Tri-City seniors' concerns about home support services, transportation, health care, housing and other issues will be front and centre later this month at a forum in Coquitlam.
Organized by the Coquitlam Retired Teachers' Association, the Tri-Cities Community Seniors' Forum will be held March 27 at Winslow Centre. Organizer Ken Kuhn, a retired teacher himself, said the goal is to start a dialogue about the gaps in seniors' services in the Tri-Cities and he hopes participants will come away more knowledgeable and passionate about the need to act.
"I'm hoping to have people understand some of the issues because people will be able to stand up and talk about their own personal issues," Kuhn said, noting that politicians, including local mayors, MPs and MLAs, will be on hand to share their perspective.
Health care workers, service providers, seniors, caregivers and others are welcome to attend and participate in the question-and-answer session.
The event's keynote speaker will be B.C. seniors advocate Isobel Mackenzie. The BC Health Coalition will also be on hand to talk about a court case on fees people pay to private clinics (the Supreme Court case involving controversial doctor Brian Day is expected to start soon). As well, speakers might touch on issues surrounding provincial/federal transfer payments on health care, problems in seniors' care identified by ombudsperson Kim Carter in 2008, and Mackenzie's 176 recommendations to improve services for seniors.
No particular political perspective is being championed over another, Kuhn said, noting that both BC Liberal and NDP MLAs will be among the panelists, and the mayors of Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam and Port Moody have also been invited to speak.
"I want people to have their say and the politicians to be there listening," Kuhn said.
There will also be a chance to network, ask questions, and check out displays of seniors' services.
FORUM: SIGN UP BY MARCH 17
The Tri-Cities Community Seniors' Forum will be held at Winslow Centre, 1100 Winslow Ave., Coquitlam, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., on Friday, March 27. It is free to attend but you must register online by March 17 or until capacity is reached; to sign up, go here.
