Family caregivers are the backbone of senior care in BC. For every hour of care paid for by government services, family members provide roughly five hours of unpaid care.1 And the load is getting heavier.
The Strain on Family Caregivers
Back in 2017, about a third of family caregivers reported caregiver distress.2 That number has almost certainly climbed since, because the system behind them keeps getting worse. Vancouver Island now has some of the longest long-term care waits in BC, with patients spending up to five times the provincial average stuck in 'alternate level of care' hospital beds while they wait for a placement.3
The waitlist itself tells the story. From 2015 to 2025, the number of people waiting for long-term care in BC more than tripled, jumping from 2,381 to 7,212. Meanwhile, the Island's population of adults aged 75 and older is projected to grow 49% between 2025 and 2035. More demand, longer waits, and the same exhausted family members trying to hold it all together at home.
Vancouver Island Family Caregiver Dashboard
Coming soon. We're building a local dashboard to track caregiver load, wait times, and service gaps across the Island.
Sources
- Office of the Seniors Advocate: Home Support for BC Seniors 2023
- Office of the Seniors Advocate: Caregivers in Distress 2017
- Office of the Seniors Advocate: From Shortfall to Crisis (LTC) 2025