Seniors

Rebecca Onstein with her mom at the Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace on Sept. 22. (Submitted photo)

‘No place will take her’: No help for B.C. senior in “life or limb” condition

“If they don’t get my mom out she’ll lose her leg or she will die. And that’s not fair,” says daughter

Rebecca Onstein with her mom at the Mills Memorial Hospital in Terrace on Sept. 22. (Submitted photo)
Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie is photographed at her office in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017. Mackenzie says British Columbia ranks last among Canada’s provinces and territories in providing key financial support for seniors. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

B.C. seniors have lowest financial support in Canada, says advocate

Report covers home support, eye exams, hearing aids and monthly supplements

Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie is photographed at her office in Victoria, B.C., on Friday, Dec. 15, 2017. Mackenzie says British Columbia ranks last among Canada’s provinces and territories in providing key financial support for seniors. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito
Silver Threads Service is hosting Try it Free Week from Sept. 6 to 9, offering seniors a free chance to try their hand at different activities, including pickleball. (Black Press Media file photo)

Free week of activities on tap for seniors to try

Silver Threads Service hosting Try it Free week Sept. 6-9

Silver Threads Service is hosting Try it Free Week from Sept. 6 to 9, offering seniors a free chance to try their hand at different activities, including pickleball. (Black Press Media file photo)
Hedy Sutulov celebrates her 108th birthday with her friends on Aug. 10, 2022 at Chartwell Birchwood Retirement Residence where she lives. She turned 108 on Aug. 18, 2022. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

VIDEO: Active B.C. senior described by friend as ‘feisty’ celebrates 108th birthday

Hedy Sutolov, who hiked Mt. Cheam when she was 90, turned 108 on Aug. 18

Hedy Sutulov celebrates her 108th birthday with her friends on Aug. 10, 2022 at Chartwell Birchwood Retirement Residence where she lives. She turned 108 on Aug. 18, 2022. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
Friendly competition returns with the annual tournament between Monterey Centre Table Tennis Club and the Victoria Chinese Seniors’ Chinese Association at Monterey centre in Oak Bay. (Courtesy Monterey Centre Table Tennis Club)

Athletes return to friendly battle at table tennis tournament in Oak Bay

Monterey, Victoria centres return to the norm with a two-day fun affair

Friendly competition returns with the annual tournament between Monterey Centre Table Tennis Club and the Victoria Chinese Seniors’ Chinese Association at Monterey centre in Oak Bay. (Courtesy Monterey Centre Table Tennis Club)
A 93-year-old senior is left with nothing but bitcoin receipts after being scammed out of $15,000 in July. She’s hoping that sharing her experience will prevent others from being hurt. (Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance Times)

Cloverdale senior hit by tag-teaming scammers, defrauding her of $15,000

93-year-old grandmother doesn’t want to see this happen to other seniors

A 93-year-old senior is left with nothing but bitcoin receipts after being scammed out of $15,000 in July. She’s hoping that sharing her experience will prevent others from being hurt. (Heather Colpitts/Langley Advance Times)
Residents at Legion Manor Retirement Living in Saanichton spent the pandemic learning to play the ukulele and held their first concert on Aug. 2. (Courtesy of Paula Hosking)

‘It’s just lovely’: Saanichton seniors take up the ukulele

Legion Manor Retirement Living residents held their first concert Aug. 2

Residents at Legion Manor Retirement Living in Saanichton spent the pandemic learning to play the ukulele and held their first concert on Aug. 2. (Courtesy of Paula Hosking)
Duncan Watson learns the basics of pickleball provided by OPC Pickleball Club’s pilot program to help people with Parkinson’s disease. (Maire Watson photo)

Parksville pickleball club starts program to help people with Parkinson’s disease

Eight players enjoy learning the game

Duncan Watson learns the basics of pickleball provided by OPC Pickleball Club’s pilot program to help people with Parkinson’s disease. (Maire Watson photo)
Robin Norbury took motorbike on a ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, before riding the route with a friend to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. (Robin Norbury photo) Robin Norbury took motorbike on a ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, before riding the route with a friend to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. (Robin Norbury photo)

Courtenay friends head to Arctic Circle on motorcycles to fulfill 30-year dream

The two, aged 59 and 76, met a year ago after purchasing first motorbikes

Robin Norbury took motorbike on a ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, before riding the route with a friend to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. (Robin Norbury photo) Robin Norbury took motorbike on a ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert, before riding the route with a friend to Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. (Robin Norbury photo)
Island Health and the Eldercare Foundation have dedicated a statue and garden at the Summit to the late Dr. Tom Bailey. (Courtesy of the Eldercare Foundation)

Statue, garden dedicated to late Greater Victoria doctor

The monuments at the Summit honour Dr. Tom Bailey

Island Health and the Eldercare Foundation have dedicated a statue and garden at the Summit to the late Dr. Tom Bailey. (Courtesy of the Eldercare Foundation)
(Pixaby photo)

B.C.’s seniors advocate urges seniors and caregivers to prepare for rising temperatures

Dual focus during high temperatures is to keep the room cool and to keep the body cool

(Pixaby photo)
Louis Brier Home and Hospital is a long-term care facility in Vancouver, pictured in 2019. CEO David Keselman said guidelines need to reflect how care has become more complex since he first became a nurse roughly 30 years ago. (Photo: Google Street View).

‘We are still not prepared’: B.C. care home advocates call for action amid recommendations

Experts say it is time to re-evaluate staffing ratio guidelines in the province

Louis Brier Home and Hospital is a long-term care facility in Vancouver, pictured in 2019. CEO David Keselman said guidelines need to reflect how care has become more complex since he first became a nurse roughly 30 years ago. (Photo: Google Street View).
Liberal MP Hedy Fry speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on June 15, 2017. Fry introduced a private bill in late June, Bill C-295, that would amend Section 215 of the Criminal Code to specifically criminalize owners and managers of long-term care homes for failing to provide the “necessaries of life” to vulnerable adults. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Ottawa exploring criminal reform as Liberal MP tables bill on long-term care neglect

Bill C-295 looks to criminalize care home owners who fail to provide residents with necessities

Liberal MP Hedy Fry speaks during a news conference in Ottawa, on June 15, 2017. Fry introduced a private bill in late June, Bill C-295, that would amend Section 215 of the Criminal Code to specifically criminalize owners and managers of long-term care homes for failing to provide the “necessaries of life” to vulnerable adults. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld
Dorothy Wing, left, and Myrtle Peters, residents at Revera Parkwood Place on Shelbourne Street, stand with some of theirs and other resident artworks. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)

Artists at Saanich retirement community reflect on a lifetime of inspiration

Dorothy Wing and Myrtle Peters have been painting since childhood

Dorothy Wing, left, and Myrtle Peters, residents at Revera Parkwood Place on Shelbourne Street, stand with some of theirs and other resident artworks. (Don Descoteau/News Staff)
B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie held a Town Hall meeting at the Campbell River Seniors Centre Wednesday, July 6 to hear issues and concerNs from Campbell River seniors. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror

Majority of seniors in B.C. live independently in their own home

B.C. Seniors Advocate provides snapshot of the state of life as a senior in the province

B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie held a Town Hall meeting at the Campbell River Seniors Centre Wednesday, July 6 to hear issues and concerNs from Campbell River seniors. Photo by Alistair Taylor/Campbell River Mirror
Pictured during 2015, Aaron Craven (right) is with his mother, Patricia Craven (center), and his father, Donald Craven (left), who passed away in 2018. (Photo: Aaron Craven/ B.C. Alzheimer's Society).

Advocates want more consistency in B.C.’s extended care visitation policies post-pandemic

Constantly shifting rules around essential visitors hard on people’s mental health

Pictured during 2015, Aaron Craven (right) is with his mother, Patricia Craven (center), and his father, Donald Craven (left), who passed away in 2018. (Photo: Aaron Craven/ B.C. Alzheimer's Society).
Longtime Port Alberni resident Jerry Fevens has been documenting the city and surrounding regional district one photo at a time for more than four decades. (PHOTO COURTESY JERRY FEVENS)

Port Alberni man capturing region’s history one photo at a time

Jerry Fevens can often be seen documenting construction projects around the city

Longtime Port Alberni resident Jerry Fevens has been documenting the city and surrounding regional district one photo at a time for more than four decades. (PHOTO COURTESY JERRY FEVENS)
The Victoria Community Response Network is encouraging residents to take note of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15 as the underreported societal issue is expected to affect as much as 10 per cent of B.C. seniors. (Courtesy of Unsplash)

Greater Victoria asked to mark elder abuse awareness day June 15

As many as 10 % of B.C. seniors will experience some form of abuse, stats show

The Victoria Community Response Network is encouraging residents to take note of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15 as the underreported societal issue is expected to affect as much as 10 per cent of B.C. seniors. (Courtesy of Unsplash)
The former Oak Bay Lodge site at 2251 Cadboro Bay Rd., pictured May 31, will receive a 2023 budget of $300 million for a redevelopment that will likely include senior-focused health and housing services. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)

Oak Bay Lodge falls to its end: What lies ahead for the property?

Site gets $300 million for possible senior health care redevelopment

The former Oak Bay Lodge site at 2251 Cadboro Bay Rd., pictured May 31, will receive a 2023 budget of $300 million for a redevelopment that will likely include senior-focused health and housing services. (Evert Lindquist/News Staff)
B.C. is investing another $12 million into the BC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program, and upping the weekly amount participants receive from $21 to $27. (Photo: BC Association of Farmers’ Markets)

B.C. upping access to farmers’ market coupon program with $12-million injection

Program provides low-income households, seniors, pregnant people with weekly coupons for local goods

B.C. is investing another $12 million into the BC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Coupon Program, and upping the weekly amount participants receive from $21 to $27. (Photo: BC Association of Farmers’ Markets)