At a national round table on seniors' issues today, the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development, the Honourable Marjory LeBreton, Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister of State (Seniors), and members of the National Seniors Council (NSC) met with a number of national organizations, including seniors' groups, to examine the NSC's two current priorities: volunteering among seniors, and positive and active aging.
"Seniors' contributions are wide-ranging and significant. They are volunteers, mentors, leaders, and skilled and experienced workers," said Minister Finley. "The resilience and sustainability of our society depend on their continued participation."
The first two priorities of the Council, as identified by Minister LeBreton, involved (1) exploring ways to raise awareness and combat elder abuse, and (2) helping the Government find ways to support low-income seniors, particularly unattached women.
1. Elder abuse
In the fall of 2007, the National Seniors Council held five meetings with stakeholder groups in regions across the country to discuss elder abuse. The purpose of these meetings was for the Council to gain a solid appreciation of experts' and stakeholders' experiences in addressing elder abuse matters, in particular by identifying circumstances that provoke and lead to abuse of seniors. These meetings were held to enrich the pool of ideas on good practices for raising awareness as a means of prevention.
The National Seniors Council subsequently submitted a report on the issue to the federal government in November 2007.
The Government of Canada is helping combat all forms of elder abuse-physical, financial, psychological and sexual-as well as neglect, by taking action on a number of fronts:
- In Budget 2008, the federal government furthered its commitment to combatting elder abuse by announcing funding of $13 million over three years to help seniors and others recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and to develop tools for front-line workers who have regular contact with seniors, alerting them to signs of abuse and helping them provide support.
- In 2009, the federal government launched an elder abuse awareness campaign. Since the start of the campaign, thousands of Canadians have contacted the Government of Canada to get more information.
- The New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) helps ensure that seniors are able to benefit from and contribute to the quality of life in their communities through social participation and active living. The program was expanded by $10 million per year, with a portion of the new funding to be used for elder abuse awareness.
- A one-time call for proposals for the Federal Elder Abuse Initiative through the New Horizons for Seniors Program was also launched on June 15, 2009. This call for proposals will fund up to 10 projects in total. The maximum funding is $200,000 per project over 24 months. National and Quebec professional associations are invited to visit www.seniors.gc.ca for further information.
- The Government of Canada has introduced new legislation to help protect all Canadians, including seniors, against identity theft.
Abridged
SOURCE: EarthTimes.Org
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