Climate change poses significant threats to all aspects of our lives, including the senior care and living sector. Climate catastrophes also severely impact the quality of life for seniors living in long-term care (LTC), assisted living (AL), independent living (IL) settings and those availing home health services. In BC, climate-influenced hazards like wildfires, extreme heat and flooding have become more common and have caused serious harm to seniors, particularly those living with underlying conditions. In recent years, BC has experienced numerous wildfires attributed to rising temperatures. According to Interior Health, nearly 900 seniors were evacuated out of their long-term care homes in parts of Interior BC during the 2023 wildfire season.
The sector urgently needs support to prepare for climate-related events and other environmental emergencies on their operations. The government must take immediate action to help operators enhance their resilience by providing increased funding for resources, staffing adjustments, emergency preparedness and effective mitigation strategies. This investment is critical to ensure the safety and well-being of residents, and the workers that care for them.
BCCPA has several innovative programs to help its members prepare for the future:
The EquipCare BC Climate Action is an inventive program which seeks to provide critical equipment to care communities to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. The program provides funding to facilitate the purchases of equipment like air quality controls, temperature regulation systems, emergency kits, and energy-reduction measures.
Under BCCPA’s Energy Savings Program, member organizations can effectively manage their energy consumption and transition towards cleaner sources of energy. Designed in partnership with Fortis BC, the program focuses on emission reduction and cost saving for operators of assisted living, independent living and long-term care homes in B.C. The initiative provides an internal resource to assist with tracking and reporting on energy use, equipping them with the information necessary to achieve cost and emissions reductions.
BCCPA has also focused on collecting and disseminating resources to help operators prepare for climate emergencies. The Emergency Preparedness Resource Database provides essential resources to long-term care and assisted living operators in B.C.
BCCPA is at the forefront of pivotal research on climate change and its impact on the long-term care (LTC) sector. In collaboration with Dr. Jennifer Baumbusch at the University of British Columbia, BCCPA is co-leading two major research projects aimed at strengthening climate resilience in LTC homes.
- The first project, Climate Readiness in British Columbia’s Long-term Care Home Sector, funded by Michael Smith Health Research BC, explores and assess the climate readiness of the long-term care sector in BC, identifying potential gaps and needed resources. Learn more here.
- The second project, Capacity Building in the Long-term Care Home Sector through the Co-creation of Climate Resilience Plans, is funded by the Climate Catalyst Grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). This initiative will support 25 LTC homes in developing tailored climate readiness plans and a practical resilience toolkit to help them mitigate the risks of climate-related disasters. Learn more here.
Call for Action: Towards a Safer Future
BCCPA is committed to helping its members prepare for and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on the seniors care and living sector. Recognizing the disproportionate impact of climate-related hazards on older adults, we call on the Government of British Columbia to:
- Renew EquipCare BC Climate Action program with a $10 million investment over the next two years.
- Support senior care and living sector in implementing energy-efficient technologies and sustainable practices to reduce their environmental footprint.
- Collaborate with the regional health authorities, Health Emergency Management BC, and the long-term care sector to renew and update the emergency response plans for the aged care sector.
- Provide additional resources for emergency preparedness, mitigation and climate resilience.
- Collaborate with BCCPA and other industry experts to develop comprehensive climate adaptation strategies for the sector.
Discover More:
- Policy Motions adopted during BCCPA AGMs
