Susan Walsh, the province’s seniors’ advocate, has released a report titled What Golden Years? The report is a first step in attempting to address the cost of living challenges identified by seniors through an extensive consultation process that heard from approximately 1,400 seniors.

According to the report, 32 per cent of seniors throughout Newfoundland and Labrador reported they did not have enough income to meet their financial needs and were unable to afford food, rent, medications and required medical services. This is contributing to poorer health outcomes and reduced quality of life.

The report contains 12 recommendations to the Departments of Finance, Health and Community Services, Children Seniors’ and Social Development, and Labrador Affairs, which begin to address some of the cost of living concerns expressed by seniors. Key recommendations include:

1. Indexing the NL Seniors’ Benefit;
2. Reviewing both the maximum family net income threshold to receive the full NL Seniors’ Benefit and the phase out rate;
3. Exempting seniors in receipt of GIS from having to pay for their required home supports;
4. Exempting households with a family net income of less than $29,402 from having to pay for their required home supports;
5. Implementing the Food First NL recommendation for a shared food delivery service to ensure food can be delivery to seniors if necessary;
6. Increasing the amount of money per kilometer people traveling for medical appointments are eligible to receive through the Medical Transportation Assistance Program (MTAP); and
7. Providing all people age 65 years and older free access to the high-dose influenza vaccine.

“Our research has shown that seniors in receipt of the full federal and provincial financial benefits cannot afford the necessities of life. The recommendations contained in this report are a starting point to begin to provide some financial relief to seniors living in low income, while ensuring they can access the supports and services they require to age well in their homes and communities,” says Walsh.

NTV’s Becky Daley is covering the story and will have more details on the NTV Evening Newshour.