Surrey – Seniors in Surrey will benefit from greater accessibility and a higher quality of life thanks to a $14,919 age-friendly grant coming to their community for the Mobile Community Care for Seniors program, announced New Democrat MLAs Rachna Singh, Jinny Sims, Bruce Ralston, Jagrup Brar, Garry Begg, and Harry Bains.
“Our government has proven yet again that it works for seniors,” said Surrey-Green Timbers MLA Rachna Singh. “The funding for Mobile Community Care for Seniors helps make Surrey an age-friendly community. It will ensure that all seniors, including those who are vulnerable and at risk, are given access to basic needs and support.”
“I am so proud to be a part of a government that is investing in our seniors after 16 long years of neglect under the B.C. Liberals,” said Surrey-Panorama MLA Jinny Sims. “We have to ensure that as our population ages our most vulnerable seniors have access to the supports they need so they can enjoy quality of life.”
“For too long the needs of seniors in Surrey were being ignored. Seniors were seeing themselves unable to access basic needs for a good quality of life,” said Surrey-Fleetwood MLA Jagrup Brar. “By providing funding for a Mobile Community Care for Seniors, our government has shown that they are working hard to make lives better in B.C.”
“Many health issues can impact seniors’ ability to remain connected and engaged in the community, leading to isolation and social disconnection,” said Surrey-Guildford MLA Garry Begg. “Our government’s funding will allow for an integrated mobile unit to ensure people receive the care they need, and are able to enjoy life in the community.”
“The Mobile Community Care will provide basic support resources to the aging population who are unhoused or unsettled due to various circumstances,” said Surrey-Newton MLA Harry Bains. “Our seniors have spent their entire lives working hard, and I am proud of our government for putting seniors first.”
The local investment is part of the approximately $587,000 in age-friendly grants being provided to B.C. communities in 2018. MLAs Rachna Singh, Jinny Sims, Bruce Ralston, Jagrup Brar, Garry Begg, and Harry Bains say that the number of communities that have received grants has almost doubled since 2017, and they are glad that people in Surrey will benefit from projects focused on accessibility, physical activity and aging well.
The age-friendly communities grant program is a partnership between the Province and the Union of British Columbia Municipalities and in September 2017, local governments were invited to apply. MLAs Rachna Singh, Jinny Sims, Bruce Ralston, Jagrup Brar, Garry Begg, and Harry Bains said these age-friendly grants will work to accommodate the changing needs of older residents in (community) while also contributing to the creation of sustainable, healthy communities for all British Columbians
Today’s announcement builds on other significant investments the new government is making to support seniors:
- investing $548 million over three years to improve care for seniors: adding more specialized primary care services, helping seniors stay in their homes longer with home and community care, and improving the quality of care in residential care homes;
- increasing support from the Shelter Aid for Elderly Residents (SAFER) rental assistance program by an average of $930 per year;
- expanding Fair PharmaCare coverage, including eliminating deductibles for families with net annual incomes under $30,000;
- and launching a new surgical strategy to reduce wait times for hip and knee surgeries by increasing the number of surgeries performed in 2018-19 by 34%.
Learn More:
More information about age-friendly BC can be found by visiting: http://www.gov.bc.ca/agefriendly