Seniors and their families now have easier access to all the information they need online and in print with a redesigned SeniorsBC website and a new edition of the BC Seniors' Guide.

Minister of State for Seniors Ralph Sultan showed off the new edition of the BC Seniors' Guide at the Council of Senior Citizens Organizations of British Columbia (COSCO) conference in Richmond today, International Day of Older Persons.

"We've consulted with B.C. seniors and their families and are listening to how they want to receive information," said Sultan. "Seniors told us they like print-based information materials that they can write in and carry with them. Family members and caregivers like to find information online. We are ensuring seniors and their families can access the information they need in a way that appeals to them with the redesigned SeniorsBC.ca website and updated BC Seniors' Guide."

The new SeniorsBC.ca website is more user-friendly, with improved navigation through a wide range of topics of interest to seniors and their families. Information is now organized and written in a way that makes it easier to find and understand, and the site itself has a fresh look and feel with increased searchability within the B.C. government web environment.

Complementing the redesigned SeniorsBC website is the ministry's Home and Community Care website - www.health.gov.bc.ca/hcc - which also has been rebuilt. The new site provides more complete information about community care and service care options and how to access them. It also helps to ensure that the most up-to-date information is available for seniors and their families.

The tenth edition of the BC Seniors' Guide contains updates to many services and programs. It includes a new section on benefits and provides information on new seniors' resources and services. The guide also provides tips on healthy aging and encourages seniors to plan ahead for future needs.

Currently, the BC Seniors' Guide is being translated into Punjabi, Chinese and French. The translations will be available later this year.

The English version is available now. To receive a free copy of the BC Seniors' Guide, please call 1 877 952-3181.

Providing easy access to all the information seniors and their families need to make informed choices about care is a key action in the B.C. government's seniors action plan. Seniors and their families now have easier access to information on home and community health-care programs and support options, as well more online access to inspection and investigation reports on the redesigned SeniorsBC and Home and Community Care websites.

Through 'Improving Care for B.C. Seniors: An Action Plan', the B.C. government is building a more accessible, transparent and accountable approach to seniors' care. The plan contains specific deliverables to help seniors and their families navigate the health system, easily access information about care options and have a clear and simple way to register complaints. More information on the Seniors Action Plan can be found online at: www.SeniorsBC.ca

Media Contact:

Ryan Jabs
Media Relations Manager
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)