The DSS Board fully supports the latest report from the BC Seniors Advocate: “Billions more reasons to care. Contracted long-term care: Funding review update.”

Specifically, the DSS 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.

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

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-19 strategic plan for building capacity in all aspects of our organization.

What does "aging and living well" look like for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI) older adults in Canada? What could it look like? And what social changes are needed to better enable LGBTQI older adults to live and age well, on their terms? ...

The purpose of this national interview-based study was to expand and deepen our understanding of how LGBTQI older adults themselves conceptualize "wellbeing", and what is needed for our communities to live well into old age. ...

This report provides a high-level summary of the research findings and recommendations. It has three main parts. Methodology & Orientations describes the research approach and process. Findings discusses five overarching themes: Employment; Housing; Social Connection and Disconnection; Healthcare Access; and Death and End-of-Life Wellbeing. Each of these sections can be read as stand-alone sections, and we welcome you to navigate to those that interest you. In the final part, we provide summary Conclusions and Next Steps. ...

Join our partners at Action for Reform of Residential Care BC (ARRC BC) in their advocacy efforts to reform Long-Term-Care in BC:
BC Association of Social Workers

Seniors Week is a time to recognize and celebrate seniors in B.C. 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. [Note: campaign now closed.]

Tell the Government of Canada to #Act4QueerSafety!

Dignity Seniors Society (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 Justin Trudeau, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth Marci Ien, and Members of the Canadian Pride Caucus.

You can also add your name to the petition.