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Your Words are Worth Something Identifying Barriers to the Well Being of Older Women
Older Women’s Dialogue Project Report September 2013 CCEL Report No. 6 2
The Older Women’s Dialogue Project Advisory Committee
Honourable Marion Allan Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia Shashi Assanand Executive Director, Vancouver & Lower Mainland Multicultural Family Support Services Society Penny Bain Retired Executive Director, BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support Anne Beveridge Semi‐retired lawyer and educator, formerly with the !"#$%&'%"#(&)"**+,-$.&/01&2345( Elsie Dean President, 411 Seniors Centre Susan Henry Legal Advocate, First United Church Jill Hightower Semi‐retired, former Executive Director, BC Institute Against Family Violence Linda Light Social policy analyst and public policy researcher in the area of domestic violence Andrea Rolls (Chair) Retired policy and legislation analyst, Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Carol Ross Executive Director, Parent Support Services Society of BC Honourable Lynn Smith Retired Justice of the Supreme Court of British Columbia
This report was written by Krista James, National Director, Canadian Centre for Elder Law, who is also the manager for this project. Community Partner 3
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements 4
Executive Summary 6
Project Overview and Methodology 11
Introduction 14
Emergent Themes —Barriers to Well being
1. Income Security, Pensions and Poverty 16
2. Housing Insecurity and Homelessnes 23
3. Work and the Impact of Caregiving across the Life Course 28
Aging, Work and Caregiving 33
4. Family Dynamics and Vulnerability Linked to Immigration 37
5. Safety and Freedom from Abuse 44
6. Access to Justice and Information 50
Discrimination, Ageism and Invisibility 54
Summary of Consultation Activities 57
Summary of Key Pressing Issues 60
Strategies for Change 65
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Appendix 74 4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This project and report came together thanks to the contributions of many individuals and organi‐ zations.
This project was made possible by funding from the United Way Lower Mainland, through the Se‐ niors Sector Strengthening Grant. The Canadian Centre for Elder Law is grateful for the generosity of the United Way. Thank you also to the Law Foundation of BC and the Ministry of Justice of BC, whose ongoing funding to the CCEL, and our parent body, the BC Law Institute, allows us to con‐ tinue our work.
Thanks are due to the advisory committee. Committee members brought to the table decades of diverse expertise and experience in the areas of gender analysis and aging issues. Committee members attended regular meetings, contributing great insight and guidance to this project. For project staff, it was a privilege and an inspiration to work with such a brilliant group of women.
=%-6&>#"?(5$&106&))@/A6&4#6$&3"#*07&5"770B"#0$-",&1-$%&$%(&C(6$&)"06$&C"*(,A6&/(D07&@<+50$-",&0,<& Action Fund. West Coast LEAF was an instrumental partner in organizing and hosting the consulta‐ $-",&(E(,$6F&&=%-6&>#"?(5$&*0#G6&$%(&4#6$&$-*(&))@/&%06&5",<+5$(<&5",6+7$0$-",&(E(,$6&-,&*+7$->7(& languages, and our success in this area is in large measure due to the contributions of West Coast LEAF, in particular, Shahnaz Rahman, Manager of Community Outreach, Family Law Project.
Thank you to Alison Leaney and April Struthers, for facilitating most of the consultation events and providing ongoing insight into methodology. We appreciate your passion for creating an atmosphere where women felt heard, and your determination to help women feel safe at all the events.
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