Safe Seniors, Strong Communities
As more and more people are appropriately self-isolating, many seniors who are able to live independently with the help of family and friends, are finding those supports unavailable. The Province, in collaboration with bc211, Better at Home, and United Way’s across the province, recognizes that community agencies and individuals are eager to mobilize to aid our seniors in the community whose vital support systems have been disrupted by COVID-19.
The Safe Seniors, Strong Communities program allows volunteers to be connected with seniors in their region who need help with grocery shopping, meal prep and prescription pick-up or receive friendly check-in call.
If you want to volunteer or are a senior who needs help simply call 2-1-1 or fill out the form at bc211.ca
Frequently Asked Questions
The following services are offered, as needed:
- Phone and/or virtual check-ins
- Grocery shopping and delivery
- Meal preparation and delivery
- Prescription pickup and drop off
All seniors aged 65+ in B.C. are eligible to receive services.
Twenty-four HUB Agencies have been identified act as anchor organizations in the setup, management and/or delivery of emergency COVID-19 Better at Home services. Volunteers who are available to provide services will be referred through bc211 (or can contact the Better at Home Hub Agency directly) and are paired with seniors requiring services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Other service providers may be brought on to help with service delivery.
As more and more people are appropriately self-isolating, many seniors who are able to live independently with the help of family and friends are finding those supports unavailable. The Province recognizes that community agencies and individuals are eager to mobilize to aid our seniors in community whose vital support systems have been disrupted by COVID-19. We want to ensure seniors will be able to receive the support they need during the COVID-19 crisis.
All COVID-19 Response services are no cost / by donation.
Seniors and volunteers contact bc211 (dial 2-1-1 or visit www.bc211.ca). The information will then be forwarded to one of 24 designated Better at Home COVID response agencies across the province. The Better at Home agency will then match local volunteers with seniors who need help.
Once a senior contacts bc211, they will be connected with a volunteer who can help them. This service will be available 7 days a week during daytime hours.
The service is available 7 days a week 24 hours a day. For the best support experience, seniors and volunteers should call between 8:30 AM and 6 PM.
No, ALL seniors are eligible to seek assistance through this program.
The Better at Home program is expanding across the province and part of this expansion will be taking on the COVID-19 response measures.
The frequency of services will depend on the service needed, availability of volunteers, and needs of seniors and communities.
The program will be monitored during this time to determine if it should be continued.
While we don’t know what emergency COVID-19 Response Better at Home services will look like post-crisis, the Province of B.C. and the United Way are committed to continuing to support the well-being and social wellness of all older adults in the province.
Twenty-four sites have been identified to act as Better at Home Response Hubs. These sites have been chosen based on geography and capacity to respond to COVID 19, as well as language and translation services and the ability to become operational in a very short time. Although 24 of the more than 90 Better at Home sites have been identified as Response Hubs, we know that they will be reaching out to neighbouring Better at Home agencies and other community organizations to help ensure that seniors, in all communities, are receiving the supports they need.
| No. | Site | Address | City | |
| 1 | S.U.C.C.E.S.S | 28 W Pender St | (Vancouver) Hastings-Sunrise | |
| 2 | Progressive Intercultural Community Services Society | 205-12725 80th Ave | Surrey (Whalley) | |
| 3 | ARCHWAY Community Services | 2420 Montrose Avenue | Abbotsford | |
| 4 | SHARE Family and Community Services Society | 200 – 25 King Edward St | Tri-Cities | |
| 5 | Seniors Come Share Society | 15008 – 26th Avenue | South Surrey/White Rock | |
| 6 | DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society | 13455 76 Avenue | Surrey (Newton) | |
| 7 | Mission Community Services | 33179 – 2nd Avenue | Mission | |
| 8 | Seniors Services Society of BC | 750 Carnarvon Street | New Westminster | |
| 9 | One Sky Community Resources | 330 Ellis St | Penticton | |
| 10 | Seniors Outreach Services Society | 115 – 2065 Benvoulin Crt | Kelowna | |
| 11 | Family Dynamix Association | 1317 7th Avenue | Invermere | |
| 12 | Valley Community Services | 915 Pine Street | Creston Valley | |
| 13 | Interior Community Services | 765 Tranquille Road | Kamloops | |
| 14 | Beacon Community Services | 2723 Quadra Street | Saanich | |
| 15 | Nanaimo Family Life Association | 1070 Townsite Road | Nanaimo | |
| 16 | Hornby and Denman Community Health Care Society | 1965 Sollans Rd | Comox Valley | |
| 17 | Prince George Native Friendship Centre | 1600 3rd Avenue | Prince George | |
| 18 | Volunteer Terrace | 3235 Emerson St | Terrace | |
| 19 | North Peace Seniors Housing Society | 9816 108 Ave | Fort St. John | |
| 20 | Richmond Cares, Richmond Gives | 190 – 7000 Minoru Blvd | Richmond | |
| 21 | Collingwood Neighbourhood House | 5288 Joyce Street | Vancouver (Renfrew-Collingwood) | |
| 22 | South Vancouver Neighbourhood House | 6470 Victoria Dr | Vancouver (South) | |
| 23 | West End Seniors’ Network Society | 1447 Barclay Street | Vancouver (West End) | |
| 24 | North Shore Community Resources Society | 201-935 Marine Dr | North Shore |
bc211 currently offers phone service in Victoria and the Lower Mainland with all other parts of B.C. served online. With this program, we are turning on bc211 phone services province-wide.
Better at Home will do what is necessary to maintain the safety and security of both participants and volunteers. All volunteers will undertake a COVID-19 symptom assessment, as well as a Vulnerable Adult screening through the Attorney General’s Criminal Record Check Program. At intake, an initial COVID-19 screening will take place for all participants which will include a self-assessment and visual assessment – examples of questions asked will be:
- Are you currently feeling ill?
- Have you travelled recently?
- Have you been exposed to anyone who may be symptomatic?
The volunteer onboarding process will include a full intake, compliance agreement, self-assessment and visual assessment (including asking the questions above), orientation to the Provincial Health Officer’s recommendations on infection, prevention and control, and support from Better at Home HUB organizations.