Seniors Housing Collaborative Brief: July 2022
Building towards systemic change

Seniors Housing Collaborative (SHC) members have fully embraced podcasting. In June, five members shared insights on the  SSS BC Fridays with Seniors podcast about different ways to support low-income seniors. Donald MacKenzie and Sharon Ennis, two senior members, spoke about the importance of older people staying active and connected with their communities: “They like to have a purpose and they like to know their voice is being heard…. When they’re interacting, they’re feeling alive again.” Opportunities can range from welcoming older people as volunteers for community services to providing dedicated spaces for urban agriculture.

Three service provider members, Jenny Konkin of Whole Way House, Susan Moore from Brightside, and Kyoko Takahashi from SSS BC shared ideas to make things better for seniors. Their recommendations included:

  • If you’re looking for a tenant, open your doors and rent to a senior! They can be excellent renters for many years.
  • Close the gap and strengthen collaboration between housing and healthcare for seniors—especially for those who live alone and don’t have a support network.
  • Fix regulations that contribute to seniors losing their housing due to changes in their health.
  • Create a Provincial Ministry of Seniors to address systemic fragmentation with a seniors lens.
  • Befriend older adults in your community—you can learn a lot from each other.

Want to learn more? Click here to watch the session on YouTube!

The Seniors Housing Collaborative (SHC) is working to shift policy and practice so low-income seniors can age in the right place with appropriate services and strong networks. Membership includes 20+ people, including housing and service providers, municipal representatives, and eight seniors with diverse perspectives on the rental landscape.

Next steps for SHC are to work with policy partners to move their priorities forward.

For more information, contact Mariam Larson, Collaborative Project Manager: mariaml@seniorsservicessociety.ca
Podcast link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLRg682Pcjk