A van isnsa国际传媒檛 the best home, for either a person or an umbrella cockatoo with a fondness for 1950s rock music.
Langleysa国际传媒檚 Diane Miller has been living in a van for the past several months, one of many local seniors who have been forced to live in a vehicle or a trailer because they simply cannot find anywhere affordable and safe to live.
Living with Miller is Rocky, a 28-year-old umbrella cockatoo, and her constant companion for the last 13 years.
Rocky likes people sa国际传媒� he will happily step onto the arm or shoulder of someone hesa国际传媒檚 just met sa国际传媒� he speaks and says hello, will steal peoplesa国际传媒檚 hats right off their heads, and he likes dancing to Elvis, especially sa国际传媒楯ailhouse Rock.sa国际传媒�
Start playing the King, and hesa国际传媒檒l bob his head, raise his feathered crest, and dart back and forth cheerfully.
sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not a good environment, but I donsa国际传媒檛 want to give my bird up,sa国际传媒� Miller said of living in a van with Rocky. When she talks about the cockatoo, it brings a smile to her face.
Miller said her troubles with housing and finances date back to 2017. She left an abusive relationship, and since then has lived in a variety of places, including womensa国际传媒檚 transitional housing, motel rooms, and rented rooms in homes with multiple tenants. In some of them, she suffered thefts or even physical attacks.
For many years, Miller was a stained glass artist, creating pieces that were installed around the Lower Mainland, and instructed at Kwantlen Polytechnic.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檇 still be doing it today if I could,sa国际传媒� Miller said.
She has also worked as a hairdresser and doing landscaping work.
But one of her favourite things to do was taking Rocky into schools and seniors homes. She visited many Langley residences, and said that Rocky could bring a smile to the faces of seniors, even those suffering from memory loss and Alzheimersa国际传媒檚. She was featured in .
She also took him to major events like the Cloverdale Rodeo, or was available for birthday parties.
Over the last few years, her income has been seriously diminished. Miller said she is living primarily on Old Age Security at present, and has had problems with overdraft charges and identity theft.
At age 67, and living with chronic pain, she wants to work and find somewhere stable for her and Rocky to live.
sa国际传媒淚 want to work with my bird,sa国际传媒� she said, whether that means film and TV productions, or in-person appearances.
sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 not managing well with this homelessness, itsa国际传媒檚 expensive,sa国际传媒� Miller said.
Keeping the van going and just surviving costs her about $1,000 a month, she noted.
sa国际传媒淚 need housing,sa国际传媒� Miller said. But with the cost of rent and her financial issues, she hasnsa国际传媒檛 been able to find anywhere decent she and Rocky can live.
The number of seniors living in their cars around Langley, or even on the streets, is growing, according to Wendy Rachwalski, manager of community services at Langley Senior Resources Society (LSRS).
sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e got people living under bypasses that are seniors,sa国际传媒� she said.
The LSRS is working to help people when it can, including through a donation-funded Seniors in Need program. But they simply donsa国际传媒檛 have the funding to help everyone, and neither do other Langley-based aid groups.
sa国际传媒淲e need immediate responses now to support them,sa国际传媒� Rachwalski said of seniors without homes or living in their cars. sa国际传媒淲e need more subsidized rent geared to income.sa国际传媒�
Both short- and long-term solutions are required, said Rachwalski.
sa国际传媒淎nd it feels like nothingsa国际传媒檚 moving in either direction quick enough.sa国际传媒�
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