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PAST Newsletters>
SUNBURST 8
November 3, 2006
Ron Ellis, SUN Executive Director
Our question to seniors, near seniors and indeed all Albertans –
Is there a need for an organization like SUN?
We believe it is absolutely imperative to have a united and strong voice if we are to assist the elderly and bring attention to seniors’ issues.
There are hundreds of social and recreational seniors' organizations throughout the province and they do wonderful things. The number of seniors' organizations dedicated to informing and advocating on seniors issues are few in number. Without question, SUN has been a leader in advocating and speaking out on seniors issues. Unfortunately, the fact that SUN aggressively speaks out on seniors' issues severely limits our access to most types of funding. It has also been our experience that assisting the elderly and seniors' issues are not considered glamorous or dramatic enough to attract any degree of attention or support from the public or private sectors.
We are doing our best to change this short sightedness. Progress has been made. However, we believe there is much yet to be done if we are to achieve a stability of wellness, home and community for seniors.
SUN is at a crossroad. We have operated at a deficit for 2 years and are unable to continue to fund these deficits. Our financial position is very weak and our ability to effectively speak out on seniors' issues is in extreme jeopardy. We have an immediate need to raise a minimum of $10,000.00.
SUN needs your help.
SUN needs cash donations.
SUN is looking for:
? 100members to donate $100.00
? 200 members to donate $50.00
? As many members as possible to donate whatever they can.
? Members due for renewal or past due for renewal to send in your renewal promptly.
? For every member to sign up 1 new member.
SUN is a registered society, but not a registered charity and cannot provide official tax receipts. For those that are not aware, registered charities are not allowed to utilize more than 10% of their resources for advocacy purposes. Such a restriction would make it impossible for SUN to effectively speak out on seniors’ issues.
A postage paid return envelope has been included for your convenience.
Seniors United Now and its’ members have been instrumental in accomplishing the following:
1. Restoration of no Alberta Health Care Premiums for all seniors.
Annual Savings per senior $528
2. Partial restoration of extended health care benefits covering optical and dental – based on income thresholds.
Potential Savings per Senior – Optical $230 every 3 years
– Dental $5,000 every 5 years
3. Partial restoration of Property Tax Credit for seniors. Educational component of property taxes for senior homeowners has been frozen at 2004 levels.
4. Increase in eligibility thresholds for Alberta Seniors Benefit assistance to $21,000 for a single senior and $33,000 for a senior couple.
The results listed above represent a potential annual savings of $1,700.00
5. Acknowledgement by the government of the considerable deficiencies in supportive and continuing care programs in Alberta and the need to spend an additional $250 million more each year. To date they have only confirmed $78 million in additional spending.
6. Encouraging seniors to be informed and involved.
-As indicated in our last issue of SUNBURST a list of questions was forwarded to all Progressive Conservative leadership candidates. The responses are recorded in this newsletter. We encourage our members and indeed all Albertans to be aware of the positions of any who would aspire to lead.
-As indicated in previous newsletters, SUN has formed a very important strategic relationship with the Alberta Motor Association. SUN and AMA believe that the issues of road safety, the maturing driver and seniors transportation are critical to our independence. This as with many issues cannot be left to the arbitrary decisions of bureaucrats. It is up to us to take the lead and ensure that compassionate, rational and honest thinking is the basis of all decisions. To this extent an AMA and SUN survey was included in our last newsletter. The response was beyond expectation and we thank all who participated. The results are also included in this newsletter.
7. SUN is committed to cooperating and supporting other seniors’ organizations.
-SUN is an active member and strong supporter of the Seniors Task Force, dedicated to the premise that “Alberta Seniors Deserve Better”.
-SUN is an active member and strong supporter of “A Circle of Alberta Seniors Advocacy Group Chairpersons” advocating for the establishment of an Independent Seniors Advocate.
The PC leadership campaign represents an excellent opportunity for seniors and indeed all Albertans to be involved in the future of our province. To this extent SUN is dedicating considerable efforts to presenting seniors concerns, asking specific questions and generally seeking the PC leadership candidates’ knowledge and position on seniors’ issues.
Former Premier Peter Lougheed says the next Conservative Party leader must give seniors a higher priority. He says the challenges of an ever-growing senior’s population can be overcome with a stronger commitment from the provincial government. The seniors’ population is growing all right and they’re old enough to know better than to wait for the government to help out with everything from health care premiums to joint replacements to expensive prescription drugs to wheelchairs or anything else well beyond a pensioner’s budget. You’ll wait in vain. Nothing is being done, and nothing will, until the growing number of seniors get organized and start flexing some political if geriatric muscle.
SUN would remind all politicians that there are approximately 330,000 persons aged 65 and over in this province and approximately 275,000 persons aged 55 to 64. Historically, these are the people that turn out in the largest numbers to vote. The total of these two age groups is 605,000. They represent 68% of the 890,000 votes cast in the last general election.
SUN continues to press all politicians on two key and ongoing issues, health care and seniors benefits. SUN remains committed to its position that under no circumstance must responsibility for or authority over health care be placed in the hands of private enterprise.
In addition, SUN is and shall continue to press for the restoration of seniors’ benefits that were cut or reduced in the early 1990s. SUN is working with other senior focused organizations in an attempt to direct as great a variety of questions as possible to the leadership candidates. SUN shall continue to work with all senior focused organizations to assist in distributing all materials that will aid in bringing seniors concerns and issues to the forefront. To this extent SUN has forwarded a questionnaire to all PC leadership candidates. The questionnaire and candidate responses are reported on the following pages.
Alberta is enjoying a time of great prosperity and seniors are pleased for all who benefit. However, with great prosperity comes a significant pressure on the price of goods and services. Though the increase in the cost of living affects all citizens it creates considerable additional financial stress for those living on fixed incomes. Seniors may or may not have sufficient income to meet their daily living needs. If they do today they most likely will not in the future. It is generally if not universally agreed that there is considerable benefit (including financial) to society/taxpayers to have seniors remain in their own home as long as is safely possible. Yet many seniors and the number is growing, do not have the financial means to properly maintain their home. Seniors are not looking to be enriched. Rather, they are struggling to find a stability and sustainability of wellness within their home and community.
SUN believes that each generation has an inherent responsibility to those that come after and to those that go before.
Can government, private enterprise or society be all things to all people? No they cannot. However, they can and must use compassionate, rational and honest thinking and behaviour to do their best.
We note that the following questionnaire was also forwarded to all other political parties represented in the legislative assembly. Responses have been received and although not recorded in our newsletter they are available on our website. www.seniorsunitednow.citymax.com
SUN Questions the PC Leadership Candidates
The following list of questions was forwarded to all Progressive Conservative leadership Candidates.
1. Will you support the position that seniors qualifying incomes for all provincial benefit programs be calculated net of:
a. Non medical expenses for continuing care where spouses must live separately due to care requirements.
b. Attendant care expenses for home care. Qualifying attendant care expenses to be, at a minimum, equal to those attendant care expenses that the federal government qualify as a medical expense and eligible for the attendant care claim.
OBERG-Yes, Lyle Oberg believes it is reasonable to include senior’s incomes be calculated net of a number of the medical and homecare expenses the SUN has specified.
MCPHERSON- This make sense to me, and I will do all I can within the provincial taxation laws.
DINNING-I know from listening to seniors across Alberta – including my own mom – that we need to have programs that are responsive and flexible enough to meet the needs of seniors in different circumstances. I’ll admit: I don’t know the details of how all the benefits operate and the criteria involved. It makes sense that these expenses would be factored into benefit eligibility, depending upon income. But I’m not going to make this kind of a commitment before I sit down with seniors’ organizations and with the Seniors Minister Yvonne Fritz to identify all the changes that are necessary to make sure seniors’ needs are addressed.
NORRIS- There are no easy answers to the situation that many Alberta seniors find themselves in. This is why I have committed to taking a comprehensive look at the entire financial situation surrounding seniors. It is not about individual programs and claim forms but a wholistic approach to keeping seniors independent in their own homes as long as possible. As well, I have strongly supported future indexing of the Seniors Benefit Program for inflation to protect seniors from rapidly increasing prices. Further, by making home care more accessible we help keep seniors out of hospitals, which is much more cost effective. We also need our system to be flexible enough to adjust to circumstances and keep families together whenever possible
2. Will you support the position that the Alberta personal taxable income for seniors be calculated on the same basis as above?
OBERG- Yes, Lyle Oberg supports that position.
MCPHERSON- This make sense to me, and I will do all I can within the provincial taxation laws.
DINNING- My reply is the same as for question #1
NORRIS- My position is that all Albertans need to pay the same low taxes and receive maximum value from the services those taxes are funding.
3. Will you support increasing the income thresholds for all seniors benefit programs by a minimum of 50% over the next five years and the subsequent indexing of these thresholds?
OBERG-Yes, Lyle Oberg supports increasing the income threshold for all seniors’ benefits, and indexing those thresholds. It is not possible at this time to commit to a specific 50% target, but an Oberg led government will work toward that target over the next 5 years.
DINNING- Alberta’s package of benefits for seniors is one of the best in Canada. In the last few years additional support has been extended to protect seniors from increases in education property taxes, to eliminate health care premiums for seniors, and to expand support for dental and glasses. Still, with Alberta’s strong economy, costs are increasing and that has an impact on everyone, especially people who live on fixed incomes. So I’d support tying increases in seniors’ benefits to an index that reflects the increasing cost of living. But I’m not prepared to commit to a minimum 50% increase during a leadership campaign. These are important decisions that must be made in the context of a plan. That’s the responsible fiscal approach I’d practice rather than make easy-to-make promises during this leadership race.
MCPHERSON- Yes, unless there is something that I don't know about that would prevent this from being affordable -- which I don't believe is the case!
NORRIS- From the very beginning I have been a strong proponent of indexing the Seniors Benefit Program. It is the right thing to do and we will no longer end up reacting every few years when we are all surprised that prices went up. In addition I have proposed significantly increasing the amount of provincial exemption, as affordable, which would allow all Albertans to keep a larger portion of their income. This would make the biggest difference for low-income families and seniors on fixed incomes.
4. Will you support increases in senior health benefits and the indexing of these benefits?
OBERG- Absolutely, Lyle Oberg supports increasing seniors’ health benefits and indexing those benefits to protect seniors from the negative effects of inflationary pressures.
MCPHERSON- Interest about, yes -- index may be the best option or there may be another way to do the same thing.
DINNING- In principle Yes, especially if those health benefits are designed to help seniors remain independent and lead healthy, active lives for many years to come. This would include continuing to provide assistance for medical costs to seniors in need.
NORRIS- My priorities are to first move to indexing the Seniors Benefit Program. Secondly, I would move toward ensuring that seniors programs in general remain sustainable oer the long term as our senior population increases and healthcare costs rise. Even though I would very much like to increase the amount of health benefits seniors currently receive I know it is one of the best benefit packages in the country and I am not sure if we can afford anything more than indexing the benefit levels at this time.
5. Will you support the establishment of an Independent Seniors Advocate?
OBERG- Establishing a Seniors Advocate is an excellent idea that a Lyle Oberg government would implement, modeling such an office along the lines of the Provincial Ombudsman, and charging that office with the task of (among other things) developing guidelines for prosecuting cases of elder abuse.
MCPHERSON- Based on my experience with disability -- not likely, I think that we need to empower and "respect" the community advocacy voices and bring their suggestions into provincial policy and regulations.
DINNING- There are many organizations advocating for seniors. And Yvonne Fritz is a passionate advocate for seniors. The Seniors Advisory Council under MLA Ray Prins advocates and provides advice to the government. So before committing to establish a seniors advocate, I need to understand what it is that seniors are not getting now and what would an advocate do that several organizations and a committed minister isn’t able to do.
NORRIS-Yes, absolutely. I am quite proud of the fact that I was the first candidate to publicly state that.
6. Will you enable seniors to remain independent in the community by addressing transportation issues such as:
a. Aging driver support.
b. Affordable alternative community transportation.
OBERG- It makes good sense from a variety of perspectives for the Alberta government to do whatever it can to help seniors remain in their homes as long as possible. If it is the choice of that senior, and the necessary medical or homecare resources can be allocated, then the healthcare system will save money and the quality of life of seniors will be enhanced. Services such as Meals on Wheels and other homecare assistance programs perform essential functions that deserve our support.
MCPHERSON- My government would be a facilitator of such -- not a deliverer of service.
DINNING- I know that if seniors can’t be mobile in their community, it’s hard for them to be independent. In terms of driving, all Albertans, young and old, have to meet the necessary requirements to safely operate a vehicle. If seniors need help to do this, it makes good sense to work with community groups to provide these supports. Affordable community transportation is important and I’d work with our municipalities to make sure they can offer affordable transportation.
NORRIS-This issue is very difficult to address as it varies widely from community to community. However, part of my "Real Plan - a Blueprint for the 21st Century" outlines my vision for municipal financing. Under my plan, municipalities would have greatly increased resources and clearer responsibilities so that they can better address the unique issues in their communities. One such issue would be municipal transportation networks. Secondly, I believe community organizations, agencies and Albertans could get much more innovative in this area and become more flexible in how such services are delivered.
7. Will you work cooperatively with municipalities to develop affordable housing for seniors and consider creating innovative housing options?
OBERG- Yes. In fact, Lyle Oberg has proposed a bold plan for establishing a new partnership between the Province, School Boards and Municipalities to utilize the property tax dollars currently collected for local priorities. One of those priorities which the Province could more effectively address by sharing power with local authorities is the building of multi purpose centers on municipal green space that incorporate affordable housing for seniors next to schools and community centers.
Affordable housing for seniors is one the cornerstones of a workable society and is essential for maintaining quality of life. The issue of affordable housing is critical to our economy in Alberta and to the lives of our seniors. An Oberg government would make this a key priority.
MCPHERSON- Absolutely!
DINNING- Yes, I will work cooperatively with both the federal and municipal governments on this important issue. I know from my Mom-and many other seniors-that they want to live as long as possible in their own homes including homes where they can get different types of assistance as they age. While we will need long-term care facilities for seniors who need more comprehensive care, assisted living facilities and other innovative housing options are excellent choices for seniors, who prefer more independent living. We also need to make sure that high standards are in place, whatever the type of housing, so that seniors can live in safe and secure housing and get the care they need.
NORRIS- Affordable housing is not just a seniors issue but an issue affecting many Alberta families. This is why I have committed to revamping the way the Province releases land to municipalities for development to make it more responsive. This would allow developers and all levels of government to work together to address affordable housing challenges. I am very optimistic that working together we can do better on affordable housing and recent examples of everyone working in cooperation have shown us that it can be done.
8. Will you support the seniors’ population with a utility subsidy?
OBERG-The Province currently offers all Albertans subsidies if the price of natural gas rises too fast. This type of universal program is better than targeting subsidies to specific demographic groups. Lyle Oberg favours a policy whereby the Province funds seniors with a higher monthly allowance that follows them to assist them with living expenses. In this way, the money follows the senior to the facility of their choosing, not the other way around.
MCPHERSON- I would have to consider a "utility subsidy" carefully with my colleagues, because my intention is to support the earlier requests contained in statements #1, 2, 3 and 4.
DINNING- With Alberta’s booming economy, we’re all seeing costs go up and many seniors (and their children & Grandchildren) work hard to pay their bills. I believe Alberta is the only province that offers the Special Needs Assistance for Seniors program to assist low-income seniors with unexpected or one-time costs. Assistance with utility costs may be another item to consider funding under this program.
NORRIS- The Alberta government has a natural gas subsidy for all Albertans already. For seniors on fixed incomes it helps keep prices low in winter months. In addition to that, the Alberta government has a program just for seniors for special benefits like financial assistance for the replacement of an old furnace. This is over and above recently introduced optical and dental benefits just for seniors. Alberta Seniors also enjoy a freeze on education-property taxes, which is especially important now that prices of real estate have been rising rapidly in many communities. In 2001, when electricity prices skyrocketed, seniors struggling to pay their power bills could apply for additional support and such support was provided. I am sure that should a similar circumstance arise once again the Alberta Government would not let Alberta seniors down.
Ted Morton has advised that he will not be responding to any questionnaire/surveys. As at the writing of this article, no response has been received from the other candidates. We encourage seniors and indeed all Albertans to be informed and to be involved.
For additional information on the individual candidates, please visit their web sites.
jimdinning.ca obergforalberta.ca marknorris.ca davehancock.ca
stelmach.ca teammcpherson.com tedmorton.ca voteforvictor.ca
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