NSGREA
Accomplishments
- Improved health plan for
Retirees
- Spousal benefits increased
to
66.6 %
- In the first five years
after
retirement,
if Retiree passes away, spouse will receive full pension for the
remainder of the five years before reverting to 66.6%
- Full indexing for Retirees
who
retired prior
to January, 1984
- Getting a seat on the
Pensions
Investment
Advisory Committee
- Getting a seat on the Senior
Citizens Secretariat's
Seniors Safe Driving Committee
- Participation in the
development
and implementation
of a SAFE DRIVING PROGRAM
for OLDER
DRIVERS
|
The NSGREA Seniors
Handyman Program
The Nova Scotia
Government's Retired Employees Association is currently
organizing a group of volunteers who will assist Seniors with low
maintenance tasks, seniors living in their own homes or in residents
where help is not immediately available. The focus of the Senior'
Handyman Program is to recruit retired tradesmen and handymen with
plenty of home maintenance experience who will provide a little of
their time helping other seniors. Many now rely on family members,
friends, or neighbours to help them do repairs such as fixing a leaky
tap, a running toilet, hanging blinds, installing weather stripping, or
even changing a light bulb. Having experienced seniors help other
seniors will also allow for a quick safety inspection by checking for
possible hazards such as shaky hand rails, loose carpet ends, dark
shadowed areas and make sure rugs are not placed on slippery floors.
This will help prevent unwanted injuries and help ensure the safety of
seniors.
Often it is difficult for seniors to find contractors that are
affordable or even willing to simple plumbing repairs or minor
electrical repairs. Senior volunteers could make sure that grab rails
are in place, smoke dectors are working, install CO2 dectors, door
locks are sufient, etc. Even the simplest of tasks such as changing a
furnace filter or even checking the hot water tank could be done by
seniors.
According to
statistics provided by the
Nova Scotia Seniors Secretariat, 30% of NS seniors live alone and 70%
of those live in their own homes. Many live below the LICO
(18,000) and 72% (13,000) are women who live alone.
The initiative
for this program came from
our curent NSGREA President Bernie LaRusic of Sydney. We had a
provincial Grant under The New Horizions to do a two day workshop in
Halifax last week with the help of a facilator Nancy Radcliffe of the
Seniors Secretariet of Nova Scotia. This is a new concept and we are
not aware of such a program in any of the other provinces.
The Seniors
Handyman program will be in
effect across Nova Scotia and we are looking forward to
getting it underway here in Antigonish by the end of the summer.
These volunteers dont have to be Seniors themselves, we would welcome
any adult with handyman experience to get involved. Women in general do
a great deal of volunteering so this is a chance for the men to give a
little of their time.
If you
are interested in volunteering a little of your time to help other
seniors
you can contact the coordinator for the Antigonish area, Tony
MacDonald, at 863-0095.
We are also looking for a Volunteer to act as Co-ordinator in the
Pictou County area.
Please call Don Duncan at 755-1421
for details.
