N.L. senior population struggling to pay basic needs

A new report from the provincial seniors' advocate says the aging population across Newfoundland and Labrador is suffering as they stretch their limited incomes to meet their financial needs.

Susan Walsh’s report, titled What Golden Years?, has offered 12 recommendations to the provincial government to address cost of living concerns after 32 per cent of seniors across the province indicated they did not have substantial income to comfortably afford food, rent, medications and required medical services.

"Until we address the financial needs of seniors and ensure they have access to safe affordable housing, adequate and nutritious food, and necessary health care, they will continue to have poor health outcomes, early admission to government-subsidized residential options and reduced quality of life,” said Walsh in a news release.

Some key recommendations in the report include:

• Indexing the N.L. Seniors’ Benefit;

• Reviewing both the maximum family net income threshold to receive the full N.L. Seniors’ Benefit and the phase-out rate;

• Exempting seniors in receipt of GIS from having to pay for their required home supports;

• Exempting households with a family net income of less than $29,402 from having to pay for their required home supports;

• Implementing the Food First N.L. recommendation for a shared food delivery service to ensure food can be delivery to seniors if necessary;

• Increasing the amount of money per kilometre people traveling for medical appointments are eligible to receive through the Medical Transportation Assistance Program;

• Providing all people age 65 years and older free access to the high-dose influenza vaccine.

The Office of the Seniors’ Advocate will monitor the fulfillment of the recommendations and report on its progress in the Status Report on Recommendations.