Welcome
Interior Association of Family Councils
Connecting Long-Term Care Family Councils
in BC's Interior Health Region
Our Team
Member of Provincial Network
Member of Provincial Network
Interior Association of Family Councils (IAFC) is a group of volunteers who have organized to advocate for and promote effective family-led Family Councils at Long-term Care homes located in the Interior Region of British Columbia!
Member of Provincial Network
Member of Provincial Network
Member of Provincial Network
Interior Association of Family Councils networks with Regional Family Council Associations in other Health Authorities of BC under the Umbrella Independent Long-Term Care Councils of BC. These Regional Association meet regularly and together advocate to the BC Ministry of Health to improve quality of life and quality of care for Residents in all BC Long-term Care homes.
Our Mission
Member of Provincial Network
Our Mission
To increase awareness of the role of Family Councils in Long-term care homes (LTC); and
To provide a forum that allows Family Councils to network with one another, to share ideas and information, and collectively advocate to improve quality of life and quality of care for Residents in LTC.
Read our Newsletter - Our Association in Action
November 2022 Newsletter
November 9, 2022
Hurray !! Our Website is Up and Running and We’re Ready to Post Our First “Blog”…
Interior Association of Family Councils have been meeting regularly since September 2021, working on our goals: raising awareness of Family Councils and networking family councils, while getting our social media (website and Facebook) up and running.
Changes to BC Community Care and Assisted Living Act - Residential Care Regulations
The most recent, and most exciting thing we have to announce is that on Thursday, November 3 the BC Government announced enhanced support for Family Councils in Long Term Care facilities.
The announcement was made by the Honourable Adrian Dix, Minister of Health, and Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors' Services and Long-term Care, at a press conference at the BC Legislature, with IAFC President, Heather Stuckey, presenting virtually via Zoom on behalf of our Association. Thank you Heather!
Listen to the Global News: Province makes changes to long-term care councils | Watch News Videos Online
Read the press release from the BC Government Press Room: Residents, family will have stronger voices in long-term care homes | BC Gov News
Representatives joining the Minister and Parliamentary Secretary (pictured above) included Kim Slater, Founding Member of Family Councils of BC and Nola Galloway, President of the Independent Long-Term Care Councils Association of BC. Joining Heather virtually (clockwise on screen) Mavis Nelson (Chair, Northern Association of Family Councils), Karen Waldie (Director, Interior Association of Family Councils), Penny Epps (Action for Reform of Residential Care BC), Kate Cochlan (Director, Fraser Association of Family Councils), Marcy Johnsrude (Chair, Vancouver Island Association of Family Councils).
As Kim Slater, long-time advocate and founding member of Family Councils of BC, so aptly stated during the press conference: “This is a Game-Changer for Family Councils”
BC Health Coalition Accountability Assembly
On October 11, 2022, BC seniors, families, and workers shared stories and questions with Health Minister Dix, sending a clear message that the BC government must expand publicly funded home support and end for-profit LTC. If you missed #BetterCareforSeniors
You can watch the Accountability Assembly here: 👉
IAFC Chair, Heather Stuckey, spoke at the BC Health Coalition Accountability Assembly of some of her experiences while her mom was a Resident in long-term care, and was able to ask a question of the Minister of Health, Dr. Adrian Dix.
IHA Long Term Care Quality Standards Committee
Heather Stuckey, Chair is currently sitting on the Interior Health Authority’s Long Term Care Quality Standards Committee. On September 23, 2022 Heather made a presentation at the IHA Long Term Care Quality Standards Committee review panel, introducing the IAFC website:
👉 https://interiorfamilycouncils.ca/
IHA Committee members provided Heather with a lot of positive feedback about our website, and what we are doing!
Action for Reform of Residential Care (BC)
We are pleased to be support the campaign of Action for Reform of Residential Care 👉 http://arrcbc.ca/action.html
Chaired by Dr. Penny MacCourt, ARRC(BC) continues to press Adrian Dix, BC Minister of Health, and Mable Elmore, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors Services and Long-Term Care, to consider the recommendations in the ARRC-BC report, Improving Quality of Life in LTC – A Way Forward. and to mobilize the public to motivate the government to reform LTC.
We urge all of those concerned about Long-Term Care in BC to add their name to the list of supporters, and follow this campaign.
Not a Resident of the Interior Region
There are active Regional Associations in other Health Authorities of British Columbia.
Contact Information:
• Independent Long-Term Care Councils Association of BC fcobc@gmail.com
• Fraser Association of Family Councils fafc2021@gmail.com
• Northern Association of Family Councils nelsonmord@gmail.com
• Vancouver Coastal Association of Family Councils vcafc.regional@gmail.com
• Vancouver Island Association of Family Councils vifamilycouncils@gmail.com
We Want to Hear from You!
One of the IAFC mandates is to network with other Regional Associations of Family Councils in BC, to make recommendations and formal presentation to appropriate authorities (i.e. Health Authority, Ministry of Health) that will lead to informing policy that improves the care and quality of life of all Residents in long-term care. We welcome comments and feedback from our readers about issues and concerns.
Also, if you are visiting our website because you are a Family Council member, or are interested in starting a Family Council, please reach out!
Add your voice! Add your name to our mail list! We want to hear from you!
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