New council program to enhance input of B.C. long-term care residents & families

Nov 3, 2022 | 2:10 PM

B.C.’s long-term care sector will be seeing improvements that will give residents and families more input into issues that affect their daily lives.

Health Minister Adrian Dix has announced the province is enhancing a resident and family council program to oversee long-term care and provide input on policies.

Dix said there is “a dept owed and improvements that are required and need to be made” following the discovery of shortcomings related to the impacts the COVID-19 pandemic had on the long term care sector, residents, and families.

“People living in long-term care homes, and their family representatives, will have more input into issues that affect their daily lives as a result to changes to the residential care regulations relating to resident and family councils,” said Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long Term Care.

“A resident or family council is a group of long-term care home residents and/or their family members who meet regularly to promote the collective interests of residents and to discuss issues of concern.”

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Elmore noted the councils will operate similarly to a strata, and could include residents, family members and other representatives and stakeholders.

“We’re doing this so that more people can be involved, and that those with lived experience can be at the table when it comes to promoting quality of life, resolving problems that arise, and providing input to the management of the long term care home,” Elmore added.

Provincial regulations will ensure there are regular meetings between the councils and the operators of long-term care facilities, and regional health authorities will also be tasked with creating regional councils that will discuss systemic issues and share information.

The Ministry of Health will also establish a provincial committee to collect information and act on systemic issues in the long-term care sector.

“This new approach will ensure increased collaboration and communication and ensure members have more access to support information and can have open and frank conversations about their experiences,” stated Elmore.

“This is so important and I think this is good news for people who are in care homes and their families.”

To ensure the voices are heard, the operators will have to meet with the local councils at least two times a year, and will be required to respond in writing to any recommendations brought forward by the councils.

Operators will also be obligated to share information from the Ministry of Health and the seniors advocate with members of the councils.

In addition to the new council program, the province is continuing its work on a number of initiatives to improve the sector including hiring more people to work in long-term care facilities, build more long-term care beds, and moving to improve staffing levels at facilities across B.C. to meet the required levels.

by Liam Verster

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