Province hooks up York-Simcoe seniors with services

MPP Caroline Mulroney hosts event highlighting available services

Yorkregion.com
May 29, 2019
Heidi Riedner

York-Simcoe MPP Caroline Mulroney backed up recent funding announcements with a community meet and greet connecting local seniors with available services and supports.

A morning of free coffee and dessert came with some valuable information at the East Gwillimbury recreation complex May 24 at an event Mulroney said she had been inspired to hold by the former MPP for York-Simcoe, Julia Munro.

Twenty participating groups, organizations and agencies from across the riding were on site, including CHATS, York Regional Police, the Alzheimer Association of York Region, Southlake Regional Health Centre, Hospice Georgina, The Elden of Bradford retirement residence, LOFT community services, which provides support and assisted living for adults at risk of homelessness at Bradford House, and BWG Leisure Services and East Gwillimbury Parks and Recreation.

Topics included services and supports, protecting against scams targeting seniors and managing in-home independence, but the main goal was to highlight under one roof the wealth of services and programs available to local seniors.

The came on the heels of the province recently announcing it is investing $3 million for the Seniors Community Grant Program to provide funds to non-profit community organizations to co-ordinate and deliver local supports and programs for seniors.

Community groups have until June 27 to apply for funding from $1,000 up to $25,000.

The minister for seniors and accessibility, Raymond Cho, said this year’s program is designed to better support the unique needs of seniors living in underserviced rural, remote, multicultural and Francophone communities.

"We are looking to promote projects that prevent social isolation and elder abuse," he said.

Larger incorporated organizations can also now access a "one-window" application service through Grants Ontario.

General questions about the program can be answered by calling 1-833-SCG INFO (1-833-724-4636) or by emailing seniorscommunitygrant@ontario.ca.

By 2023, it is estimated there will be three million Ontarians over the age of 65.

The Conservative government has promised to build 15,000 new long-term care beds and upgrade 15,000 existing beds over the coming years, Mulroney has said.

The province has also instituted a $100-million dental program for low-income seniors.