Kemptville and District Home Support (KDHS) welcomed Minister of Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho to their offices last Wednesday for a roundtable discussing senior’s issues in the municipality.
Minister Cho and local MPP and Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Steve Clark, arrived at KDHS to have lunch with their diner’s club and meet some of the local seniors. After lunch, they met with KDHS staff, healthcare professionals, and local politicians, to learn about gaps in services for seniors in rural areas. “It was very informative,” Minister Cho said after the meeting. “This community really cares about its seniors.”
The roundtable at KDHS is one of many meetings Minister Cho is attending throughout the province, as he gathers information for the provincial government’s Seniors Strategy. The Strategy is meant to help address the challenges seniors face in accessing the services they need to support their safety and mental and physical well-being.
“I’m so pleased to have Minister Cho at Kemptville and District Home Support to hear directly from our local seniors, caregivers and support organizations about what’s important to them,” said Minister Clark. “Hearing their feedback will help our government ensure that seniors in Leeds-Grenville-Thousand Island and Rideau Lakes have the programs and supports they need to remain active in age-friendly communities.”
KDHS Executive Director, Susan Smith, says it was great to see both Ministers at the meeting. “[Minister Cho] is a very hands-on Minister,” she said. “It was nice to see his passion for senior services.”
The provincial government hopes the Seniors Strategy will allow them to help seniors age at home and in their communities, remain healthy, active and socially engaged, stay safe and secure, and participate in the labour market and economy. Minister Clark says the province-wide strategy is set to be rolled out this Fall.
