HEALTH & WELLNESS
Good physical and mental health and wellness improves the quality of individual lives and reduces healthcare costs. The health status of people depends on good health practices and behaviour, and access to healthcare services.
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Health & Wellness
Thriving With Dementia
The Alzheimer Society of B.C. offers support, information, and education for people affected by dementia. It is the only province-wide organization exclusively supporting caregivers and people with dementia and customizing support based on individual needs.
“We foster inclusion and community to help combat isolation and loneliness, ensuring people feel understood and supported. We help people know what to expect with a dementia diagnosis and plan for that personal journey,” says Colleen Cahoon, Manager, Community Services for Vancouver Island.
This “one stop shop” includes peer support groups, in-person and online education workshops and webinars, and one-on-one support services, including the First Link® Dementia Helpline, available to anyone in the province in three different languages. As well, social programs like Coffee and Chat and Minds in Motion® provide connection to others on the dementia journey. Minds in Motion® includes moderate exercise along with social activities for people living with early-stage dementia to enjoy with a care partner.
Early connection to services and supports is vital so individuals and families are equipped to make the best decisions for their care and lives. “You can live well with dementia when you have the right community and support.”
SPONSORED BY
Booth Scott
Vital signs citizen survey grade
C+Last year’s grade was B-
Health & Wellness
Vital signs citizen survey grade
C+Sustainable Development Targets
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TARGETS
UNREGULATED DRUG DEATHS
Greater Victoria was one of the top three BC cities for unregulated drug deaths in 2023, after Vancouver and Surrey.
UNREGULATED DRUG DEATHS IN 2023
175 SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND similar to 2022
170 GREATER VICTORIA down from 172 in 2022
38.3 RATE PER 100,000 POPULATION IN SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND down from 39.7 in 2022
2558 BRITISH COLUMBIA up from 2,388 in 2022
46.3 RATE PER 100,000 POPULATION
IN BC up from 44.6 in 2022
Fentanyl was detected in 85% of BC’s unregulated drug deaths in 2023 and benzodiazepines were detected in 43%, up from 29% in 2022. These sedative-type of drugs do not respond to naloxone and create life-saving challenges for first responders.
Between 2019 and 2023, 126 youth under 19 years of age died from unregulated drug toxicity in BC, the leading cause of unnatural death among youth during this period. Over half (51%) of the youth were female and 60% were between 17-18 years of age. Two thirds (66%) of the youth had experience with child protective services, while 67% had a mental health diagnosis.
BC Coroners Service works in a real-time database environment and statistics are updated retroactively as investigations are completed. These statistics are current to May 31, 2024.
SOURCE: BC CORONERS SERVICE
LIVING WITH DISABILITY
% Population, aged 15 and older, with at least one disability in 2022
Canada up from 22% in 2017
BC 29% up from 25% in 2017
New regional data was not available as of publication, however, in 2017, 29% (89,250) of people, aged 15 and older, in the Victoria CMA had a disability.
From 2017 to 2022, the largest increases were in disabilities related to mental health, pain, and seeing conditions. Among those with disabilities in Canada, 39% had mental health-related disabilities in 2022, up from 33% in 2017. The growth of Canada’s senior population between 2017 and 2022 contributed to the overall increase in the disability rate. Regardless of age, women+ are more likely than men to have a disability.
SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT TARGETS
3.5: Strengthen prevention and treatment of substance use problems
3.8: Achieve access to quality essential healthcare services for all
ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS
FAMILY PHYSICIANS IN 2022
819 SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND
Rate of 186 per 100,000 population.
Up from 783 family physicians and a rate of 181 per 100,000 population in 2021
BC 141 per 100,000
CANADA 124 per 100,000
PSYCHIATRISTS IN 2022
106 SOUTH VANCOUVER ISLAND
Rate of 24 per 100,000 population.
Up from 97 psychiatrists and a rate of 23 per 100,000 population in 2021
BC 16 per 100,000
CANADA 15 per 100,000
SOURCE: CANADIAN INSTITUTE FOR HEALTH INFORMATION
WALK-IN CLINIC WAIT TIMES
Average wait time to see a healthcare provider at a walk-in clinic in 2023
107 GREATER VICTORIA down from 137 minutes in 2022
93 BRITISH COLUMBIA up from 79 minutes in 2022
68 CANADA up from 37 minutes in 2022
British Columbia experienced the longest wait time in the country. Manitoba had the lowest average wait time in 2023 at 45 minutes, while Ontario had the largest increase, going from 25 minutes in 2022 to 59 minutes in 2023.
Approximately 70% of walk-in clinics across Canada use Medimap to share their wait times. Wait times are updated by clinic staff every 30 minutes on average. Medimap currently operates in the following provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Nova Scotia.
SOURCE: MEDIMAP
COMMUNITY IN FOCUS
VICTORIA NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE’S NEW INDIGENOUS PRIMARY CARE CLINIC
In March 2024, the Victoria Native Friendship Centre (VNFC) opened a new primary care clinic in the region, in the Gorge-Tillicum neighbourhood, for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis community members to access primary care services, including mental health and addiction supports, and complex care for seniors.
The clinic ensures culturally safe, equitable, and inclusive services for up to 4,500 Indigenous patients, and provides residents with better continuity of care from nurses, physicians, and other wellness providers. The clinic aims to staff 20 full-time healthcare professionals by September 2024.
The clinic is a partnership with VNFC, the Victoria Primary Care Network, and the BC Ministry of Health. The provincial government is providing around $2 million in annual funding.
SOURCE: VICTORIA NATIVE FRIENDSHIP CENTRE AND PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA
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