(BCHC) Home support makes sense says BC Health Coalition
A Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives study released today documents the dramatic decline in BC home support services over the last four years.
The BC Health Coalition (BCHC) has received countless calls from individuals and families in crisis because of lack of available services.
-We hear from people across the province who are home alone with no support," says Joyce Jones, co-chair of the BC Health Coalition. -The province must return home support funding to pre-1994 levels and ensure that people receive services that will allow them to remain in their
own homes."
"Home support makes economic sense," adds Jones. It reduces the need for more costly acute care and residential services and saves the system money."
According the CCPA study, -the number of home support clients dropped by 24% between 2000/2001 and 2004/2005; the number of hours dropped by 15%."
-Lack of access to home support services has created a crisis in rural areas where seniors are often isolated, and lack transportation to access needed services," says Alice Edge, Co-chair of the BC Health Coalition.
-Home support makes sense," adds Edge. -The provincial government must act immediately to increase home support in all health authorities to ensure that people can remain in their homes."