It is feared that hundreds may be left to fend for themselves and miss meals and critical medications

BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) and EngAge BC are raising concerns about the impact of the Metro Vancouver bus strikes on vulnerable seniors who need home support and care services, whether that be in a private home or in residential care.

“Disruptions in transportation have a devastating impact on care workers who heavily rely on busses and other public transit services to get to work places such as retirement communities, assisted living and long term care or to reach clients’ place of residence,” says BCCPA and EngAge BC CEO, Terry Lake. “Seniors depend on care workers for a wide range of services such as personal care, mobility assistance, housekeeping, meal preparation and medication management.”

There are growing concerns from care providers across Metro Vancouver, including those in the North Shore who are particularly impacted with SeaBus services halted.

“About two thirds of care workers rely on public transit to get to and from work,” says Margot Ware, President of Shylo Home HealthCare.

“Companies like Shylo do everything in our power to get our Caregivers to our priority clients —those who can not get out of bed or would be unsafe without our support — by having our drivers and supervisors chauffeur our caregivers to work and back home. We worry about seniors who have hired privately and don’t have the support systems in place to get their care to them.”

With the majority of their care staff commuting from outside of the North Shore, workers have faced barriers in accessing the homes. If the strike extends to Skytrain services, in addition to the buses and SeaBus, it would be devastating for the thousands of seniors across the Lower Mainland who rely on care workers to meet their daily care needs. It is feared that hundreds may be left to fend for themselves and miss meals and critical medications.

“Given a potential job action escalation this week, we hope that the profound impact on vulnerable seniors is considered before the situation worsens,” says Lake. “Many of these seniors live alone, are bedridden, and require 24-hour care while care homes are already short staffed and this can only worsen with transit interruptions.”