Ernie Eves government supports medication safety education for seniors
TORONTO, June 20 /CNW/ - Seniors across Ontario will benefit from the Eves' government's $75,000 investment in medication safety seminars, in partnership with the Ontario Pharmacists' Association (OPA), Minister of Citizenship and Minister Responsible for Seniors Carl DeFaria announced today.
"Our government is committed to a province where seniors live safely, with dignity and as independently as possible," said DeFaria. "These seminars are important in helping seniors live in good health and with the best quality of life."
Aventis Pharma Inc. is also contributing $25,000 towards the safe
medication use seminar series for the second year in a row. "Medication misuse among seniors is a serious issue. I credit the Ontario government for its support in helping to remedy this problem through public education," said Rick Bendle, Ontario External Affairs Manager for Aventis.
More than 25,000 seniors across Ontario have attended over 150 seminars conducted since they began in 1999. With the latest funding, the Government of Ontario has contributed a total of $295,000 towards the effort to protect seniors' health through education on proper medication use.
"The overwhelming response to these seminars shows that seniors want information to help them live in the best health possible," said John Sullivan, Chair of OPA. He added the Ministry of Citizenship's Ontario Seniors' Secretariat (OSS) has an excellent partnership with the Ontario Pharmacists' Association in the design and delivery of these seminars, which he encouraged every senior to attend.
Ontario Seniors' Seminars, sponsored by the OSS, were developed to
provide seniors with valuable information on healthy ageing and healthy
lifestyles in communities across the province. In addition to safe medication use, the seminars include topics such as advance care planning, avoiding financial frauds and scams and safe driving for seniors. For more information on Ontario Seniors' Seminars, visit the OSS Web site at
www.gov.on.ca/citizenship/seniors/.