GATINEAU, QC, June 25,
2024 /CNW/ - Every senior deserves to age with
dignity and choice, in their communities and on their terms.
Today, Canada's Minister for
Seniors, the Honourable Seamus O'Regan
Jr. and the Minister of Health, the Honourable Mark Holland, welcomed a new report from the
National Seniors Council (NSC) examining measures to further
support Canadians aging at home, titled Supporting
Canadians Aging at Home: Ensuring Quality of Life as We
Age.
The report provides insights into the services, supports,
strategies, and solutions that enable Canadian seniors to age at
home on their terms and in good health. It highlights three
priority areas for action including additional financial benefits
for low-income seniors, reinforced community-based support and
services, and new initiatives to promote and help plan for aging,
retirement, and life in later years.
The NSC engaged with a diverse audience to prepare its report,
including seniors, caregivers, stakeholders, and experts. Through
online consultation, roundtables, and interviews, they worked to
determine the needs of Canadian seniors and identify the gaps in
current supports for aging at home.
The Government is currently reviewing its findings and
recommendations.
The Government of Canada is
leveraging the care economy to help seniors age on their terms and
create good, well-paying jobs for Canadians. In addition to their
work, Budget 2024 announced the upcoming introduction of the
Safe Long-Term Care Act, so that we can do right by seniors,
their families and care workers and make sure that what happened
during the pandemic never happens again. Budget 2024 also announced
the Government's plans to develop a National Caregiving Strategy to
think big on the future of care, and starting up a new Sectoral
Table on the Care Economy to listen to the experts on what we can
do to tackle the care crisis today. It's all about listening to the
people who know best, so seniors can age on their own terms and
caregivers have what they need to be at their best.
Quotes
"Every senior deserves to age with dignity and choice, in their
communities and on their terms. The National Seniors Council knows
that."
The Honourable Seamus O'Regan Jr
Minister for
Seniors
"The Government of Canada has
an important role to play in supporting people in Canada to age in their own homes and
communities, for as long as possible. This report will guide our
ongoing efforts to develop targeted policies and initiatives that
promote healthy aging and ensure that older persons have access to
the care and support they need."
The Honourable Mark Holland
Minister of
Health
Quick Facts
- In 2007, the Government of Canada established the National Seniors
Council (NSC). The NSC reports to the Minister of Labour and
Seniors and the Minister of Health. The NSC engages with seniors,
stakeholders, and experts to provide advice to the Government of
Canada on current and emerging
issues and opportunities related to the health, well-being, and
quality of life of seniors.
- On October 6, 2022, the Minister
of Seniors and the Minister of Health announced that the NSC would
serve as an expert panel to examine measures to further support
Canadians who wish to age within the comfort of their homes.
- Since its inception, the NSC has examined issues related to the
social isolation of seniors, the participation of older workers in
the labour force, positive and active aging, volunteerism, low
income among seniors and elder and financial abuse.
- The NSC is made up of experts on seniors' issues and aging,
individuals with experience working for organizations that
represent the interests of seniors and seniors themselves.
- Under the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians
plan, the Government is working with provinces and territories to
implement two series of bilateral agreements, one of which is the
Aging with Dignity agreement which focuses on helping Canadians age
with dignity, closer to home with access to home or community care
or care in a safe long-term care facility.
- The Aging with Dignity agreement, which complements the Working
Together agreement, includes $2.4
billion over four years to improve access to home and
community care from Budget 2017; and $3
billion over five years for long-term care from Budget 2021
to apply standards of care in long-term care facilities and help
support workforce stability.
Associated Links
National Seniors Council
Members of the National Seniors Council
Programs and services for seniors
Working Together to improve health care in Canada: Aging with Dignity bilateral
agreements
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada