$1.3M funding will help more Indigenous elders in Chilliwack with at-home care. Published 8:45 am Saturday, March 14, 2026 An at-home program that offers care to Indigenous elders in the Fraser Valley will be expanding, with the main focus on Chilliwack, thanks to $1.3 million in new funding. The Indigenous Caregiver Support Model (ICSM) is a home-based program that supports elders with "complex needs to age safely at home and in their community," according to a Fraser Health press release. It is one of five programs in B.C. benefitting from a total of $6.3 million in funding from Health Research BC over the next three years. The funding will advance research to help B.C. seniors age comfortably in their own home. The ICSM program was launched in 2023 as a pilot project and has supported 33 elders and their caregivers in the Eastern Fraser Valley, including Chilliwack. Its aim is to reduce caregiver strain and improve elder wellbeing by providing culturally safe, coordinated in-home support, training, and financial assistance for Indigenous families caring for elders. It is co-designed by Fraser Health Indigenous Health, Stó:lō Service Agency, First Nations Health Authority, and Métis Nation British Columbia. "This model is an example of what is possible when care is built on relationships, trust and community," said Amanda LaBoucane, interim vice president, Indigenous Health and Cultural Safety. "Many elders and caregivers in the Chilliwack area have experienced firsthand the impacts of residential schools and the child welfare system. By strengthening caregiver capacity and confidence while bridging into integrated clinical care teams run by and for Indigenous people, we see improved health and wellness and stronger relationships within and between communities." The program is currently operating in the Fraser Valley, including Chilliwack, but the expansion will focus on urban Chilliwack as that is an identified need, said Carrie Stefanson with Fraser Health. Caregivers receive skills training and an honorarium to help reduce the economic strain of caregiving, while elders receive regular home visits from Indigenous-led clinical teams who provide culturally safe, relationship-based care, rooted in trust, kindness and respect, according to a Fraser Health.

Fraser Health has partnered with Deloitte Canada to develop and launch scheduling tools that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning solutions to accurately forecast the waves in demand Fraserhealth see in the health system.