A survey recently conducted by the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA) has found that many seniors in Squamish have concerns about nutrition, access to knowledge of services and transportation.
The survey, held in conjunction with the Seniors Wellness Fair at Brennan Park in October, was conducted by the VCHA to gain a clearer understanding of the health needs of seniors for future health planning. It was completed by over 300 seniors.
Other health issues seniors addressed in the six-page survey were housing, support services, affordability and shopping.
"The survey results will be of interest to those involved in the planning of related services such as developers who are planning seniors market housing and adjacent commercial outlets," said Janet Hickey Blackburn of the VCHA.
According to VCHA officials, the senior population in the Sea to Sky Local Health Area (LHA) is expected to more than within the coming decade, from six per cent of the total population now to more than nine per cent by 2013, thus necessitating the need to survey their health needs and support services.
Although the majority of seniors who responded to the survey gave themselves high marks regarding their own health and knowledge of health information, their responses indicated concerns regarding certain key health issues, including:
Transportation: Identified as one of the top three issues, seniors are expecting reduced mobility as they age and would like to see improved municipal transit and access to the city.
Appropriate Housing: They would like to see closer proximity to each other and to needed services. They perceive an increased need for seniors housing with supportive services.
Support Services: Seniors aged 75-plus require a greater need for additional support with everyday activities such as dressing, bathing and meal preparation.
Safety: Almost half of seniors (45 per cent) have concerns about safety, primarily on the streets.
Shopping: This issue was one of the highest priorities for seniors over 75. They would like to see improved access to shopping as well as improvements in stores to make it easier for them to shop.
The results of this survey have implications for VCHA Network Directors charged with planning for an integrated continuum of accessible health services, as well as for others involved in planning services within the Squamish area.
The District of Squamish is also seeking comments and input from citizens for various committees such as the Select Committee on Seniors, the Citizen's Advisory Committee and the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Committee.
