Terry Halifax
Northern News Services

Hay River (Sep 10/01) - Seniors from throughout the territories met in Hay River last Thursday to discuss a report on seniors' issues compiled by a government working group.

Bernie Hughes: The report will be finalized and presented to the deputy minister within two weeks.

The NWT Seniors' Society was greeted by a packed house for the discussion.

In June of 2000, there was a motion made in the legislative assembly to conduct a review of seniors' programs and services.

Senior policy advisor with the Department of the Executive, Bernie Hughes, outlined the findings of the report. The working group travelled to 11 communities and heard submissions from 12 organizations. Elder abuse, financial supports, housing and a wide range of health-related issues were brought forward.

One of the key tasks of the group was to streamline the seniors' application process, whereby one application form would entitle an individual to all existing programs and services.

Legislative requirements and privacy laws, according to Hughes, make it impossible to provide one form for all services.

Research revealed that the NWT senior population is growing at a rate faster than anywhere in Canada.

"Over the next 20 years or so, we'll see a 250 per cent increase in the number of seniors that will be 60 years of age or older," Hughes said. "That has some very serious implications to program planing and program policy."

Past treasurer Bob Spence hopes some good will come of the report.

"We've been through these reviews before," Spence said. "If the review doesn't result in some positive action on some of these issues, then it will just be shelved like so many other reviews that have been done before."

Past president Esther Braden agrees.

"It's long over-due and it's certainly covered a lot of the issues and concerns that we've been talking about for 20 years," Braden said.

Hughes says the report will be finalized and presented to the deputy minister within two weeks.