Ontario Minister of Health Deb Matthews' Letter to CARP Members
Read the Minister's expansive response to CARP's concerns
CARP asked the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care to clarify the effect the physiotherapy and exercise/fall prevention classes policy changes will have on seniors. Minister Deb Matthews penned a letter to CARP members, detailing the changes and dispelling fears that the changes will reduce access, coverage, or cut funding for the variety of rehabilitation services the provinces covers for seniors. Read more
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The Straight Goods on Ontario Changes to Physio and Excercise/Fall Prevention Programs
A Quick Summary of the Minister's Answers to your Concerns
The Ontario Government announced in April that it will make changes to the way rehabilitation services are provided in the community setting and in long-term care residence. The changes, beginning August 1, 2014, promise more one-on-one physiotherapy, group exercise classes and falls prevention services in long-term care homes and in communities across Ontario.
Since the announcement, CARP has been receiving calls and emails from members concerned that the impending changes will in fact cut funding for rehabilitation services and reduce the amount of rehabilitation coverage and service that seniors will receive in the community and in LTC homes.
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CARP Releases Older Workers Policy Brief and Recommendations
Get the Scoop on next Week's Parliament Hill Presentation
On May 23rd, 2013 - Susan Eng, CARP VP of Advocacy, will be appearing before Standing the Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) to present our policy proposals and briefs on older workers, pension reform, national standards of care and end of life care.
Along with pension reform, CARP is taking on older workers with renewed vigor this year. To download the Policy Brief we will be presenting on Parliament Hill, please click here
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Elizabeth May Editorial: Being old is not what it used to be
Green Party Leader demonstrates sophisticated understanding of seniors policy in Hill Times- shows CARP members she has been listening
“Old age is not for sissies,” said Bette Davis. Indeed, it is not, but the images from our childhood of what it meant to be “old” have changed dramatically. Of course, as I enter my 60th year, my perspective on what it means to be “old,” of necessity, shifts. As another popular aphorism, puts it “the hardest thing to decide is when middle age begins. The group Moses Znaimer calls “zoomers” are not abandoning their love of tennis or skiing. The aging population is increasingly embracing the benefits of staying involved, especially as they give back to community through the donations of thousands of hours of volunteer work.
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The New and Improved website for the Minister of State for Seniors
Now live and featuring a helpful new ressouce
TThe Honourable Alice Wong, Canada’s Minister of State for Seniors, along with the Honourable George VanderBurg, Alberta’s Associate Minister of Seniors, were in Calgary today at the West Hillhurst Go-Getters Association to announce the launch of the newly revamped seniors.gc.ca, a central source of information for seniors, their families, and caregivers.
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VIEW FROM THE FRONT - Chapter News and Updates
Chapter Launch a Wild Success - Draws 450+ Attendees
CARP Proudly Welcomes Brampton to the Fold
Brampton’s CARP Chapter Launch Gala was the event to be at this past Tuesday, May 7th at the Brampton Soccer Centre. With Moses Znaimer, CARP President, as the keynote, there was no doubt why the robust room was packed- making this the largest inaugural Chapter opening in CARP’s history. Over 450 older adults came to celebrate the birth of their new chapter and were anxious to get involved...Read more
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Surrey-White Rock candidates go head to head
Media Coverage oF the Surrey-White Rock Chapter Debate
Despite summer-like weather and a Canucks game airing at the same time, about 200 people packed into White Rock’s Star of the Sea Hall Friday night for the provincial Surrey-White Rock all-candidates debate.
Hosted by the South Surrey & White Rock Chamber of Commerce and the White Rock chapter of CARP, Canada’s Association for the Fifty-Plus, the event drew a crowd consisting of mostly older residents.Read more
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Election Guides: Getting to Know your Candidate
A mini-toolkit created by the Okanagan Valley Chapter
In anticipation of the May 14th, 2013 British Columbia election, the Okanagan Valley Chapter created a very helpful list of questions and suggestions for its members who planned on approaching their candidates during the campaign. Election time is the best time to get politicians on the record but it's easy to get tongue tied in certain situations. A list of questions ensured you're always prepared. Most of the great questions on this list could also be helpful to other Chapters or individual CARP members in other Provinces who wish to use them to quiz their own candidates for Provincial Parliament. A few are B.C. specific but the information is still useful when considered as a guidelines for the types of questions you should be asking and how to phrase them. Read more
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Important Annoucement for CARP Members from the Minister of State for Seniors
Alice Wong explains the New One-Stop Shop Government Services for Seniors Tool
Dear CARP members,
One of the things I have heard often in my many discussions with Canadians from all over the country is their difficulty, and even confusion, understanding and accessing the information they need about government programs and services. The truth is, it is complex; with different levels of government responsible for different programs, not to mention the important work done in the not-for-profit sector in our local communities.Read more
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CARP for the Win: Older Ontario Retirement Homes are Finally Fire-Safe
Dossier Review and Conclusion
In a press release issued May 10th, 2013 – the Ministry of Safety and Correctional Services announced that timelines for implementation. The new regulations will put an end to an untenable situation. Before these new rules, sprinkler devices were not required in 4,000 older “care occupancies.” These facilities house more than 200,000 seniors. Read more
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The Middle-Aged Guide to Growing Up
The Best Game You Can Name
I’m a Boomer, born at the height of Teeder Kennedy’s career with the Leafs. Not that I’m a Buds fan, long residence in Quebc, and an appreciation for hockey history, have made me a proud supporter of Les Bleu Blanc Rouge, Les Glorieux, Les Boys, les Habs, the Canadiens.
Hockey wasn’t always central to my life. As a young kid at school, everybody listened to Hockey Night In Canada with Foster Hewitt on Saturday night, there was nothing else to do (it was a boarding school) so that’s what I did. Read more
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Important Information about PEI's new Catastrophic Drug Coverage Program
CARP ask implemented - will be pushing other provinces to follow suit
PEI will soon provide catastrophic drug coverage, Premier Robert Ghiz announced last week. The new Catastrophic Drug Program will provide support to any individual whose prescription drug costs are affecting their household’s ability to maintain life essentials. Through this new program, PEI families will have their annual out-of-pocket drug costs for prescription medications capped at an amount not exceeding a set percentage of their family income.
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In Their 90s and Working For More Than Just A Paycheck at the
CARP gives Vita Needle's Employment Practices an A++
Rosa Finnegan has worked at Vita Needle for 13 years. She is 98 and a half — and that half, Finnegan says, is important.
“I’m trying to make it to 99. I hope I do,” Finnegan says.
On this particular day, Finnegan stamps hundreds of small metal parts that look like pencil erasers. The arthritis is visible in her hands, but the exercise from her job helps keep her fingers reasonably nimble. Read more
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Calgary palliative home care ‘decimated,’ says nurses union
Drastic cuts came on Monday without a warning for nurses in Calgary
Half of Calgary’s palliative home care nurses learned Monday they were being laid off and that the level of care offered to clients in the end stages of life would be significantly reduced.
Jacki Capper, president of local 211 of the United Nurses of Alberta, confirmed 24 of about 50 registered nurses in the program were affected by Monday’s announcement, which she said came without warning.
“They’re devastated,” Capper said. “Some nurses have 20-plus to 30 years experience and they were just thrown away. That’s how they feel.” Read more
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Device Helps Stroke Victims Walk Golden Gate
Video Story
A new wearable walking device is letting stroke victims regain their mobility. It's called Kickstart and three early adopters used it to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge Read more
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New Brunswick Ombudsman is Given Power to Investigate Nursing Homes
CARP supports this type of oversight
The following is a press release from the New Brunswick Department of Health explaining that the provincial Office of the Ombudsman will be given powers and a budgetary increase so that they may investigate the Long Term Care sector. Long Term Care/Nursing home oversight by a provincial Ombudsman is an idea CARP supports... Read more
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Opportunity knocks for specialists in gerontology
We need to demystify the stereotypes and encourage more people to get into the field
Krista Frazee fulfilled her childhood dream of becoming a hair stylist and spent 12 years behind a chair in New Brunswick.
But at age 30, she set aside her scissors to pursue a career in gerontology.
Like many people, she made her way into the field because of a personal experience involving someone close to her.
“For me, it was my grandmother. She had vascular dementia, the second most-diagnosed form of dementia after Alzheimer’s disease. I became intrigued with what was happening in the brain and how it affected her behaviour.”Read more
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CARP Prescription Drug Poll Report
Some interesting drug findings and some surprising voter preferences
For the first time since CARP began polling its members (in October, 2008), the Liberals lead the Conservatives in voter preference, while the NDP has sunk to far third place. This is significant, in that it marks the culmination of a trend which began last fall, and the CARP membership has always previously preferred the Conservatives to the Liberals by about two to one.
CARP members take, on average, more than three prescription medications (including those who take none), most are prescribed by the same doctor and all are purchased at the same pharmacy.
This is important, because members agree that medicine reviews by pharmacists when scrips are being filled are the best way to avoid drug interactions. Members also believe pharmacists are the best source of information on drug interactions, rather than doctors. Pharmacists are generally seen to be the first line of defense against drug complications.Read more
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