Listen, learn and ask
Deputy minister addresses council of seniors meeting
Cape Breton seniors say more in-home support and government programs are needed to help the aging population in Nova Scotia moving forward.
The Cape Breton Council of Seniors and Pensioners held its annual meeting at the North Sydney Seniors and Pensioners Club on Wednesday, where residents had the chance to listen, learn and ask questions with Nova Scotia Deputy Minster for Seniors Simon d’Entremont.
Dora Matthews of North Sydney was among the 75 people who attended the meeting. Aside from health care, Matthews believes in-home support should be a priority for the provincial government.
“A lot of seniors are running up against a brick wall because they try to get these support things in the home, but they have issues getting them,” said Matthews. “Places are closing — the VONs are fabulous, but in other places … there is no support.”
“You can’t please everybody, but more support and more money towards senior programs are a must,” said Matthews. “At this club (the North Sydney Seniors and Pensioners Club) we do a lot for the seniors and for the community — we are a very active, wonderful club.”
Betty Hillier of North Sydney said she is happy the provincial government is investing in seniors and working towards making life better for all seniors across Nova Scotia.
“Government does give us a lot, they do, we are taken care of, we’re not going hungry, we live in our own homes, we have heat and lights, you have to pay for it, but still it’s comfortable, but it’s when you need help you don’t know where to go to get it,” said Hillier.
During the meeting, d’Entremont spoke about the province’s action plan for an aging population. The action plan features the social and economic contributions of older adults, promoting healthy and active living as well as supporting an aging place, connected to community life.
“The plan was focused primarily on supporting the economic and social opportunities that are created by longevity that we have, but having people
“Ninety-three or 94 per cent of Nova Scotians are living independently, which may be breaking the perception many people have that (seniors) are living in some kind of organized housing.”
Nova Scotia Deputy Minster for Seniors Simon d’Entremont
stay healthy is obviously part of that, so we are working in collaboration with the Department of Health and we bring that seniors’ lens to all the work that the other departments do as well,” said d’Entremont.
D’Entremont believes it’s important seniors are able to stay in their homes.
“Ninety-three or 94 per cent of Nova Scotians are living independently, which may be breaking the perception many people have that (seniors) are living in some kind of organized housing,” said d’Entremont. “Seniors tell us all the time they want to remain active and independent
in their communities, that’s what they tell us, so we are working hard at that. The province has increased its homecare budget from $200 million to $260 million just in the last three years to help support that effort.”
Currently, 20 per cent of the province’s population is over 65 years old, which is one of the reasons why now is a good time to have an action plan.”
For more information about the action plan for an aging population, visit www.novascotia.ca/seniors/.