Dear Editor,
Last month an interesting thing came to light for me, and I am still upset with our local government and policies that we have been provided.
Someone I know who just turned 65, is clean of drugs, Canadian, fully functioning, hard working and overall in good health, lost her job and home. Her last job was a caregiver for an elderly lady who has since moved into care. This woman, we will call her Nan, (not her real name) did all the shopping, cleaning, first aid, and was a friend to this elderly lady for a long time. After the woman went into care, the elderly ladies family didn’t need Nan anymore, and of course, let her go.
And this is where the plot thickens.
Because she had nowhere to move, she phoned the few friends she has to help her out.
“Do you know someone who needs help?”
“Do you have a room available?”
“Are you in need of a house cleaner or babysitter? I need a place in the next couple of days to go… and my pension doesn’t come till the end of the month.” $800 to be exact – not much for a month.
So for a full day, I got on the phone. 211, homeless emergency line, seniors resource centres, drug rehabs, Langley, Surrey, Maple Ridge, New Westminster – almost 30 phone calls.
Do you know there isn’t a safe place for a senior whose down on their luck to have a bed to sleep in? (Forget a full belly).
All I got was…
“First come, first serve. Must be here by 10:15 p.m., hopefully to get a bed (if she’s not robbed or worse with her little bit of belongings). Otherwise try this number.”
And so I was passed again.
At the end of the almost 30 phone calls, and the realization that if she was drug addicted, a criminal or an immigrant, she would most definitely have a better chance of finding a place to stay. And me at my wits end, I was told by a nice lady from Surrey Senior Resources to phone Ishtar House in Langley and plead my case to the office. Even though she hadn’t been “abused”, they might be able to offer a bed for one night.
So, I did. Now… the last thing I wanted to do was take away a spot from a battered woman or child, (which is their goal to help women and families in abusive situations) but there wasn’t any other safe option for the senior lady.
The woman in the office was so wonderful and understanding.
She said she would hold a bed for Nan until 8 p.m. if I could get her there.
I don’t think I’ve ever been more grateful in my life.
I drove to downtown Langley, found Nan and after a couple of hours managed to get another set of accommodations, temporarily. I then called Ishtar house and told them (as I was in tears from the emotional day) that they could please give the bed to someone else in need, as we had found something else. They thanked me for helping her and also for phoning them back. What an amazing, loving place.
But here’s my problem.
A senior who has paid taxes their entire life, who has never been on drugs, who can still work, who has looked after others, who might have fallen into hard times, canno find a safe place to go when it is needed. There is no low income housing left for seniors. And if there is any, they are probably going to share it with people who are going to hurt them mentally or physically. There is no extra benefits or safe facility in this town for a clean, older, senior, period. There is no help left for seniors.
And if you think it’s ok that your parents, aunts, uncles, sisters or brothers are going to take their suitcase, line up in the dark with drug addicts in hopes for a bed between 10 and 11 p.m. at night, then we have a serious issue with our communities and government.
I’m glad we are getting a state of the art Alzheimer’s unit in Langley. That’s wonderful. But from what I can tell, they will be shipping people from all over to fill it, because our seniors in the Lower Mainland won’t afford those luxuries.
That little hotel by Home Depot? Wouldn’t that’s have been an awesome place for low income, clean seniors? Shopping, dentists and doctors right outside the door. Langley dropped the ball on that whole Gateway of Hope thing.
I phoned there to help Nan. They told me, if she lined up by 11 p.m. it was first come first serve. (And a very cold attitude on the phone.) They knew when they built that bandage that it was way too small and a temporary fit. Doesn’t allow for kids or seniors. What a joke.
So this election, let’s ask some real questions, after all in 20 years, I might be in the same boat, after giving the government over half of my life’s wages.
What are you doing for the senior homeless issues?
What are you doing about crime?
What are you doing about separating the entities of senior, drug and crime problems?
Forget about building more homes for families when it’s not even safe for your own mom to live here.
What about a hospital in South Langley/Aldergrove?
What about a few more schools?
Maybe some condos that real people can afford.
Remember crime money didn’t help the price of living here. It made it impossible. Don’t let it continue, for our kids, us and our parents.
I beg you all to vote.
I beg you all to ask the hard questions.
I beg you to donate to Ishtar house.
And please help a senior when you can. You’ll be one soon enough.
A.J. Waterman, Langley