly communities throughout the province.
Current Issues and Resources
Preventing Falls and Staying Independent
November is Fall Prevention Month, a time to highlight steps older adults can take to stay safe, active and independent. Most falls are preventable. Maintaining strength and balance through regular activity, proper footwear, medication reviews and simple home safety can all help reduce the risk.
Volunteer Training Opportunity from Healthy Aging CORE BC
Healthy Aging CORE BC is launching free digital training modules for volunteers in the Community-Based Seniors Services sector. These upcoming modules will cover a variety of topics to help volunteers gain the skills, knowledge, and insights they need to make an impact. Whether you’re already volunteering or considering it, this is a great chance to grow your capacity and support seniors more effectively.
BC College of Nurses and Midwives – Survey
The BCCNM wants to hear from seniors and others about their experiences or expectations around nursing (or midwifery) care, particularly in situations where care may have been declined or ended. These situations may occur due to legal scope or professional standards; personal or ethical beliefs; safety concerns or a breakdown in trust; or a client makes decisions that differ from the providers clinical recommendations. This survey is anonymous and will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
Webinar – Stay on the Road: Driver Assessments for Seniors
Are you approaching 80 and curious about driver assessments? Join ICBC the COSCO Seniors’ Health and Wellness Institute for a virtual workshop to learn about RoadSafetyBC’s Medical Assessment and ICBC’s Enhanced Road Assessment. While geared toward seniors approaching these milestones, drivers of all ages are welcome.
Cybersecurity Awareness
With more services and daily activities shifting online, seniors are increasingly targeted by online scams. October was Cybersecurity Awareness Month across Canada and this year’s theme was “Get cyber safe – for future you”. Learn more about skills like using a password manager, creating strong passphrases, and enabling multi-factor authentication. These small steps can make a big difference in protecting personal information and staying safe online.
Provincial News
Recent Announcements from the B.C. Government Impacting Seniors
National News
Recent Announcements from the Federal Government Impacting Seniors
Recent Research
Addressing Dementia in Canada: Current Trends, Challenges and Opportunities in Improving Public Awareness, Reducing the Risk and Challenging Stigma Related to Dementia
(National Institute on Ageing)
Already, 74% of Canadian adults know someone who has or had dementia—highlighting its widespread impact. Approximately 500,000 older adults were diagnosed in 2023/24, and close to 772,000 Canadians may be living with dementia in 2025. With an ageing population, that number could reach 1.7 million by 2050, alongside 1 million care partners. The good news is that there are many things Canadians can do to reduce their risk and prevent or delay getting dementia.
Resilience applications to social isolation and loneliness in older adults: a scoping review to develop a model and research agenda
(Front Public Health)
The development of a theoretical model applied to social isolation and loneliness among older adults has not kept pace with the exponential growth in empirical research, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. One promising but under-investigated area is the contribution of resilience models to this field. This paper provides a scoping review of the application of resilience theoretical models to social isolation and loneliness and suggests directions for the development of an integrated new model.
Declining financial and health literacy among older men and women
(Journal of the Economics of Ageing)
Financial and health literacy decline at older ages, and such deterioration in later life is associated with adverse outcomes. Nevertheless, it is unclear whether the rate or likelihood of decline diverges over time across subgroups of the elderly. This study used longitudinal data to assess whether older men and women differ in the likelihood and rate at which their financial and health literacy deteriorates.
Outreach by the OSA
If you would like to invite BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt to speak to your organization or attend an event, please email info@seniorsadvocatebc.ca .
The Office of the Seniors Advocate has an information and referral line that is available 24 hours a day, every day. Our senior service specialists will work with you during our office hours to provide resources and help resolve issues. Call 1-877-952-3181 (toll free) or 250-952-3181 (Victoria).