Senior Issues In BC

Dear Friends, Colleagues, “Concerned Citizens” & Focus upon Seniors’, Politicians & Media

The Elder Citizen Action Coalition (ECAC) is a private owned & operated, apolitical entity formed to represent Seniors’, to refocus respect upon Seniors’ and do all possible to remedy various issues impacting upon Seniors’ lives. Our role is to be pro-active and persistent in our quest, to as Edmund Burke states, “Evil will flourish when good men and women stand by and do nothing”, hence, you will always find ECAC “speaking-out” when most are silent, either via Letters to Editors, Articles, News To You Newsletters and otherwise, at the ‘cutting edge’ of the “Silver Tsunami” and fore-front of progressive measures to improve Seniors’ lives. While private, we nonetheless will join progressive organizations, such as COSCO, or BC Centre for Elder Advocacy & Support and continually liaise with many leaders to help impart crucial information to recipients of our documents. Seniors’ have a major untapped resource of Seniors 55+ years of age but sadly witness one of the least organized insofar as many, many organizations comprised of Seniors’ exist across our vast Nation but have not harnessed the power resulting from voting politicians into office who will achieve benefits for Seniors’. Hence, in part, ECAC will seek to be leaders in the Fraser Valley, for example, to get advocates of “Age-Friendly” Communities elected. Municipal Election November 2014 are the first challenge to all Seniors’ to elect, for example, in the Fraser Valley, NEW Mayors & most Councillors – stay tuned!

To this end, we are extending the courtesy to forward a current report received from Seniors’ Project BC Seniors Policy Alternatives pertaining to progress to the Ombudsperson report, reflecting a sad commentary upon the Provincial Government. To add insult to injury, the Minister of Seniors has been punished presumably because when asked “if he will step aside to let the Premier run in his (safe seat) of West Vancouver by-election”, he replied “NO”, now gone. A weakened approach Seniors’ Advocate position reporting to Minister of Health, was created but destined to failure, yet not filled yet, instead only a Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health for Seniors’ was created. Anything short of an Officer of the Legislature, like Children’s & Families is totally unacceptable. ECAC is a leader in Seniors’ issues, to consult with and listen to when deciding what is to be done to improve Seniors’ lives and a “Political ally” toward organizing all Seniors’ into a viable “political force to reckon with” at each level of Government.

George F. Evens
www.thecouncilclaw.ca ‘click’ CONTENTS Elder Citizen Action Coalition (ECAC) for details on Seniors’ issues

To view on the web click here.

Share this:    Dear George F., Yesterday we released a new CCPA report and short 2-minute video about the status of the provincial government’s response to the BC Ombudsperson’s investigation into seniors care. As you know, the Ombuderspon released an exhaustive report in February 2012 that included comprehensive recommendations for rebuilding BC’s home and community care system. Earlier this year, the Ombudsperson posted a detailed listing of the status of each recommendation. Our report analyzes the actions taken to date by the provincial government in response to the 140 recommendations that were specifically directed to the Ministry of Health. The report finds: Just 6% of the Ombudsperson’s recommendations have been fully implemented. 24%  have either been partially implemented or are under consideration. 3%  have not moved forward despite a government commitment to do so. 1% have missed their timeline for implementation. A stunning 66% have been ignored. The report was covered extensively in the news. Lead author Marcy Cohen did feature interviews on CBC Radio’s Early Edition, on CKNW’s Simi Sara show, and CFAX’s live show with Pamela McCall, and the story was picked up by other radio stations as well. You can read an excellent story about the report from The Province newspaper here, or inThe Globe and Mail here. Stories are also appearing in newspapers in Kamloops and other communities. I hope you will help keep these issues on the public agenda. Here are some ways you – and others in your networks – can help: > Share the report and video with your networks and contacts. > Write your MLA, referencing the report, to let them know how important it is that the government needs to develop and share a plan with timelines for implementing the Ombudsperson’s recommendations more fully. > Contact your local newspaper to alert them to this story, and/or write a short letter or commentary about why you think it’s important for the government to do more in response to the Ombudsperson’s recommendations. > If your local newspaper runs a story on this topic, write a letter to the editor. > Contact the Hon. Terry Lake, Minister of Health, and urge him to move quickly to establish the Seniors’ Advocate (the position has been created in law, but the office has yet to be established and the position filled). Fully implementing the Ombudsperson’s recommendations will ensure seniors get the care they need and deserve. As Marcy says in the video, “BC seniors deserve quality services. And when seniors get access to the community and home services they need, it reduces the pressure and overcrowding in the expensive hospital, and that means better access and care for all British Columbians.” About the CCPA Seniors Project We work for policy changes to ensure that BC seniors can age and die with dignity, and to improve conditions for family members and health care workers. We believe that seniors should be at the centre of decisions about their own care, and the public policy decisions that affect them. For more information, visit our website or contact Shannon Daub by email or at 604-801-5121 x226. At the Seniors Project we work for policy changes to ensure that BC seniors can age and die with dignity, and to  improve conditions for family members and health care workers. We believe that seniors should be at the centre of decisions about their own care, as well as the public policy decisions that affect them. – See more at: http://www.policyalternatives.ca/projects/seniors-care/about-bc-seniors-project-0#sthash.hpxthG2H.dpuf Suite 1400 207 West Hastings St | Vancouver, British Columbia V6B 1H7 CA