Pandemic has caused big disruptions in lives of province's seniors: report
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the lives of B.C. seniors, said a report released Wednesday by the seniors advocate.
The seventh annual Monitoring Seniors Services Report covers April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021, including the first two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic and the beginning of B.C.'s mass vaccination rollout.
“The report speaks to the tremendous amount of disruption seniors saw in their lives and was reflected in the data,” B.C. seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie said at a news conference Wednesday.
The report found emergency department visits by seniors decreased by nine per cent, while hospitalizations also declined by seven per cent — a reflection of seniors opting to stay home and managing their health issues at home rather than risk seeking care at a hospital during the pandemic, it noted.
Reportable incidents in long-term care decreased by 24 per cent to 13,671 incidents, likely a result of a decrease in regulatory inspections, which measured and monitored the safety and quality of the facilities.
Mackenzie said her office will be keeping a close eye on these metrics in the next year as the pandemic entered its second year. One priority will be to monitor the use of antipsychotic medication in longterm care after data shows the proportion of residents taking antipsychotic medications without a diagnosis of psychosis increased by seven per cent.
The use of HandyDART service, a shared door-to-door service for passengers who are unable to use conventional public transit without assistance, also saw a drastic reduction in demand.
Active HandyDART clients declined 23 per cent from 46,019 in March 2020 to 35,382 in March 2021, an indication that some seniors were isolated in their homes for long periods of time during the pandemic, said the report.
Approximately 96 per cent of seniors living in long-term care have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as of Nov. 4.
Among seniors living in the community, about 89 per cent have been vaccinated by the end of 2021. The highest vaccination rates are found in Vancouver Island Health, where 92 per cent of seniors have received their shots.
The annual report provides a comprehensive picture of services available to B.C.'s 986,936 seniors in health care, housing, transportation, income supports and community supports.
Across the province, the number of seniors aged 65 or older increased by four per cent. The number of seniors 85 and older grew by almost three per cent. Over the past decade, the number of seniors grew by 48 per cent.
The vast majority of seniors, or 94 per cent, live independently in their homes, while six per cent of seniors live in assisted living or longterm care.
The report also found uptake of the flu vaccine among seniors has increased in recent years.
Between July 2020 and June 2021, 44 per cent received their flu shot at a pharmacy, an eight per cent jump from the previous year.