The Hospital Employees Union and Oceanside Coalition for Strong Communities is hosting a film and discussion on senior care next week.
They will screen the 28 minute documentary The Remaining Light, on how seniors are cared for in B.C. and then have a panel discussion with family members, caregivers and seniors’ advisors, said Barry Avis who encourages everyone to attend.
The film was made by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the HEU and paints an unflattering picture of the current conditions in B.C., which the provincial ombudsperson is currently working on a report about.
John Olsen with the OCSC said the film shows that both the quantity and quality of care for seniors is decreasing in B.C. and he hopes ideas on how to improve senior care will grow out of the event.
Promotional material describes the documentary as “a journey through an often invisible part of Canada’s health care system — the community-based services that provide care for seniors as they age and die.”
It features the stories of seniors and their families, and explores key themes related to dignity, preventing illness and social isolation, and keeping health care costs under control as the boomer generation ages.
The film is available free online, Google it or check www.policyalternatives.ca in “seniors care” under the Projects and Initiatives menu.
The free evening starts at 7 p.m. at the Parksville Community and Conference Centre, Thursday, Jan. 19.
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