Like many long-time Comox Valley residents, Susan Auchterlonie has had a first-hand view of the evolving needs and scope of seniors’ care in the region.

“This community has really supported and taken care of my family since the late 1800s,” says Susan, Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation board president.

Both of Susan’s grandfathers were residents at Cumberland Lodge from the 1970s through the ’90s; later, her parents both received quality medical and palliative care through their separate battles with cancer. Today, other family members are experiencing cognitive challenges. “I’ve really been witness to how healthcare has changed over the years,” she says.

While the Valley has benefited greatly from advances in treatments and care, it’s also experienced considerable population growth, including a rapidly growing older adult demographic. It’s with those needs in mind that the Foundation has launched its Seniors’ Health Campaign, putting local seniors at the top of their priority list this holiday season.

Ensuring dignity and exceptional care for all

With support from the community, the Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation provides a lot of what local healthcare teams need but often can’t afford within their budgets, Susan explains.

That includes vital equipment, furniture, patient comfort items and programs for seniors, plus specialized training for nurses and caregivers, and transformative care for an aging population, including the evidence-based Cognitive Stimulation Therapy program.

Designed for those living with mild to moderate dementia, the award-winning program is proven to improve cognitive functioning, mental health, quality of life and social well-being of participants, while providing respite for family caregivers.

In the Comox Valley, the incidence of Alzheimer’s disease is 19 per 1,000 individuals. By 2039, the 75+ age group is expected to almost double. With that, “the demand for services, care and treatment will also double,” Susan notes.

“We have an older population than most on the Island and we need to ensure they have the care and are treated with the dignity they deserve,” Susan reflects, pointing to the importance of programs like Cognitive Stimulation Therapy “to be able to improve the quality of life for the individual and their family with the goal to delay the progression of the disease which ultimately creates more time for loved ones to be together.”

Grateful for the exceptional care her own family members have received, Susan is eager to ensure continued excellence as the community evolves.

Double your impact this holiday season

Your donation this holiday season will support priority care initiatives for Comox Valley seniors, including Cognitive Stimulation Therapy, music programs for long-term care, equipment to support care and quality of life, adaptive chairs and interactive technology, research, patient comfort items and training, including cancer care education and palliative care clinical teaching.

To help, Coastal Community Credit Union has stepped up to match each gift made toward seniors’ health, up to a total of $50,000, meaning your gift has double the impact. To donate securely today, click here.

*Originally published in the Comox Valley Record on November 18, 2024