Independent Living for Seniors

The Foundation's main focus has always been housing for low income seniors who can live independently. Many are assisted by homemakers through Long Term Care Programs and/or Meals on Wheels. In response to the technological innovations and changing demographics in the workplace of the late 1980's, The Foundation reassessed the increased need for accommodations for those between the ages of 50 and 65. In 1992, the age limit was lowered to 50 years. The Foundation has proactively sought new opportunities to expand their vision to include individuals that were marginalized. HFBC is proud to have acquired rent supplements for young, single people on long term disabilities at Harwood Manor and Florence Manor.

The Aging Population

British Columbia's population, like the rest of Canada's, is aging – today, 13.3% of the province's population is over the age of 65, and nearly 2% are over 85.¹ Of those, 56% are women and 44% are men.² That's over 500,000 people who, for the most part, cannot rely on employment income for their livelihood.

Seniors who rent their homes – that's 24% of seniors, or 69,995 people in 1996³ – are spending too much of their money on housing. 56% spend more than 30% of their total household income on housing costs; an astounding one in five use up half or more of their income on rent. The widely-held standard for affordable housing is that it should cost no more than 30% of a household's income; by this standard, one in seven seniors is in need of affordable housing that is not available to them. That's over 39,000 people living in BC today.

For more statistics on Canada's aging population, please contact the Simon Fraser University Gerontology Research Centre.

¹ Gutman, Wister, Carrière, and Tredwell. Fact Book on Aging in B.C., 3rd Edition. Vancouver, BC: The Gerontology Research Centre at Simon Fraser University, 2000. Size of the Elderly Population, pp. 3-5.
² Ibid. p. 8.
³ Ibid. Housing Costs, p. 45.

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