At the DSS November Board Meeting, the Board endorsed the latest report from the BC Seniors Advocates Office ‘Billions More Reasons to Care’. Specifically, the Board supports the four main recommendations put forward by the BC Seniors’ Advocate:

1.      Public money subsidizing long-term facilities designated for Direct Care must be spent on Direct Care, and not on other expenses.  If not used for Direct Care, those funds must be returned.

2.      There must be complete transparency in monitoring standards, and in reporting on performance using those standards. Reporting must also be standardized.

3.      Define profit. Are management fees profit? Are mortgage payments for private facilities profit?

4.      The financial status and reports of long-term care facilities that are publicly subsidized must be made public.

Board member Adriaan de Vries has written an easy to read synopsis of the report here.

We are honored that the important work of Dignity Seniors Society has been recognised through this important funding from the Government of Canada’s Community Services Recovery Fund. This funding will support us to rebuild our organization, after surviving the devastating effects of the COVID Pandemic on our services. This timely, supportive, and encouraging vote of confidence has inspired our Board to surge forward with our pre-COVID strategic plan for building capacity in all aspects of our organization.   

The Community Services Recovery Fund is a one-time $400 million investment from the Government of Canada to support community service organizations, including charities, non-profits, and Indigenous governing bodies, as they adapt and modernize their organizations. The Government of Canada is delivering the Community Services Recovery Fund through three National Funders – Canadian Red Cross, Community Foundations of Canada, and United Way Centraide Canada.

We are committed to using this funding to implement our 2022/23 needs assessment on 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors in BC, which includes 25 recommendations to improve the lives of 2SLGBTQI+ Seniors in BC

With this funding and the support of our other funders, we can work towards making a positive impact on the lives of 2SLGBTQI+ seniors in our community.

“I am continually impressed by the passion, dedication, and creativity of community service organizations, like Dignity Seniors Society. I am equally proud the Government of Canada has supported their important work through the Community Services Recovery Fund. By investing in these organizations and their projects we can help to create a more just and equitable society, where everyone has opportunities to succeed. I look forward to seeing the positive impact of this investment in British Columbia over the years to come.”

– Jenna Sudds, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

Seniors Week is a time to recognize and celebrate seniors in BC but we also need to recognize the continued plight of our most vulnerable seniors living in long- term care LTC) homes. The need for reform of the LTC system remains urgent as resident quality of life continues to be compromised by staffing issues, the lack of continuity of care and little meaningful activity. You can change this. 

ARRC has partnered with the BC Association of Social Workers on a campaign to improve quality of life for residents in long-term care (LTC) through comprehensive system reform. 

Phase 1

It takes one minute to by joining our online letter-writing campaign demanding that the BC government strike a multi-sectoral advisory forum to develop and guide implementation of an action plan for system change, informed by those who live, visit, and work in facilities. We have made multiple requests to Minister Dix and had many discussions with Parliamentary Secretaries about forming an advisory forum, without success, even though the 2023 Budget Committee recommended funding it.

Please share the link below with your family, friends and networks and let Health Minister Adrian Dix, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Health for Seniors and the Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors Services and LTC, and your MLA, know you support reform. 

https://act.newmode.net/action/bc-association-social-workers/take-action 

Thank you for your commitment to improving quality of life for residents in LTC and for your ongoing support of ARRC.

DSS has signed on to the #Act4QueerSafety campaign led by Momentum Canada, which identifies six calls to action for the Government of Canada to address rising anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate.

Check out the open letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, Minister Ien, and Members of the Canadian Pride Caucus

You can add your name to the petition

Engage the modules and learning materials at diversity-tapestry.com

Watch the introductory video below!