ONTARIO ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR ALZHEIMERS PROGRAM
Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com
BRACEBRIDGE — Days after a frail, elderly Gravenhurst woman who wandered away from her home was found dead, Ontario’s minister for seniors and accessibility dropped into the riding today to announce funding for elder care.
MPP Norm Miller welcomed Raymond Cho, Minister of Seniors and Accessibility, who announced funding for Alzheimer’s disease care and a small local grant to help keep seniors active lawn bowling.
He was at the Alzheimer Society of Muskoka office in Bracebridge to highlight Ontario’s efforts to help families, caregivers and communities recognize the risks of dementia, be prepared for incidents, and better ensure the safety of seniors living with dementia.
A release along with the visit stated that each year about 125,000 seniors in the province living with dementia are at risk of wandering and going missing.
The province is putting their safety first by providing nearly $600,000 to the Alzheimer Society of Ontario to help them run the Finding Your Way program.
“This funding will go a long way in helping to keep seniors safe, especially given an estimated 240,000 seniors in Ontario are living with dementia,” said Cho.
Finding Your Way is a wandering prevention program which provides practical tools and advice for individuals, caregivers and the community to recognize and reduce the risk of someone with dementia wandering and going missing, while supporting a quick, safe return should an incident occur.
This new funding will help to locate missing seniors living with dementia by working with police to promote the Finding Your Way program resources in their communities, and by delivering seminars for individuals, caregivers and frontline officers that educate and promote awareness.
“Every minute counts when a senior goes missing to help keep them safe. Our government is committed to helping seniors with dementia stay safe,” said Miller. “This is particularly important in Parry Sound-Muskoka where we have a large senior population.”
About 60 per cent of people living with dementia will go missing at some point, often without warning.
Fifty per cent of people who go missing for 24 hours or more risk serious injury or death from exposure, hypothermia or drowning.
The news comes in the recent wake of an ederly frail Gravenhurst woman who went missing and was found dead.
Meanwhile, later at the Muskoka Lawn Bowling Club in Bracebridge, Cho said Ontario is committed to helping seniors stay healthy, safe and socially connected within their communities.
Many seniors face challenges accessing programs and services that support their safety, mental and physical health, and overall well-being.
He announced funding of $9,500 to the club to help seniors in Muskoka stay active and socially connected.
The funding is part of the Seniors Community Grant program that is providing $3 million to support more than 260 projects to benefit seniors in communities across the province.
Cho and Miller were at the club with town and district officials to announce the funding that will help teach seniors how to use lawn bowling to increase fitness levels, while having fun together in their community.
“Helping seniors here in Parry Sound-Muskoka access programs and services where they live has tremendous health benefits, including helping to keep seniors out of the hospital,” said Cho.
“I am inspired by the seniors volunteers who will help other seniors in this community keep fit through lawn bowling – stimulating both the mind and body, which will benefit everyone’s well-being,” he said.
This year’s Seniors Community Grant program better supports the unique needs of seniors living in underserviced rural, remote, multicultural and Francophone communities, including:
- Initiatives that focus on elder abuse
- Programs and services that help prevent social isolation
- Increasing accessibility and seniors’ safety
- Activities that help keep seniors physically and socially active
Miller added: “This support is great news for seniors and their families in Parry Sound-Muskoka. This funding will go a long way to help seniors in this community stay active and take part in a program that they may not otherwise have access to. It will also help seniors in this community stay socially connected and learn something new together.”
Ontario remains committed to protecting what matters most to seniors and their families.”
QUICK FACTS:
The application period for the Seniors Community Grant Program opened on May 17, and closed on July 5, 2019.
Non-profit organizations are receiving funding between $1,000 and $25,000 to coordinate and deliver local supports and programs in communities across the province.
The senior population in Ontario is the fastest growing age group. By 2023, there will be 3 million Ontarians over the age of 65.
Active aging brings positive health benefits, including helping to keep seniors out of the hospital.
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