The study was conducted by Daniel J. Koenig, from the Department of Sociology at the University of Victoria. The data was collected through mail questionnaires using a random sample of voters on the 1974 federal voters lists for B.C. labelled as retired, pensioner, etc.
This was part of a continuing series of surveys which are intended to evaluate satisfactions and dissatisfactions of British Columbia voters. The purpose of this survey is to assess the performance of local governments in providing services for senior citizens.
Variables include: satisfaction with local facilities, including hospital and medical facilities, transportation, shopping, churches, recreational facilities for senior citizens, cultural and entertainment facilities; existence of local activity centre for senior citizens; availability of services for senior citizens, including Telephone Contact service, Meals on wheels, Home nursing (VON); evaluation of existing facilities and identification of services lacking; normal means of transportation; contact with friends and relatives, including proximity, frequency of contact, residence with grown children, number of close friends, desire for more numerous contacts; activities participated in during the past month; present retirement status, and length of time since last employed; health; how R feels about his age; type of residence; financial situation, current financial difficulties, adequacy of present income, value of prescription drugs obtained on Pharmacare per month, effect of Mincome, predicted future personal financial situation; additional money required per month to live comfortably; Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and Old Age Pension (OAP); preferred allocation of hypothetical increased provincial financial assistance to senior citizens; importance of programs for senior citizens, including drop-in activity centres, transportation, subsidized housing, property tax relief, counsellors, homemaking assistance, meals on wheels; satisfaction with life, including residence, disposable income, contact with other people, health, marriage, possessions; 4 pt. agreement scale on numerous statements including quality of life in general, trustworthiness of people, the future for children, the lot of the working man, planning ahead, awareness of public officials of common people, selfishness, value of money to happiness, increasing cost of living; provincial vote prediction; federal election vote prediction.
Demographic data: organizational memberships, sex, age, marital status, no. of persons living in household, education, gross family income, area of residence in province.
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