Caregivers on the island are desperate for a break

This week a group of Parksville-Qualicum residents presented a petition to their MLA, calling for more respite for caregivers who look after their aging loved ones. It came as B.C.’s seniors advocate pointed out there are nowhere near enough publicly-funded long term care beds to match the growing number of seniors in the province. Some island communities have the highest populations of seniors in Canada, so on today’s episode we hear from folks in Parksville-Qualicum and the Comox Valley about how some people are struggling to look after their aging spouses, with few opportunities for a break. We’ll also speak with the head of an island hospice society about how non-profits like hers are trying to support people, and their loved ones, and the end of their lives.