Ministry of Health

The Province is providing $50,000 to the District of Clearwater to explore care options for seniors in the community.

Health Minister Terry Lake announced the grant while visiting Evergreen Acres Senior Housing in Clearwater on Friday afternoon, June 12.

“Seniors’ needs can fluctuate from living independently to requiring full support,” said Lake. “Campus of care facilities specialize in meeting the changing needs of older adults. They provide relief to families and hospitals and are successful in many communities. This study will help determine if this is the right answer for Clearwater.”

Campus of care is supportive housing and health care for older adults who require a range of supports. It allows people to receive the services and care they need while remaining active, independent and connected to their communities.

“This is great news to the residents of Clearwater,” said Clearwater Mayor John Harwood. “Our seniors’ community is growing, and this funding will help us gather the information we need to support them the best way we can.”

The study will help develop a business case for a campus of care for older adults. It will gather statistics on demographics and assess any gaps or overlaps in current services and examine staffing requirements for a campus of care residence; what it would cost to build and operate; funding models; the type of amenities it could offer; available lands, and location.

The Ministry of Health has developed “Setting Priorities for the B.C. Health System”, an overarching strategy to create a more sustainable health system. A large part of the priorities are focused on quality of life for seniors. As part of this, a series of policy papers, including ones on primary and community care and rural health services were created to help build better supports that will help meet the needs of seniors in every region of the province – particularly those reaching the later stages of life.

In 2015, Clearwater received a $20,000 age-friendly grant to develop a seniors’ health and safety toolbox with information and resources on personal safety.

June 7-13, 2015, is Seniors’ Week in B.C., which raises awareness about programs and supports for seniors’ independence and seniors’ care throughout B.C.