Victoria, B.C. -The Minister of Health for B.C.  Terry Lake,  says the Province  agrees with  many of the general findings of the  report  just released by Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie.   The report demands major changes to  ensure seniors  have  access to adequate, affordable and appropriate housing. ( See previous story)

Minister Lake says some of the  18 recommendations in the report “have wide-reaching implications for the health authorities, for the ministry and for the seniors’ housing sector, and will need further analysis before we can commit to an approach. ”

He says some  work  already underway by his Ministry include identifying  a new approach to Registered Assisted Living to accommodate a greater range of seniors, reducing premature or inappropriate admission into residential care and improving the process for ranking preferred facility transfer request, along with providing
greater transparency for seniors and their families in that process.

“We will use the findings and recommendations in this report to guide the work we are doing to provide more patient-centred care and integrated supports for seniors in the community and at home where they live” says Lake