Image Credit: Flickr / Province of British Columbia

By James Peters

Two & Out

PETERS: Province’s mental health strategy ignores seniors

Jun 28, 2019 | 3:36 AM

MEDICAL SCIENCE HAS DONE WONDERS to keep us alive longer.

As of 2011, Canadian life expectancy was 81.7 years. That means in less than a century, life expectancy increased by nearly 25 years. Amazing.

That increasing proficiency in staying alive is seen around the world, and a major reason why the world’s population is rapidly aging.

We are not dying as soon, and there is no corresponding baby boom to balance out the demographics.

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And while we have made great advances in keeping our bodies alive and healthy, what we haven’t done very well is account for mental wellness.

The brain, how it works and why it breaks down, are still largely mysteries to us.

According to the World Health Organization, 50 million people around the world have dementia, and there are nearly 10 million new cases discovered every year.

Here in Canada, more than 500,000 people are currently living with dementia, but that number is expected to balloon to nearly 1 million in just 15 years.

It is a very important and expanding front in the battle against Canada’s mental health crisis.

That’s why this week’s mental health and addictions care announcement from the Province of B.C. was so disappointing.

Image Credit: Flickr / Province of British Columbia

The strategy ‘A Pathway to Hope’ unveiled by Mental Health and Addictions Minister Judy Darcy makes many very noble commitments to improving both care and access to care in B.C.

It includes access to affordable supports, expanding First Nations treatment centres and supporting social emotional development in early childhood.

But Darcy didn’t mention one word about mental health supports for seniors — something for which her ministry is directly responsible.

Those born in the Baby Boomer generation are now either seniors or will soon be there.

The population pulse is hitting our health care system hard — including our mental health system — and it’s imperative that this government acknowledges that and stops turning a blind eye.

Read the government’s strategy announcement here.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or the Jim Pattison Broadcast Group.