On January 31st, BC Care Providers Association held a member-only forum on assisted living. The workshop, titled Forum on the Future of Assisted Living Under Bill 16, generated strong attendance with approximately 40 attendees representing assisted living operators and health authorities across the province. Attendees joined BCCPA both in person and virtually to discuss what the future of assisted living will look like amidst increased client complexity and acuity.
At the centre of the four panel presentations and six roundtable dialogues was the question: how do we support the seniors in the middle? And how do we do that in a way that is not only compassionate and respectful, but also sustainable and in alignment with changing legislation?
Opening remarks were made by BCCPA CEO Daniel Fontaine, followed by:
• An overview of Bill 16, Elaine Price, Director of Operations, Eden Care Centre and Mike Klassen, VP of Communications & Stakeholder Relations, BCCPA.
• Building and infrastructure, Ron Pike, Executive Director, Elim Village and Mariam Heemskerk, Director of Community Care.
• Capacity to provide care, Al Jina, President, Park Place Seniors Living,
• Technology & the future of AL, Cheryl Beach, Director, Assisted Living and Residential Care Abbotsford/Mission, Fraser Health.
BCCPA was very pleased with this event and appreciated the opportunity to facilitate a dialogue on the opportunities associated with Bill 16.
“While we will be working with all partners to ensure the sustainability of any necessary changes to operations, especially as they relate to Bill 16, we are very aware that the landscape is changing,” says Mike Klassen, VP of Communications and Stakeholder Relations.
“People are simply entering assisted living with more cognitive, behavioural and physical needs than ever before, and we can expect that to continue.”
“Ensuring that funding is in place to support the necessary infrastructure, technological upgrades and front-line care is critical, but there are also opportunities for operators to learn from each other about best practices,” he adds.
This session follows BCCPA’s earlier work on Bill 16, including the Assisted Living Tenancy Task Force Review released in July 2017, and the Listening Tour which took place in the Fall of 2017.
BCCPA will be collating findings generated from the session with other data sources to generate an overview report outlining what was discussed, and how the providers can best meet the needs of today’s AL clients. The report will inform BCCPA’s advocacy, and will also be made available to BCCPA’s assisted living members.
