With no end in sight for the Canada Post strike and the holiday season well underway, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. is calling on more supports for our aging and vulnerable populations.
Seniors are often hit hard by postal strikes, and it can be very isolating for them, the group says.
“[The postal service is] a way for people to stay in touch with their family, their friends, and community more broadly,” said Jennifer Lyle, the association’s CEO.
“Living with dementia can be a lonely and isolating experience. This time of year, we’ll often see local initiatives where children are sending cards to people living in long-term care, or you may be living at home and you’re receiving cards. That is a real source of joy or human connection for people living with dementia and their families, and that’s not going through right now with the postal strike.”
In addition to not receiving holiday cards, seniors are also reporting that their government benefit cheques are not being delivered as promised or, according to the Alzheimer Society, they are unable to access them.
“People are getting conflicting messages, so you hear that disability checks are being mailed out, but you’re learning that they’re being mailed to the post office,” Lyle said.
“So we have people in Vancouver who can’t get to the post office because of mobility issues, or they don’t have a driver’s licence anymore.”
The BC Ombudsperson is now investigating after being told by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction that thousands of November social assistance cheques were not delivered.
Meanwhile, the Alzheimer Society is encouraging people to reach out to seniors in their lives for a little extra love this holiday season.