Seniors at Risk Network gets help to prevent elder abuse
Nipissing MPP Monique Smith News Release ************************* Seniors in Nipissing will be better protected from elder abuse thanks to a $15,000 investment by the McGuinty government, Nipissing MPP Monique Smith announced today.
Seniors in Nipissing will be better protected from elder abuse thanks to a $15,000 investment by the McGuinty government, Nipissing MPP Monique Smith announced today.
“Our government will not tolerate the abuse or neglect of seniors,” said Smith. “That is why we are working with community partners to intervene, prevent and address this problem.”
The Ontario government has provided $15,000 to the Seniors at Risk Network North Bay and District to provided education and awareness to seniors and community organizations regarding abuse matters.
“I am delighted to join the Seniors at Risk Network North Bay and District today to announce this funding and recognize the great work they do in our community,” Smith said. “As June is Seniors Month, I think it is appropriate to recognize and thank the many community partners who work with our seniors to ensure they live with the dignity and respect they deserve.”
“Elder abuse is often referred to as the one abuse no-one sees, Sharon Langley, Social Worker with the Seniors at Risk Network North Bay and Area said.” “We all have a critical role in stopping elder abuse and neglect.”
One of the initiatives undertaken with this grant includes hosting a conference on Elder Abuse Awareness Day, October 19, 2007, with Judith Wahl from the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly, based in Toronto.
The grant is part of a $453,000 government investment in 55 elder abuse organizations across the province.
Ontario’s strategy to combat elder abuse, the first of its kind in Canada, focuses on three priorities:
• Co-ordination of community services
• Training for front-line staff
• Raising public awareness about this important issue.
As part of the strategy, the government recently announced $1.65 million in new funding over the next two years to support the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and its regional elder abuse consultants. The consultants have helped support more than 50 elder abuse networks or coordinating committees across the province.
Working together, Ontarians have achieved results in improving the quality of life for our seniors. Other McGuinty government initiatives to support seniors include:
• Giving Ontarians the freedom to choose to retire or not at the age of 65, by eliminating mandatory retirement
• Investing an additional $104.7 million in funding for home care services, bringing the total funding for home care to $1.54 billion for this year
• Investing hundreds of millions of dollars to reduce wait times for knee and hip joint replacements, cardiac care, MRI and CT scans, cataract and cancer surgeries
• Committing an additional $1.65 million over the next two years for Ontario’s Strategy to Combat Elder Abuse
• Providing $100,000 to the Older Persons Mental Health and Addiction Network to increase awareness of the issues facing older persons living with mental illness and addictions.
