Seniors in B.C. will have better supports to age at home in their community with expanded and improved services as part of a five-year agreement with United Way BC for popular programs, such as Better at Home.

“We are deeply committed to helping seniors remain in their own homes and in the communities they are a part of,” said Josie Osborne, Minister of Health. “Through the programs and services delivered by United Way BC, older adults are able to stay healthier, be more active and better connected to their communities. By expanding these services, we’re helping more seniors throughout our province live more independent lives.”

The Province is investing $304 million over five years in United Way BC to deliver and expand community-based seniors’ services. These services will be delivered by non-profit agencies throughout the province to help seniors live more independently. Community-based seniors’ services include non-medical home supports and programming that help older adults stay physically active, socially connected and engaged, and to be as resilient and independent as possible.

“Seniors living in B.C. want to live at home independently as long and as safely as possible,” said Susie Chant, parliamentary secretary for seniors’ services and long-term care. “As our older population continues to grow, expanding services for seniors and their caregivers so they can receive the supports they need is vital. United Way BC’s suite of programs and services helps people lead fuller, more active and socially connected lives.”

The new funding will go toward building upon successful programs, connecting seniors to more support and expanding program staffing and co-ordination. Key highlights of the improvements are:

• Better at Home program – Since 2012, Better at Home, managed by United Way BC, has supported seniors with non-medical home support services, such as grocery shopping, minor home repairs, snow shovelling and transportation for medical appointments. New services will focus on social connection and include peer support, expanded group activities, more flexible transportation options, and reduced wait lists for light housekeeping, which is the program’s most popular service.
• Family and Friend Caregiver Support and the Therapeutic Activation Program for Seniors (TAPS) – These programs, which have been in place since 2020, are expected to expand to approximately six or seven locations in 2025 and 2026. More seniors and caregivers will have access to these support programs to help improve their well-being.
• Individualized support – The expansion of community connector positions from 19 in 2023-24 to approximately 90 by 2025-26 will provide more seniors with one-on-one support and connect them with other services in their community to meet their specific needs.
• Sector collaboration – The modernized service-delivery model will create more opportunities for agencies to work together to deliver local programming. Increased collaboration between agencies will support better referral of seniors between programs, more sharing of resources and helps plan response to local service gaps.
• Recruitment and retention – Thirty new full-time equivalent positions have been added for Better at Home and Family and Friend Caregiver Support programs, helping connect more seniors and caregivers with the supports. For many communities, this means a shift from part-time to full-time co-ordination, creating better access for seniors, and helping recruit and retain workers.

United Way BC is a non-profit organization that supports communities throughout the province by funding and delivering programs and services that help people in need, including supports for older adults to live independently at home for as long as possible.

This work builds on ongoing efforts to support seniors in the province. It includes building more long-term care homes, upgrading existing facilities, hiring additional home-care workers, and expanding innovative programs, such as Long-Term Care at Home and Hospital at Home, to strengthen support for seniors and others in British Columbia.

In April 2025, the Province expanded the Shelter Aid for Elderly Renters (SAFER) program, helping seniors with low incomes afford their rent by increasing the average rent supplement by nearly 30% and making 1,600 more seniors eligible. This brings the total number of seniors helped under SAFER to approximately 25,000. In addition, to help seniors age in place in rental or owned homes, the BC Rebate for Accessible Home Adaptations program provides seniors with a rebate of as much as $20,000 to help them with the cost of making adaptations to their homes for independent living. To help seniors and others stay in their communities, the Province is also creating thousands more affordable non-profit and co-op homes through BC Housing, including 20,000 new rental homes under the Community Housing Fund. More than 13,000 of these homes are completed or underway. 

Quick Facts:

• In 2023-24, United Way BC’s Healthy Aging programs delivered more than 579,000 services to more than 36,000 older adults and engaged 4,301 volunteers dedicated to supporting seniors.
• In 2023-24, there were 94 Better at Home programs that provided 336,415 services to 15,859 seniors in their communities.

Learn More:

For information about United Way BC’s Healthy Aging programs, visit: https://uwbc.ca/program/healthy-aging/

Two backgrounders follow.