Mr. Speaker, the week of June 1st to 7th is Seniors' Week. I rise to recognize the seniors of the Northwest Territories and their contributions to our communities and society in the Northwest Territories. They truly are the touchstone to our past and the foundation of our future.
Mr. Speaker, early on in the 14th Legislative Assembly, the Members of this assembly recommended that the Government of the Northwest Territories take steps to improve programming for seniors. The government responded by creating an inter-agency working group to conduct a technical review of existing Government of the Northwest Territories programs and services and then consult with Northwest Territories seniors. This work culminated in the release on June 5, 2002, of the Seniors' Action Plan 2002-2003. The action plan, which was released jointly with the President of the Northwest Territories Seniors' Society at last year's seniors' social tea outlined activities that would be undertaken to strengthen seniors' programs and services in the following year.
Earlier today, on the first anniversary of the release of the Seniors' Action Plan it was my great pleasure to announce the release of the Seniors' Action Plan Status Report and a profile of Northwest Territories seniors in the company of Ms. Patricia Rainmaker, chairperson of the National Advisory Council on Aging, Ms. Beatrice Campbell, the president of the Northwest Territories Seniors' Society, and seniors attending a seniors' social luncheon. A profile of Northwest Territories seniors fulfilled a commitment made in the action plan to research issues facing seniors. It builds on work done previously by the Northwest Territories Health Status Report 1999 and the Northwest Territories Health Services Report 2000.
The profile provides information on indicators related to the health and well-being of seniors, including demographics; social economics; social and cultural characteristics; personal health practices; health status; illness; mortality and use of health services; the extended health benefits; drug plan; home care; and long-term care. It also makes a comparison between seniors in the Northwest Territories, nationally and with other jurisdictions with similar socio-economic characteristics.
The status report details progress made and work completed up to the end of April 2003 on the Seniors' Action Plan. With the release of the profile today, 12 of 28 recommendations from the action plan have been completed. Mr. Speaker, work is on-going on the remaining recommendations. During the March 2003 Seniors' Forum, seniors identified action plan priorities for the 2003-2004 year and provided valuable feedback on work underway. We can expect over the coming year to see many of the remaining recommendations completed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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