Council of Advisors

Fraser Region – seven representatives ML (Mary-Lynn) Burke, Leslie Gaudette, Jerry Gosling, Delta; volunteer, Delta Langley; epidemiologist Abbotsford; transit Seniors Planning Team; and retired manager in operator, aiming to help helps seniors navigate B.C.’s Chronic Disease Division, seniors across the province health system for services Public Health Agency of improve their lifestyle and housing; spent 15 ; senior analyst, when it comes to housing, years with Vancouver Canadian Cancer Registry, public safety and healthy Coastal Health managing Statistics Canada; eating; and is working to volunteer programs for member Langley Seniors become better informed seniors; vice president on Community Action Table, of senior’s issues and the Delta Housing Be Mine and supporter of Bard in advocate for B.C. residents; Society, creating affordable the Valley and the Langley recipient of the Order of housing for people with Players Drama Club. Abbotsford in recognition varying abilities; columnist of volunteer service and with the Delta Optimist community involvement.. Janet Sie Ling Lee, and the North Delta Burnaby; immigrated to Reporter writing mostly on B.C. from China in 1963; seniors and housing issues. Mohammad Rafiq, hospital nurse for 30 Surrey; volunteer in years; volunteers with community development Vincent Kennedy, senior outreach for the and welfare organizations Langley; retired provincial Collingwood Community including Surrey government employee of Centre; established Seniors Planning Table; 33 years; Deaf and Hard of a Chinese school in seeks to reduce the Hearing Seniors Advocate Vancouver in the 1980s. intergenerational gap with the Western Institute and develop inter-cultural for the Deaf and Hard of communication between Hearing, assisted seniors John Barry Worsfold, between communities. in completing forms White Rock, Adjunct or accessing services, Professor in Department especially when English of Gerontology at Simon is not their first language; Fraser University; former keeps seniors informed of clinical social worker in the changes in government field of psycho-geriatrics policies and news. for Fraser Health Authority.

B.C. SENIORS ADVOCATE COUNCIL OF ADVISORS 1 Interior – six representatives

Donald Caskey, Greg Howard, Heather McDonald, Grand Forks; retired Kamloops; retired West ; Retired teacher and BC Retired educator with 43 years 2000 Coquitlam School Teachers Association in public education; Board; a member of member; volunteer with volunteer with Operation Senior Citizens Service the Red Cross HELP depot, Red Nose, Rotary, B.C. Association; Certified member of local hospice; Winter Games, and B.C. Senior advocate 05/10/08; past involvement with Career Education Society; Joined 2014 Westside the B.C. Summer Games caregiver for his father Health Network Society and international masters and in-laws and believes a non-profit organization swimmer. education is key to as Vice President helping assisting seniors. over 400 seniors on the westside. Taken courses Linda Martin, as a senior peer advocate George Atamanenko, Passmore; retired self- funded by Health 150 Mile House; employed home care Canada and Vancouver consultant in community caregiver and president Foundation. Served on a and regional planning of the Passmore Seniors committee with Kelowna and ranching; President Branch #116; working to Community Resources of the Museum of the make a difference and be participating in a project Cariboo Chilcotin Board a voice and advocate for for seniors transitioning of Directors; Chair of the B.C.’s seniors. Past Board from loss and retirement; Accessibility Advisory Member of Slocan Valley September 2017 accepted Committee; speaks Seniors Housing Society on the Council of Advisors; English, Russian and for the Passmore Lodge, Volunteered for Red Cross, Ukrainian and interested member of West Kootenay Salvation Army, Gospel in the preservation of Seniors Transportation Mission and Food Bank. Committee, Secretary- heritage and culture and Treasurer/Grant Writer of an enthusiastic skier. Bee Awareness Society, educating children about Walter Popoff, honey bees; volunteer and Krestova, Slocan Valley; participant in the 55+ BC director on the Regional Games in Track and Field District of Central and enjoys yoga, osteo-fit Kootenay; vice chair, and cross country skiing. West Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital District; executive of the Slocan Valley Seniors Housing Society.

2 B.C. SENIORS ADVOCATE COUNCIL OF ADVISORS Northern – three representatives

Bernice Magee, Linda Pierre, Dawn Hemingway, Burns Lake; trained as a South Hazelton, Director, Prince George; Associate Registered Nurse, former Regional District of Kitimat- Professor and Chair of photographer, Realtor Stikine and North West the School of Social and Mayor and Councillor Regional Hospital District, Work at the University of of Burns Lake; current represent First Nations and Northern ; President of the Burns Lake rural/remote communities; Immediate Past President and District Community Instructor, Northwest of the BC Psychogeriatric Foundation, Treasurer of Community College; Association, serves the Burns Lake and District Marriage Commissioner; on Northern Health Seniors Society; Secretary interest in social justice, Authority’s Elder Program of the Lakes District Family systemic change. Council, Provincial Director Enhancement Society; for Nidus Personal Planning Membership Chair of the Resource Centre and Nechako Lakes Liberal Registry; Prince George Association; Terry Fox Run Better At Home Advisory volunteer and volunteer Committee; Prince George with the Emergency Social Council of Seniors Advisory Services Reception Centre Committee; leadership during wildfire season. team for the Stand Up for the North Committee.

B.C. SENIORS ADVOCATE COUNCIL OF ADVISORS 3 Vancouver Coastal – seven representatives

Ihsan Malik, Robie Scholefield, Stuart Alcock, Richmond; 40-year Vancouver; former Telus Vancouver; president of member, Pakistan Canada Marketing Manager. For the 411 Seniors Centre Association, served as many years, has been a Society; experience in trustee, public relations member and volunteered health care, constituency director, secretary, and in many associations. assistance, legal aid president; advocates for Dedicated to improving management, social work immigrant and refugee the quality of life of and youth counselling. seniors issues such seniors and persons with as language barriers, disabilities. transportation, housing Marnie Simon and more; President of Pemberton; former Metro Vancouver Cross Barb Mikulec, program head of the Cultural Seniors Network Vancouver; retired perioperative nursing Society for the last 3 years; teacher and director of program at BCIT; past Chairman of Trustees the B.C. Retired Teachers President of the Whistler of Pakistan Canada Association, feels top Health Care Foundation; Association for the last two three issues facing seniors ex-Director and Chair of years. Recently elected on today are housing, the Pemberton Library the steering Committee of healthcare and outliving Board; former member BC Health Coalition. their resources; board of advisory committee member of the Kerrisdale to Vancouver Coastal Community Centre, Health; currently member Serge Haber committee member of of fundraising committee Vancouver; involved in the National Pensioners for Sea to Sky Hospice Seniors Advisory Council Federation, Director of campaign. for ; BC Forum, Secretary of founder and past President Metro Vancouver Cross Mohinder Grewal, Emeritus of the Jewish Cultural Seniors Network, Richmond; Council Seniors Alliance of Greater Presbytery representative of Senior Citizens Vancouver; currently of the Ryerson United Organizations of B.C.; involved in outreach, Church, involved with the former executive research, advocacy and Council of Senior Citizens director, Sikh Professional peer support programs Organizations of BC Association of Canada; for seniors in GVRD; (COSCO). attends regular meetings Director, Vancouver of COSCO, BC Health Multicultural Society; Coalition, and BC Coalition President (twice), National of People with Disabilities. Association of Canadians of Origins in India.

4 B.C. SENIORS ADVOCATE COUNCIL OF ADVISORS Vancouver Island – six representatives

Geraldine Hinton, Valerie Thoem, Bob Willis, Victoria; Former nurse Sidney; focus on Nanoose Bay; former air clinician with a focus on accessibility and the traffic controller; “Past teaching geriatric care to implications of aging to President”, and Chair of the nursing students ; Former people with a disability; Nomination Committee, Organizational Consultant has been a member of to the and Area to the Victoria Institute of BC Ferries Advisory on Branch of the National Gerontology at the Fairfield Accessibility; Disability Association of Federal Health Centre; Retired Alliance of BC and Retirees; assists 2,000 Executive Director of the BC representative on members through BC Government Office Canada Pension Plan committees, coordinating for Seniors: long history Board concerned with volunteers and member of service with St John developing fair and outreach. Ambulance, developed a equitable CPP provisions revolutionary program for for individuals with a Gladys Latty seniors facing loneliness permanent disability Courtenay; retired former and poverty.; awarded Campus Director and the Alzheimer Society Joseph Forsyth, College Instructor; says of B.C.’s Clyde and Lanny Parksville; retired the council gives seniors Slade Memorial Leadership consultant on privacy an opportunity to voice Award; YM/YWCA issues and former their concerns and get Women of Distinction Assistant Deputy Minister Government’s attention. Lifetime Achievement Individual Rights and Feels lack of money, Award; current member Citizenship in Alberta; healthcare and loneliness of Alzheimer Society of experience in government are the top issues facing B.C., Government House with respect to senior’s today’s seniors. Board of Trustees, and and women’s issues and Veterans’ Memorial Lodge human rights; wants B.C. at Broadmead.. seniors to obtain supports Robert (Bob) McWhirter to remain in their homes Salt Spring Island; former for as long as possible. teacher, School District Administrator; board member, Greenwoods Eldercare Society; President, Gulf Islands Retired Teachers Association; President, Salt Spring Island Historical Society.

B.C. SENIORS ADVOCATE COUNCIL OF ADVISORS 5