I rise in this Honourable House to recognize June as
Seniors Month, a time to recognize the significant role that seniors
make in our community and to celebrate their accomplishments.
It is our government's vision to have a supportive,
age-friendly province where seniors contribute to their communities, and
in turn, our communities support senior residents in living as
independently as possible.
We just recently announced the recipients of our
Age-Friendly Newfoundland and Labrador Grants Program, which is designed
to provide funding to incorporated municipalities, Inuit community
governments and reserves, and seniors' organizations throughout the
entire province to support them in planning for an aging population.
Overall, our government invested $200,000 in the Age-Friendly Grants
program which benefited 10 communities and 13 seniors' organizations
throughout the province.
On
e of the first steps we
took upon forming government was to create three separate entities to
ensure that the province was proactive in how it responds to the needs
of our aging population. We established a Ministerial Council on Aging
and Seniors to ensure that the needs of our seniors are met. We
established a Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors,
comprised of seniors and experts on aging, to advise government on
matters related to the quality of life for seniors, and to facilitate
public discussion on aging. And, we established an Office for Aging and
Seniors in the Department of Health and Community Services to ensure
that programs and services meet the needs of seniors, and to address
aging and seniors issues.
Our government launched a Healthy Aging Policy
Framework, outlining six priority directions together with a series of
goals and actions to create an age-friendly province. The intent of this
initiative is to further support and recognize seniors for their
diversity and valuable contributions.
Our government has made significant investments to
help enhance and improve the lives of seniors throughout our province,
including enhancements to the Newfoundland
and Labrador Prescription Drug Program, increases to the home heating
rebate, an enhanced Low Income Seniors' Benefit and significant tax
reductions.
Last June, we presented the first annual Seniors of
Distinction Awards which recognize the
lifelong contributions, achievements and diversity of
Newfoundland and Labrador's seniors. It will be my pleasure to award
five more deserving seniors with awards later this month.
We have made healthy aging a priority.
We believe in supporting seniors' efforts to live full,
active and independent lives.
2010 06 01
1:50 p.m.
