Benefits of Membership in BCPGA

By: Marg Richards RPN

Hello everyone!

I live in the small coastal town of Powell River.  In the spring of 1995 I was the successful applicant for the position of Coordinator of the Geriatric Outreach Service here.  At that time it was a one person program and I felt very isolated.  There was little in the way of support or on-going education.  I was soon informed that the “Elderly Coordinators” of several Vancouver Island communities met quarterly and I was also invited. We were, and remain, a multidisciplinary group. We shared experiences and program development information about what did or did not work with our population.  Those gatherings did much to alleviate my feelings of isolation as I could always connect with a peer by phone.

 When it became apparent that the government would soon introduce regionalization and divide the province into Health Authorities, those of us working in the field felt that a provincial association was needed to transcend regional boundaries. Thus, the B.C. Psychogeriatric Association was  born!

For the first few years, an annual Conference and Annual General Meetings were held on Vancouver Island or in the Lower Mainland.  Keynote speakers and educational days were incorporated.  Our membership grew steadily from all parts of the province and all Health Authorities.  A few years ago, the BCPGA Board decided that as a provincial association the AGM should be held in different areas of the province.  In 2006 we met in Kelowna, this year we will be in Victoria. Planning for the 2008 Conference and AGM in Cranbrook has already commenced.

Now entering its eleventh year, BCPGA is a credible organization providing input to federal and provincial planning and policy making regarding seniors.  Our Research and Advocacy Committees are active and our input is evidence based. Many members contributed knowledge and experience in developing the document, Best Practices in Elderly Mental Health Care, a useful resource for psychogeriatric services, current as well as new. We are dedicated to remaining on the cutting edge of developments in seniors’ care. 

Geriatric Psychiatry is a relatively new field.  Many programs are in their infancy and all must continue to evolve.  Our aging population requires professionals from all disciplines with education specific to the unique population we serve.  This is a field that demands dedication, sound knowledge and strong advocates.  If you work in this field and would like to feel validated, confident in your knowledge base and part of making B.C. seniors the best cared for in Canada, please join us!

I encourage you to join BCPGA and look forward to meeting you! Come to one of our conferences to learn and to meet others working in the field!