The Office of the Seniors' Advocate, Newfoundland and Labrador released a report today in an attempt to address the cost of living challenges identified by seniors through an extensive consultation process that included 1,400 seniors.

NL Seniors’ Advocate Susan Walsh says 32 per cent of seniors said they did not have enough income to meet their financial needs and were unable to afford food, rent, medications and required medical services. She says this is contributing to poorer health outcomes and reduced quality of life. 

The "What Golden Years?" report includes 12 recommendations, Walsh says, and aims to put a little more money back into the pockets of seniors and to help reduce costs for them.

Walsh says this includes indexing the Seniors’ Benefit, reviewing both the maximum family net income threshold to receive it and exempting seniors in receipt of GIS from having to pay for their required home support. Others recommendations include exempting households with a family net income of less than $29,402 from having to pay for their required home supports; implementing the Food First NL recommendation for a shared food delivery service, increasing the amount of money per kilometer people traveling for medical appointments are eligible to receive through the Medical Transportation Assistance Program (MTAP); and providing all people age 65 years and older free access to the high-dose influenza vaccine.

Listen to CKVB's story below. Some other stories in this newscast include updates on two fatal accidents on the west coast, a national Alert Ready test coming tomorrow, Steady Brook looking for input on a ten year plan, and the Mayor of Corner Brook tours the new hospital.