Under Pressure: Seniors Housing and Social Isolation in Victoria

The ‘We Live Here’ Seniors Project was designed to gather insight into how Victoria’s housing crisis is impacting seniors. The intention of this project was to gather knowledge in order to advocate for community based responses and solutions. As seniors make up a large portion of Victoria’s population, it is important to determine the factors influencing their quality of life, what is causing them to feel vulnerable, and how their needs may be addressed.

The sample population this project considered was the neighbourhood of James Bay. To collect data, surveys were sent out and were completed by 122 local residents aged 55 and older who rent a home in James Bay.

Additionally, two focus groups exploring senior housing, programs, services and policies were held, and were attended by residents of James Bay, senior service providers, and senior advocacy groups.

This work will continue as we look to explore the best programs and services that can be made available to support the health and well being of seniors.