A Bulkley Valley senior citizen is sick of the housing situation in the Smithers area and has decided to try to do something about it.
Carol Morris has organized a walk for the morning of June 15 she hopes will bring awareness of the lack of assisted living available for senior citizens and prompt politicians to take action. Currently, there are only two senior homes and a four-year waiting list to be accepted into one of them, she said.
“We are at a crisis here, where there are so many senior citizens and no place for them to go if they need help,” Morris said.
Currently, she said, Smithers seniors are forced to move to other assisted living facilities in the Lower Mainland or the Okanagan, which then causes shortages of available spots for seniors living in those communities.
Morris is hoping to change this by advocating for more assisted housing to be built in Smithers through the demonstration Saturday.
“We have wonderful support in our community ... and we are hoping for hundreds [to join in],” Morris said.
The walk also happens to coincide with the annual Downtown Show 'N Shine 'N Sidewalk Sale on Main Street.
Skeena-Bulkley Valley MP Taylor Bachrach, MLA Ellis Ross and Nathan Cullen, the provincial minister of water, land and resource stewardship were present at the event.
"It was great to see the community (come) together and how much care and concern there is for our elders. (We're) wanting to push for a good response from the provincial government (and) want to see this through," Cullen said.
"There's a clear need to build long-term care," he said.
Morris hopes that this walk will ensure the government responds and takes action.
“Hopefully people running for government will make us a solid commitment ... because we keep hearing from every level (of government) ... but nothing is being done,” Morris said.
Morris went door to door to start a petition in the community about the housing crisis almost two years ago, which she presented to town council. It now has more than 500 signatures.
“When I went door to door, I had people saying, ‘will you please come back and visit me?’ ... and a lot of people don’t have children to check on them,” she said.
Morris said the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic has also created more loneliness within the senior community.
“The only thing a senior citizen has to look forward to ... is a good meal and a good visit. When you are .... not getting that, it is just heartbreaking to watch people slowly decline because of those two things.”
Morris is also advocating for assisted living facilities to provide proper meals cooked on-site rather than brought in.
“As far as I’m concerned, a senior citizen who has worked hard all their life deserves to have a good meal, three times a day,” she said.
She also hopes the younger generations take part in the parade and are aware of this housing crisis because it will eventually affect them too.
“They are going to senior citizens one day and need these facilities as badly as we need them. Let’s look out for future generations.”
