SPOTLIGHT

Ontario Helping Seniors Stay Active

McGuinty Government Investing In More Elderly Persons Centres

JUNE 23, 2009 — Ontario is helping provide seniors with more opportunities to stay active, healthy and involved in their communities. The province is investing more than $1.2 million to expand its Elderly Persons Centres program. [Read the full news release]

25^th Anniversary of Seniors' Month

Ontario's Minister Responsible for Seniors, the Honourable Aileen Carroll, launched the 25^thAnniversary of Seniors' Month at Ryerson University's second annual Silver Screens Festival on June 1.

The theme for Seniors' Month this year is "Creating Age-friendly Communities."

Minister Carroll with Stained Glass Crafts artist Colleen Dodds

Minister Carroll with Lorraine Kerzner, a multi-media art exhibitor
and member of Act II studio

From left: Minister Carroll, Sheldon Levy, President, Ryerson University, Nina Kloudon, Act II Studio member and performer, Julia Hanigsberg, Interim Dean, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education, Ryerson University.

Ontario Taking Action To Stop Elder Abuse

McGuinty Government Makes Historic Investment In Safer Communities for Seniors

June 15, 2009 - Ontario is taking steps to help eliminate elder abuse by providing, for the first time in the province’s history, annual operating funding for prevention initiatives. [Read More]

Province-wide Seniors Safety Line now available

Culture Minister Aileen Carroll announced the launch of the Seniors Safety Line, a province-wide hotline to assist seniors at risk of abuse. From left to right. Culture Minister Aileen Carroll, Kevin Hehir and Teri Kay [Treasurer and Executive Director of the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse], and Fiona Blondin-Fiorini [Ontario Trillium Foundation board member].

The Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) has launched a new province-wide hotline to assist abused and at-risk seniors. The Seniors Safety Line will provide information, referrals, and support 24 hours a day, seven days a week, in over 150 languages. The Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, awarded ONPEA a three-year, $415,700 grant in June 2008 to help with the set-up of the hotline.

The hotline is a toll-free, confidential resource for seniors suffering abuse, including financial, physical, sexual and mental abuse and neglect. The Seniors Safety Line can be reached at 1-866-299-1011 and is operated in association with the Assaulted Women’s Help Line (AWHL).

June is the 25th Anniversary of Seniors’ Month in Ontario

Seniors’ Month is an annual celebratory tradition in which the contributions of seniors are acknowledged and honoured throughout the province. Seniors account for approximately 13 per cent of Ontario’s current population. Seniors’ Month events include award ceremonies, recognition events, socials and seniors’ information fairs. [Read more]

Age-Friendly Communities

It’s no secret that the population is aging and each of us hopes that our aging experience is a positive one. Successful, healthy and active aging requires a combination of personal and environmental factors that work together to support the best possible experience.

How Age-Friendly is your community? Learn more about what makes a community Age-Friendly and how you can get involved in this exciting opportunity.

[Read More]

Guide to Property and Personal Care for Older Adults with Developmental Disabilities

This Guide was developed by a panel of legal experts to provide a simplified and single source of information about substitute decision-making and related issues as they pertain to adults with a developmental disability. Stories of actual situations help to illustrate issues that can arise and remedies available in Ontario. The Guide includes contact information for a number of organizations and publications that provide more detailed information. For a copy of the Guide visit the Ontario Partnership on Aging and Developmental Disabilities (OPADD) website at www.opadd.on.ca .

Ontario Senior Achievement Award

The Ontario Senior Achievement Award honours those who have made outstanding contributions to their communities after turning 65. Call for nominations are open until June 15, 2009. [ Read more]

Targeted Tax Relief for Seniors

Many programs are based on information provided on income-tax forms. You should file a tax return even if you have no income in order to receive benefits.

To provide further tax relief to seniors, the Government of Canada is proposing to increase the Age Credit amount by $1,000 for 2009 and subsequent taxation years.

For more information on this program, visit www.budget.gc.ca/2009/plan/bpc3b-eng.asp#26

Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant

The Ontario Senior Homeowners’ Property Tax Grant is an annual amount provided to help offset property taxes for seniors with low and moderate incomes who own their own homes. For 2009, the maximum grant is $250. For 2010 and subsequent years, the maximum grant will be $500.

For more information, visit www.rev.gov.on.ca/english/bulletins/itrp/6493.html

Aging Quiz

The Ontario Gerontology Association (OGA) and the Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat (OSS) partnered to develop “Senior Smart Ontario” an online resource to raise awareness of seniors’ issues and to combat the stereotypes of seniors in contemporary society. One component of Senior Smart Ontario, “The Aging Quiz”, has recently been updated and includes extensive resources for further education. The information in the Aging Quiz is the culmination of research undertaken by OGA.