Who We Are

Northern Association of Family Councils (NAFC) is a Regional Association of Family Councils formally established in 2021. We are a group of committed volunteers who believe that the ongoing involvement of residents’ family, friends, and community will result in enhanced care and improved quality of life for LTC Residents.

NAFC invites independent (self-led, self-determining, democratic) “Family Councils” operating in long-term care (LTC) homes in the Northern Health Authority (NHA) to become members. Additionally, persons with lived experience in LTC may also be considered as members, e.g. a person who previously worked or volunteered in long-term care or had a loved one residing in care and may have belonged to a family council.

Members network to learn the ins and outs of the LTC system so they can advocate more effectively. They become familiar with legislation, regulations, polices and procedures in place and look for avenues to improve the resident experience and the LTC system.

Members discuss what is and isn’t working well in their loved one’s care home. Through this discussion, best practices and systemic issues are identified, and then further examined and evaluated by representation from all regional associations though the provincial association of family councils, the Independent Long-Term Care Councils Association of BC (ILTCCABC).

NAFC is one of five independent regional associations of family councils who are members of ILTCCABC.  Each Regional Association delegates 3 of its members as Regional Association Representatives (RA Reps) to represent its region at the provincial table monthly zoom meetings.  

These 15 RA Reps network to consolidate the collective voice of recommendations which have the integrity and accuracy that come from experiences and perspectives that are first identified by independent family councils, validated at meetings in their respective regional association and then gathered and presented by the provincial association directly to the Ministry of Health.