Seniors' Month Continues
Published on July 1, 2015
All over the world, the population is aging. In Newfoundland and Labrador, we have the highest median age in Canada at 44 years. This trend will continue, and within the next ten years, one in four people in this province will be over 65 years.
As we age, it is important that we have a voice and have access to information when it’s needed. In Newfoundland and Labrador, we all have access to information as well as organizations and individuals that advocate for seniors and seniors’ issues. Examples include…
The Seniors and Aging Division of the Department of Seniors, Wellness and Social Development is responsible for seniors’ issues and adult protection. For more information on the department, please visit http://www.swsd.gov.nl.ca/ or call 1.888.494.2266 toll free. And for more information on Adult Protection, please visit http://www.swsd.gov.nl.ca/apa/index.html, or call 1.855.376.4957 to report abuse or neglect.
The Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors ensures that a seniors’ perspective is reflected in government policies and programs. You can learn more about the council and their work by visiting http://www.swsd.gov.nl.ca/seniors/provincialadvisory.html, or by emailing PACAS@gov.nl.ca.
The Office of the Citizen’s Representative was opened in 2002 to accept, investigate, and mediate complaints from citizens who feel they have been treated unfairly in their contact with government office and agencies. You can learn more about this office at http://www.citizensrep.nl.ca/index.htm. You may also call 709.729.7647 or 1.800.559.0079 (toll free).
The Public Legal Information Association of NL (PLIAN) is a non-profit organization that provides public legal education and information with the intent of increasing access to justice. You can learn more about PLIAN by visiting http://publiclegalinfo.com/?page_id=7.
The Seniors Resource Centre is a non-profit, charitable organization that promotes independence and wellbeing of older adults. You can find more information by clicking http://www.seniorsresource.ca/index.php or by calling 709.737.2333 or 1.800.563.5599 toll free. Their guide to programs and services may be found here: http://www.seniorsresource.ca/downloads/Seniors%20Guide%202014%20(November).pdf.
The Newfoundland and Labrador 50+ Federation is an organization representing more than 130 fifty plus clubs throughout the province. Their regular newsletter and annual conference ensure that seniors throughout the province are connected and have access to important information. For more information on the federation, you can click here (http://www.seniorsresource.ca/publications.php) to read their latest newsletters.
The world is always changing, and we can effect that change. Canadian science broadcaster and environmental activist David Suzuki once said, “We have to imagine the kind of world we want and then work to create it. That’s what active citizens have done in the past, and that’s how we got universal suffrage, free public schooling and national health care.”
