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Government must address seniors' needs
Toronto Star, September 23, 2000
Helen Henderson
Here's something for municipal politicians to think about in
the seven weeks left before voters across Ontario go to the
polls Nov. 13: Governments at all levels will pay dearly if
they don't start addressing the needs of the growing number of
aging constituents.
Affordable housing, community and home-support services,
accessible transportation - in all these areas and more,
seniors feel government has abandoned them.
That puts extra stress on families across the board. And if
you think that stress won't be expressed at the polls, think
again.
`It's like the loss of the democratic process
or citizen input'
A University of Toronto report released Tuesday shows the
depths of concern in Greater Toronto.
The study, based on the results of focus groups and interviews
with seniors' groups across the province, is part of national
project funded by Health Canada.
As reported already in The Star, it found seniors have lost
faith in government.
``It's really like the loss of the democratic process or
citizen input,'' says Bea Levis, an active seniors' advocate
and a member of the report's seniors advisory committee.
Study participants say government does little listening and
policy decisions reflect this lack of sensitivity. Successive
downloading of responsibility for programs affecting older
people has left them without secure health care, affordable
housing and other programs integral to their well-being.
Nationally, the report points out, Canada is one of the few
industrialized nations with no implemented, formal plan for
dealing with seniors' issues.
At the provincial level, the single-minded drive to reduce
costs comes at the expense of many policies and programs
crucial to older people.
And municipally, the forced amalgamation of six Toronto-area
municipalities has led to even more program reductions.
``In October, 2000,'' the report notes, ``each Ontario
taxpayer will receive a cheque for up to $200, while community
care access centres in Toronto will limit the care they can
provide to seniors due to funding shortages.''
The report recommends appointing effective government
ministers to focus on seniors' issues. It urges the
reinstatement of funding for effective housing and health
care programs. But such recommendations are really just the
beginning.
With seven months to go in its two-year mandate, the project
is moving into its second phase, namely helping seniors to
make their voices heard.
Specifically, the goal is ``to develop and implement a means
by which Canadian seniors in urban areas can work to influence
public policies that affect their quality of life.''
To that end, the University of Toronto project, conducted by
lead researcher Dennis Raphael, an associate professor of
public health sciences, and Ivan Brown, national project
manager, is offering strategy suggestions and encourages
seniors' groups to get involved.
A ``how to'' manual is planned and project participants,
including members of the seniors co-ordinating committee, are
willing to make public presentations to seniors' groups.
If you care about making seniors' voices heard, get involved.
Copies of the Toronto project report ``A City For All Ages:
Fact Or Fiction?'' can be downloaded free from the Internet at
www.utoronto.ca/seniors.
For more information, call (416) 978-1102. Or write to Ivan
Brown, Quality of Life Research Unit, 100 College St., Suite
511, Toronto, Ont. M5G 1L5. e-mail: [log in to unmask]
You can write to Helen Henderson, Life Section, Toronto Star,
One Yonge St., Toronto, Ont. M5E 1E6. Please include your
telephone number. Or send e-mail to [log in to unmask]
Visit our Web Sites for information and reports from all of
our Quality of Life Projects!
http://www.utoronto.ca/qol
http://www.utoronto.ca/seniors
**************************************************************
****
In the early hours I read in the paper of epoch-making
projects
On the part of pope and sovereigns, bankers and oil barons.
With my other eye I watch
The pot with the water for my tea
The way it clouds and starts to bubble and clears again
And overflowing the pot quenches the fire.
-- Bertolt Brecht
**************************************************************
****
Dennis Raphael, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Department of Public Health Sciences
Graduate Department of Community Health
University of Toronto
McMurrich Building, Room 308
Toronto, Ontario, CANADA M5S 1A8
voice: (416) 978-7567
fax: (416) 978-2087
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
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