Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If there is anything the last year has taught me, it is the importance of communication. The ability to express ourselves so that others can understand us or being easily able to connect with someone in a time of stress goes a long way in allowing us to be happy, productive, functioning members of our society. In many ways, communication is a key component to our positive mental health. Being easily able to connect with someone in a time of stress goes a long way in allowing us to be happy, productive, functioning members of our society.
In many ways, communication is a key component to our positive mental health. Being able to easily communicate is something that many of us take for granted. Without the ability to communicate, a person can become socially and mentally isolated. For example, if they have trouble hearing, it can be difficult to communicate their needs to others. If their motor skills are impaired, they may not be able to use the technology required to contact the help they need.
In the North, many seniors lack the ability to communicate for a variety of reasons, and as a result, they cannot access the help that they may need. Some of these barriers are financial. For example, for many seniors, purchasing hearing aids is financially prohibitive. Currently, in order for an individual to acquire a hearing aid, they must pay thousands of dollars up front and then be reimbursed from the insurance provider. Many seniors simply do not have the financial means to pay out-of-pocket for items upfront or wait on reimbursement. As well, access to and the cost of batteries are further hardships that our seniors should not have to deal with.
Other barriers are both financial and technological, such as access to and navigating the Internet. As was recently seen, without access to the Internet or an ability to use it well, our vulnerable senior population encountered many issues when trying to book their COVID vaccines. Unable to navigate the online booking, we heard from many seniors that, when they did try to call the number provided, their calls went to voicemail, which was usually full, and they couldn't leave a message; or when they did finally get through to an operator, they were just told to go book online.
Vaccination clinics for seniors need to have dedicated phone lines to assist our most vulnerable population to ensure that they are booked for their vaccines. We have heard from several seniors about the stress and anxiety that navigating the booking system has caused them. Many of our seniors have been living restricted lives for almost a year and desperately want this vaccination in order to resume a better quality of life. To them, not to make it easy for them to access is almost cruel and shows how our seniors often fall through the cracks. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted.