It’s getting harder for people on fixed incomes to pay the rising costs of oil, medication and other basic needs.
The Ghiz government shouldn’t ignore the appeal of Island senior citizens who are getting more vocal about the difficulty of making ends meet. They have a legitimate concern: it’s getting harder and harder for people on fixed incomes to pay the endless rising costs of oil, gas, electricity and prescription drugs.
Eric Hammill, the new president of the P.E.I. Senior Citizens Federation, held a news conference last week to stress the need for government to address the hardship faced by many seniors. He didn’t mince words. “Some seniors are forced to choose between food, heat, medication and transportation – these are basic needs.”
How should government respond? The federation wants it to adopt specific measures that would at least help seniors in their overall expenses. Among other things, it’s calling for exemptions for seniors from ambulance fees, adjustments to the provincial drug program to exempt low-income seniors from paying, allowing three-month allotments of approved drugs, eliminating the $10 fee for the flu shot, giving a $500 senior’s activity tax credit as an incentive for seniors to use fitness programs, and offering assistance for hearing aids, dental care, eye glasses, wheel chairs and walkers.
These are reasonable demands. As Mr. Hammill said, these expenses amount to basic needs. It’s simply unacceptable that some senior citizens are being forced to choose between food or heat or medication. Oil and gas prices have risen to levels considered unthinkable even a year ago. People who’ve been living on fixed incomes – and seniors are among them – are the most vulnerable to these rising prices. The federation has presented some tangible suggestions to government on how they could help ease the financial burden on seniors. The Ghiz government should act on them.
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