Long-Term Care Family Councils are the Eyes and Ears for Effective Change

Prepared by Marc Tassé, Executive Director, ILTCCABC, October 3, 2023

The recent report “Billions More Reasons to Care” from the Office of the Seniors advocate has highlighted what family councils have been saying to the Ministry of Health and Health Authorities for years; that the quality of care and subsequently quality of life in many long-term care homes has been decreasing despite increased government investment.  

The Independent Long-Term Care Councils Association of BC (ILTCCABC) has been bringing concerns and recommendations of Family Councils to the Ministry of Health. ILTCCABC, is a Provincial Association of Family Councils, made up of member regional associations of family councils operating  in every health authority in BC. Members network to consolidate the collective voice of recommendations which have the integrity and accuracy that come from experiences and perspectives which are first identified by independent family councils, then validated at meetings in their respective regional association and finally gathered and presented to the Ministry of Health by the provincial association of family councils.

 “Family Councils are the eyes and ears that see on a daily basis whether the investments and initiatives the government is making are actually having a positive impact on residents in care” according to ILTCCABC Executive Director Marc Tassé. Unfortunately, as indicated by Isobel Mackenzie, the BC Seniors Advocate,   funding initiatives that were to go to improve long-term care have not produced the desired results and it is of the utmost importance for the Ministry of Health to reform the current publicly subsidized long-term care funding model .

Discussions with our member Regional Long-Term Care Councils Associations have shown the absolute importance and benefit of independent Resident Councils and Family Councils operating in long-term care homes as outlined in the new residential care  regulations announced on November 3^rd of last year.  Residents, their families and representatives previously had no guaranteed voice. They appreciate that they now finally have regulation to support them and avenues to allow them to be heard and addressed by the Long-Term Care Home Operators, the Health Authorities and Ministry of Health.  

According to Nola Galloway, President of ILTCCABC, “Family Councils exist not only to advocate for their loved ones, but to also work with the long-term care home to look for ways to improve quality of life for residents in care and to report back through the regional and provincial associations on how effective the government initiatives are at resolving issues.”  It is imperative that ILTCCABC as a stakeholder in the long-term care sector, be included in the planning and design of reform to the current publicly subsidized long-term care funding model, as well as any other provincial long-term care initiatives. This will ensure long-term care residents; their families and representatives have a voice in decisions that affect their lives and help shape BC’s Long-Term Care System.

For more information contact:

About Us

Independent Long-Term Care Councils Association of BC (ILTCCABC) is a “Provincial Association of Family Councils” representing the important collective voice of residents, their families, and residents’ representatives and is viewed by the MoH as an important partner (stakeholder in the LTC sector) and a valuable resource for the development of “Family Councils” in Long-Term Care (LTC).

ILTCCABC Mission: To promote Independent Councils in long-term care homes across BC, to support our member Regional Associations of Family Councils and to advance the collective voice directly to the Ministry of Health ensuring residents, their families and representatives have a voice in decisions that affect their lives and help shape BC’s Long-Term Care System.