A new advisory group, geared specifically towards seniors and health care, wants to hear from residents of the Comox Valley.

If you have personal experience with health care, including home care, residential care, if you are waiting for residential care, or need respite care, Seniors Voices Comox Valley would like to hear your story.

The group is fairly new but has been working privately for a few years. It formed out of a frustration with the shortage of available residential care in the Valley and then an interest in the numbers behind the hospital running at over-capacity.

Seniors Voices Comox Valley became increasingly concerned about the state of seniors鈥� health services for the Valley and for the province of British Columbia.

鈥淲e have decided to lend our not-yet-retired talents and experience to creating a voice for seniors,鈥� reads a statement on the group鈥檚 website, 鈥淎 voice especially intended for those of us who are least able to advocate for themselves.鈥�

鈥淚 have been trying for years to determine what the real need for residential care is in the Valley,鈥� said Delores Broten. 鈥淢y husband was very ill, paranoid, and delusional and I just couldn鈥檛 take care of him anymore, but there was no relief in sight. I tried all kinds of avenues to get information, and heard so many different stories from the system. There was a list. There was no list. There were 70 people waiting for beds on the list that didn鈥檛 exist; there were 29 people waiting for beds. It would take months. We would have to go to Nanaimo. Meanwhile, the front line workers said, 鈥楬undreds, and in dangerous situations.鈥欌��

Eventually, the group developed an analysis and statistically-based projections that, with our growing and aging population, the Valley will need at least as many new long-term care beds again in 2021 when the newest facility, Golden Life, opens. Our new hospital will also remain sadly over-crowded.

But that鈥檚 a number-crunching exercise,鈥� said retired management consultant Peggy Stirrett. 鈥淭o understand and convey the true story, we need to know the real impact on people for all seniors health care services. Only the people of the Valley can tell us that based on their own experience.鈥�

The new website () is now available so the group can connect with our community. It displays lots of useful resources for seniors and about seniors鈥� healthcare advocacy. It is a source of information and research for the group鈥檚 current advocacy support including the Comox Valley Seniors Village families project and its analysis on our care bed shortage and its impact on our hospital operating at over-capacity.

Volunteer opportunities

鈥淲e also need all kinds of other help,鈥� said Broten.

The group is looking for volunteers to look after the website, to maintain a database, to help with economic analysis, to make a Facebook page, to answer correspondence, to write letters, and eventually to help with public events.

But most of all, right now, they want to hear your story. There is a confidential questionnaire at

For more information: info@seniorsvoices.ca