Thursday October 2, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC [Posted 10 am | Updated 10:42 am | Updated October 3, 2025]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
The International Day of Older Persons deadline of October 1 has passed without commitment to a long-term care action plan to address the long-term care crisis, says BC Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt.
On the United Nations International Day of Older Persons (recognized each year on October 1) as a time to celebrate seniors and their many contributions, as well as reaffirm their right to live with dignity.
This year’s theme is ‘Older Persons Driving Local and Global Action: Our Aspirations, Our Well-Being, Our Rights’ which recognizes the role seniors play in driving change both locally and globally.
“Seniors in B.C. are incredibly active and give tirelessly to their communities through leadership, volunteerism and paid work,” says Levitt.
Aging in place and long-term care:
Older persons are met with ballooning waitlists and an escalating crisis in seniors’ care, Levitt says. He frequently also emphasizes the importance of ‘aging in place’, which is — at the very least — a way to keep seniors from needing long-term care which is more costly form of care (facilities, staffing, operations, etc).
In July, the Office of the BC Seniors Advocate released a report outlining the current and rapidly growing need for more publicly-subsidized long-term care beds.
His report this summer reported that the availability of spaces (beds) in long-term care in BC has gone from 77 beds per 1,000 people a decade ago, to 58 beds today; this is expected to drop to 41 beds by 2035/36 if beds are built and replaced at the current rate.
“Today, there is a 2,000-bed shortfall and that gap will increase significantly to 16,000 beds needed by 2035/36 to meet the demands of a growing population,” says Levitt, as reported out to media in July 2025.
Meanwhile, the work to keep people’s options open for aging in place continues, including home care and supporting caregivers who help older family members at home. There is also a housing development factor… if more homes are built in communities that are suitable for seniors (one level, or with elevators, and in affordable price ranges), that can support aging in place.
Also, it’s an interesting indicator that the majority of seniors in long-term care have dementia (as stated by then Health Minister Adrian Dix in 2023). As more ways are found to prevent dementia, the possibility for more aging-in-place increases.
Income factor:
As well, people may not realize this, but when there is insufficient income for people to live in their own home, the only default is long-term care unless the older person is taken in by a family member.
In these cases, any OAS or GIS that the person is receiving is put toward the cost of living in long-term care.
People working past age 65 in this struggling economy is more common as they try to maintain their own housing.
Sadly, some seniors are at risk of ending up homelessness due to lack of affordable housing options including long-term care.
Crisis in the making:
“I had asked for assurance that government was acting on my recommendations by requesting an action plan be developed by October 1. However, I have received no confirmation that an action plan is being developed, or if there is even a plan to create a plan. The lack of long-term care in B.C. is a crisis in the making, and government must act now,” says Levitt.
The crisis is associated with the fact that BC’s population is aging as more baby-boom generation seniors reach age 75 and beyond.
“British Columbians greatly value seniors and expect the supports and services they paid into to be available as they age. On the UN International Day of Older Persons, let’s make sure seniors throughout the province can live well in a manner of their choosing and the services we all rely on are ready and available when and where they’re needed.”
REPORT Link: From Shortfall to Crisis: Growing Demand for Long-Term Care Beds in B.C.
===== RELATED:
- BC Seniors Advocate: allocate capital investments for both long-term care & seniors-friendly housing (July 29, 2025)
- Survey for family caregivers about BC long-term care waitlists (February 12, 2025)
- Majority of seniors in long-term care have dementia, says Dix (March 23, 2023)
- NEWS SECTIONS: AGE & GENERATIONS | SENIORS | HEALTH | LONG-TERM CARE | ISLAND HEALTH