The much-anticipated South Cariboo 55+ Housing Report was presented by the Age Friendly Society of the South Cariboo (AFSSC) at an open house on May 29 and paints a clear picture of the housing needs.
It reveals there are currently not enough available and appropriate housing options for seniors in the South Cariboo, and planning now for the future needs of an even larger group of seniors is imperative for the retention and inclusion of our area’s largest population group.
It was presented to a large group of seniors, and other interested parties in the District of 100 Mile House Council Chambers with a summary by AFSSC executive director Lea Smirfitt, other breakdowns by its chair, Ralph Fossum, and speeches by local politicians, some of them active participants in the study.
Smirfitt explained a bit of the background on how the society’s partnership with the District of 100 Mile House prompted the collection of data for a report on South Cariboo Housing needs.
This led to the study in response to local seniors identifying future housing as a top priority for planning in previous community assessments, she noted.
At least 504 households (represented by 793 individuals) were represented in the data collection residing throughout the South Cariboo region, from a sample of South Cariboo seniors living throughout the region, through two main approaches, a Housing Forum and the South Cariboo 55+ Housing Needs Survey.
“The project goal to determine the current and expected housing needs and supports of seniors living in the South Cariboo region was achieved because of a strong community engagement in the project,” Smirfitt explained.
She added the Housing Forum engaged approximately 100 participants in the discussion of two focus group questions related to housing needs. This feedback was recorded in note form and then grouped into similar themes for analysis.
Identifying seniors’ housing needs in the South Cariboo is significant and time-sensitive as the projected representation of people 65 years or older in the South Cariboo region will be 40 per cent by 2036 – nearly double the provincial average, she explained.
Smirfitt noted a Northern BC Housing Study released by the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) in November 2016 had identified 100 Mile House as having one of the oldest populations in the province. The average age of local survey respondents in that study was 68.6 years, with many reporting a desire to remain in their current home until their housing needs change, yet few respondents felt there is adequate current housing to meet their future needs.
Among of the perhaps more expected results, such as a need for more accessibility in local housing for those with mobility limitations which have been heard by the AFSSC before, were combined with more unique aspects she highlighted.
Smirfitt said the summary shows a majority of respondents report it is important to live in pet-friendly housing, which also aligns with a preference for independent living in detached housing with outdoor space.
District director of economic development/planning Joanne Doddridge said she already had five different developers with a “strong and serious interest in building housing here” awaiting the release of this senior’s housing report.
“This housing demand, we’ve known about it for a couple of years, but we never had the data [as] evidence that proved that … we have it now. So we will be sharing it widely with the development community.”
The report indicates possible future research opportunities that could further bolster this data might include a stronger study of seniors’ supports, including community resources (and gaps), and the unique housing and support needs of both older and younger seniors, as well as of other residents in their community.
Doddridge added the district’s certainty there will be jobs and economic opportunities that will arise according to the survey results in the report, such as the yard maintenance that showed strongly under the needs ageing residents require.
The study was funded by the Province of B.C./Union of BC Municipalities Seniors’ Housing & Support Initiative, and several other partnership supports with local governments and other groups. Thank-you speeches to participants in the study were extensive, so readers are encouraged to see the report and summary online at www.100milehouse.com.