What has been the increase in long-term care waitlists in B.C. since 2016?

Long-term care waitlists in B.C. have increased by more than 200 percent since 2016.

How long do seniors wait for long-term care in B.C. on average?

On average, seniors in B.C. wait nearly 10 months for a publicly funded long-term care bed.

How many new long-term care beds does B.C. need annually?

The province needs to add approximately 16,000 new long-term care beds annually to keep pace with population growth.

Home / Health / B.C. Seniors Face Long Wait for Care

B.C. Seniors Face Long Wait for Care

28 Jan

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Summary

Long-term care waitlists have more than tripled since 2016.
Seniors now wait an average of nearly 10 months for care.
B.C. needs 16,000 new long-term care beds annually.

A report from British Columbia's seniors' advocate reveals a dramatic increase in wait times for long-term care (LTC) beds, with numbers surging over 200 per cent since 2016. Seniors are currently facing an average wait of nearly 10 months for a publicly funded spot, compared to five months in 2016.

The advocate stated that the growth in LTC beds has lagged significantly behind the rapid increase in the senior population. To keep pace, the province needs to add approximately 16,000 new LTC beds each year, a substantial increase from current plans which only account for a few thousand over the next five years.

Without a rapid expansion, families will bear the increasing burden of care, impacting their financial stability and workforce participation, particularly for women. Advocacy groups criticize the government's plans as "woefully inadequate" given the demographic trends, noting that B.C. lags behind other provinces in addressing seniors' care needs.