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Twelve facilities weren’t included in this year’s directory due to a lack of information.

Last year, 231 facilities, or about 80 per cent, didn’t meet the recommended minimum of care hours for work that includes helping seniors with tasks such as eating, bathing or going to the toilet.

“We are disappointed in the care hours. We went in the wrong direction,” said Isobel Mackenzie, seniors advocate for B.C. “We had hoped the attention focused on it (last year) meant the health authorities might ensure more funding, but we have moved a bit backwards.”

Lack of adequate staffing hours at care homes can have serious consequences on seniors’ health and quality of life and could lead to increases in depression, agitation, and infection and hospitalization rates, said Mackenzie. “There are significant deleterious effects on the body that can occur if we don’t have the proper level of support.”

Of the 26 facilities that met the standard, all but three were run by health authorities.

The data shows publicly operated facilities receive 40-per-cent more physical-therapy hours and almost double the occupational-therapy hours of their privately operated counterparts. Privately operated facilities also experience 26-per-cent more reportable incidents than health-authority-operated facilities.

Last year’s findings prompted Health Minister Terry Lake to ask for a review on how health authorities fund seniors homes, including looking at care hours. The review is still pending. The ministry didn’t provide a timeline for its completion.