The NWT SeniorsSA国际影视传媒� Society and the territorial minister arenSA国际影视传媒檛 seeing eye-to-eye on how to tackle issues affecting the aging population.

The society is lobbying the territorial government to come up with an all-encompassing NWT seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy that would bring together existing policies, frameworks and strategies affecting older adults.

But Glen Abernethy, Minister Responsible for Seniors, says the government already did that work three years ago.

SA国际影视传媒淎s far as developing a new seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy, itSA国际影视传媒檚 not something weSA国际影视传媒檙e prepared to do at this point,SA国际影视传媒� said the minister.

He said a document tabled during the last legislative assembly, called Our Elders: Our Communities is SA国际影视传媒渆ssentially our territorial seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy.SA国际影视传媒�

The GNWT has since completed a long-term care review, tabled its Continuing Care Services Action Plan and is collaborating with the seniorsSA国际影视传媒� society on a disabilities framework, said Abernethy.

SA国际影视传媒淨uite frankly, it seems like we should be doing the work, as opposed to more strategies or frameworks,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

Barbara Hood, executive director of the NWT SeniorsSA国际影视传媒� Society, is looking for something more holistic.

However, MLAs were skeptical during a meeting Nov. 17 that the territorial government will commit to making a seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy before the end of its term in two years from now.

Hood offered instead for the society to take the lead on adapting a national strategy to meet the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 needs, with financial support from the territorial government.

She cited a Canadian seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy produced by the Alliance for a National Seniors Strategy in 2016 as a good starting point to work off of.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think what youSA国际影视传媒檙e hearing is that itSA国际影视传媒檚 going to be very difficult to try to fit this in in the last two years of our mandate,SA国际影视传媒� said Kevin OSA国际影视传媒橰eilly, MLA for Frame Lake. SA国际影视传媒淪o my advice is take whatever funding you can get and start the work yourselves. And if it does mean building on whatSA国际影视传媒檚 been done at the national level and looking at some things that have been done in the provinces SA国际影视传媒� you can start to do some of that work yourselves.SA国际影视传媒�

Hood said she believes having an NWT seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy is important because it would allow for better coordination of resources and allow older adultsSA国际影视传媒� voices to be heard in a more SA国际影视传媒渃entral way.SA国际影视传媒�

She added she would want an NWT seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy to address issues like aging in place, elder abuse and seniorsSA国际影视传媒� safety SA国际影视传媒� something Hay River MLA R.J. Simpson touched on during the meeting when explaining how business entrances in his community are often inaccessible to elderly people.

SA国际影视传媒淚 think itSA国际影视传媒檚 the feeling within government SA国际影视传媒� a lot of work has been done in many areas and there is no need to duplicate things,SA国际影视传媒� said Hood, following the meeting.

SA国际影视传媒淚 believe that if we can bring the voices of elders in communities and community groups who are struggling with the same issues that we are in a collective way, that it would be a strong partnership and a very strong vision could be brought out of that in the NWT for a seniorsSA国际影视传媒� strategy.SA国际影视传媒�