Ontario government responding to needs of today's seniors
By Jim Bradley
Minister Responsible for Seniors
TORONTO, Dec. 22 /CNW/ - At events around the province over the past year, I have enjoyed meeting and talking with Ontario senior citizens. Again and again, I have found that today's seniors are reshaping what it means to be a senior.
By the year 2028, Ontario's seniors population is expected to more than double to 3.2 million. The McGuinty government is planning ahead and making investments to help meet the needs of seniors today and tomorrow. Looking back on 2006, we have made solid progress in preparing for the aging of the baby boomers.
Across the province there are many programs and services for seniors - so many, in fact, that finding what you need can be a bewildering experience. But this is changing with the arrival of SeniorsInfo.ca - a new website that takes advantage of the fact that seniors are the fastest-growing group of Internet users.
SeniorsInfo.ca provides seniors, their families and care-givers access to information about programs and services for seniors offered by the federal, provincial and municipal governments and local community agencies - all through a single online window. It started in Brockville and is now operating in 22 Ontario communities.
Through the SeniorsInfo.ca website, users can choose a topic of interest (such as pensions, travel, or health) and quickly and conveniently find relevant information.
The province has just launched a series of Falls Prevention Seminars
conducted across the province by public health staff, Osteoporosis Society representatives and senior volunteers. These one-hour sessions inform seniors on ways to prevent falls, especially at home or on winter ice, and maintain their well-being and independence.
It is a tragic fact that some seniors, who contribute so much to our
commu nities, are victims of abuse. According to experts, elder abuse has many forms - financial abuse is the most common - and can take place in the home, in a residential setting or in the community.
Elder abuse simply will not be tolerated in Ontario. That is why our
government provided $459,000 earlier this year to 61 organizations working to address this problem at the community level. These local organizations are working with the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse to implement the government's Strategy to Combat Elder Abuse.
December 12, 2006 was an historic day for Ontario seniors, as mandatory retirement came to an end. Mandatory retirement makes no sense when more people are living longer, healthier lives. Ontario workers now have the freedom to choose when to retire, based on their personal circumstances and priorities. This change in the law means seniors can shape their own futures.
The Ontario government is on the side of seniors. That is why we have
increased funding to Long-Term Care Homes, bringing the overall annual budget to $2.8 billion and have increased the property tax credit for seniors by 25 per cent from $500 to $625. In the past year we have also committed $115 million over three years to improve end-of-life care services for 6,000 Ontarians. Much has been accomplished in 2006 to improve the quality of life of Ontario seniors, who have built our wonderful province. In the year ahead, seniors and their families can count on the Ontario government to continue to meet the challenges and opportunities posed by our aging society.
For further information: Janis Tomkinson, Manager, Communications Branch, Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, (416) 314-7393
