Seniors in the Tri-Cities should be crying foul over funding cuts to the Port Coquitlam-based Community Volunteer Services for Seniors (CVSS).

Fraser Health obviously has funding woes and must focus on core services but slashing 85% of CVSS’ budget with just 30 days notice is shocking, not to mention short-sighted. It’s likely many of the frail elderly who receive visits, phone calls and help with groceries, among other services, will find themselves using health care services more often because of health issues and stress related to isolation and their lack of mobility.

What’s more, this program is extremely cost effective because it relies on volunteers, not paid staff, to do most of the necessary work required to support local seniors.

Instead of merely slashing budgets, Fraser Health should be helping agencies such as CVSS develop partnerships that would strengthen and diversify their funding sources. Now, CVSS finds itself in a crisis situation, much like many of the seniors it seeks to help.

But there is little point in looking back at how this funding cut was handled. Action is needed. Agencies and governments, including the cities, must step in and help this group continue to operate. Although it is based at Port Coquitlam’s Wilson Centre, the services are available to all Tri-City seniors.

On the surface, this community looks like a youthful one — with many new services and facilities for young people and families. And, yes, recreation programs and facilities geared to seniors are available but they mainly attract mobile, relatively affluent seniors. A closer look at changing demographics, however, reveals that more seniors are living alone — between 20% and 25% depending on the community— and they need support services provided by CVSS.

And even relatively mobile and affluent seniors will need services, too. If not now, then soon because older people who live here can be expected to age here. Consequently, this community should be looking at ways to add more services for seniors, not cut them.

As a spokesperson from the United Way said last year with the publication of the United Way Environmental Scan of Seniors and Seniors’ Services: “Seniors agendas have not been on the agenda locally.”

That will have to change. Building on the services provided by CVSS would be a good place to start.