Monday, April 23, 2007

McGuinty Government Continuing To Protect Ontario Seniors

TORONTO,CANADA

- The McGuinty government is investing more than$1.6 million over the next two years to combat elder abuse and neglect,Minister Responsible for Seniors Jim Bradley announced today.

Ontario's Elder Abuse Strategy, the first of its kind in Canada, focuseson three priorities: co-ordination of community services, training for front-line staff, and raising public awareness about this important issue. The funding will go to the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse(ONPEA) to support its regional elder abuse consultants for another two years.The consultants have helped support more than 50 elder abuse networks orcoordinating committees across the province.

"Our government will not tolerate the abuse or neglect of seniors," said Bradley. "That is why we are working with community partners to intervene,
prevent and combat this growing problem."

The Ontario Seniors' Secretariat (OSS), ONPEA Abuse and the Ministry of
the Attorney General joined forces five years ago to initiate the province's
Elder Abuse Strategy.

"Victims of elder abuse often feel isolated and may not be aware of the
services available to them," said Attorney General Michael Bryant. "Our goal
is to ensure that Ontario's agencies work together to end elder abuse at the
community level."

According to experts in the field, elder abuse has many forms including
financial, physical and verbal abuse, and neglect of older persons.
Other McGuinty government initiatives to support Ontario's aging
population include:


- Expanding the award-winning http://www.seniorsinfo.ca/website to
provide one-stop access to programs and services for seniors living in
smaller municipalities across the province

- Enhancing the Ontario Property and Sales Tax Credits for seniors once
again in 2007; this will result in $97 million in property tax relief
this year for eligible seniors

- Ending mandatory retirement

- Implementing Ontario's Wait-Time Strategy that has resulted in a
41 per cent reduction in wait times for cataract surgery; a 30 per
cent reduction for knee replacements; and a 16 per cent reduction for
cancer surgery.

Disponible en français http://www.citizenship.gov.on.ca/seniors/

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