I just listened to the report by Bev.

It was outstanding!

She talked about the sustainable tax base that seniors provide:

We don't abandon our families and we don't leave town when the going gets tough. We are here contributing our wisdom and our sustainabilitly to family life. I think we are the most undervalued of all in the City. We are probably the longest and most reliable contributors to the tax base.

I noted that when Bev was talking Colin's mouth went down with the creases going towards the chin. He tried to appear affable and welcoming but he could hardly wait to get rid of her.
Good on ya Bev, you ignored his own personal elder abuse!

I think her presentation was much needed as well. I wonder if they are keeping a high profile in the community.

I especially liked her explanation of seniors living at home in response to the Mayor's note that there will be senior units built at Ron Brent. I would think for everyone living in that type of facility there must be at least 10 others living "at home", whether rental or owned, whether apartment or house.

Her mentioning that new housing construction does not address the elderly needs, such as fewer or no stairs, smaller dwelling unit areas to maintain and clean, even proximity to daily shopping needs without having to drive, was very appropriate.

I do not know why houses being constructed now are so large; perhaps to accommodate children coming back home to live for a year or two when they run into problems and need some more assistance to get them over a temporary hurdle, or even seniors moving in as they used to in past generations and other cultures.

It is time to look at special needs housing once more since only a single type of new house appears to be getting built. Maybe someone should be buying up small single storey houses in developed parts of the city, closer to where there is some activity and close to public transportation, and doing a major overhaul to reconfigure them to senior empty nesters. This may be better than building appropriate units on the periphery of the city in new subdivisions.

Brilliant-absolutely brilliant--NO-NO-NO!
Buy up old junk, spend a fortune on it to make them liveable for the elderly, and after discovering it is not possible to "make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, place them in the old junk anyhow-as after all-is it not diminishing returns for their time left on earth anyhow???
I made reasonable suggestions earlier on this site-when the senior residence was proposed on 20th and Victoria, but any decent suggestion to accommodate the elderly appears to fall on deaf ears. They will go ahead and build at that ridiculous location of 20th and Victoria, as that is where the city wants them-seeing as how Lombardy went by the board? Anyone been clued in on that proposal to put the elderly out of sight at the Hudson Bay slough???? Smack bang in the good old crime ridden "hood."
Will we ever be given "privy" to what really takes place at the inner sanctum at City Hall?
I would prefer to see a major house cleaning, and start from scratch.
The residents of this city become "brain dead" at election time.
Or are there too many old faithfuls making it to the polls?
Funny, I always thought the elderly had the experience to make good judgements??

My parents told me that when you become a senior you become invisible. Even the agencies that are set up to help seniors do not treat them with respect. My parents remained in their home until they died and it was so hard to get them the service and help they needed.

"Funny, I always thought the elderly had the experience to make good judgements??"

My parents are in their 80's and are still in the first house they purchased some 50 years ago. Compared to new houses being built locally, theirs is in better shape by far. They have made some improvements on it such as adding beautiful European style windows which are hinged so that they can be opened as top awning, bottom awning, side swing as well as rotated so that you can wash the outside of the glass while inside the house. No ladder. In addition, they have put European type rolling shutter on most windows for insulating and security purposes.

They built a wonderfull deck off one of the bedrooms that is now used as a den. That, in essence, has become their favourite part of the house. They no longer entertain, other than having their grandkids visit.

They have since had their pool taken out after using it for 30 years since they no longer swim an it was a pain in the butt to maintain. Surprising how many people are doing that in cities with a large population of seniors.

They have an "army" of people who help them with mowing the lawn, shovelling the snow, and small maintenance items, plus cleaning the house once a week.

Most seniors, in one way or another, live in their home. My parents had everything figured out as to where they would go when they sold their house. Fact is, it is stressful to move to a new place which does not offer the same amenities at home. Fact is, even with providing some services at home to help, it is much less expensive to live at home.

As far as I am concerned, putting the elderly into a seniors residence should be avoided rather than encouraged for a whole range of social reasons.

As far as making a silk purse out of a sows ear, you have obviously not seen buildings in Europe, or even the eastern part of the USA and parts of Canada which are 100, 200, 300, 400 years old and are far superior to any residence in Prince George when it comes to quality of construction. You will simply have to trust me that I happen to be a person who knows what he is talking about when it comes to building design and construction.

Kagee..... that is one of the things Bev C was talking about last night. My parents have enough money to take care of the cost of that. However, there are others who do not.

Rather than putting them into a home as a first choice and subsidizing a much higher cost, services should be provided to assist at home first, until that no longer works.

Here are some examples of services that can be available for seniors who live in their own housing.

Adult day Health
Caregiver connection
Community Dining
Homesharing
Meals on wheels
Minor home repair
Senior Centres
Senior Outreach
Support groups and classes
Transportation

http://www.seniorservices.org

Good to see the responses from Owl, someone who obviously cares.

Yeah, he cares-but I noticed he supposedly did not have to part with a dime for the old folks comfort level to be maintained.
I have been to many, many countries in Europe, as well as other parts of the world. I, also, have stayed in residences that were much older than any standing in Prince George. The only issue remains, we are not living in Europe,nor are we back East, so comparables are of little, if any, consequence.
I would like to see housing provided for seniors which does not amount to cubicles, and areas provided whereby they can enjoy some quality of living they had been accustomed to in their younger years. Most appear to still enjoy a bit of gardening, and the residence on 20th and Victoria will provide nothing but a roof over their heads and some meals. A very regimented existence is their predictable future. I have seen it, and it is indeed a sad state to live in. Many do not even get visitors, as younger relatives easily forget the elderly. They simply exist waiting for death.
When I sat on the board for a federal party I made suggestions as to the manner in which seniors could live with a better quality of life. An uncaring attitude was obvious.
I suppose one must be a senior to be concerned.
Unfortunately, they do not have much of a voice when they reach those years.
Sad, but true.

Yes, trusted, I recall the seniors' cottages on 10th Avenue which had the little gardens. Seniors do love to putter in the garden. But the holier than thou young guy with Northern Health said they were substandard and had to go.

I think he was substandard with no understanding that seniors need to be able to walk out the door into gardens and not be shut up in warehouse cubicles.