The Perth Seniors Active Living Center manages this page to inform seniors about available resources for seniors. Our operation of the SALC is provided with support by the Government of Ontario.
Seniors Active Living Centers (SALC’s) are a major initiative supported by the Government of Ontario.
“The Government of Ontario also strives to promote other health and safety initiatives for seniors. According to Ontario Ministry of Finance projections for the period 2008 to 2036, the number of seniors in Ontario aged 65 and over is projected to more than double by 2036 from 1.9 million in 2013, to 4.1 million. By 2016, for the first time, seniors will account for a larger share of population than children aged 0–14. The Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat (OSS) is an important response, providing a major source of information relevant to the needs of Ontario Seniors and contributing to the development of related policies and programs.”
Explore Resources Available to Our Seniors Community
Perth Seniors Fellowship is committed to inform our seniors community about available resources for healthy living.
GOVERNMENT OF CANADA RESOURCES FOR SENIORS
Our federal Government has many resources for seniors! Here is a link that will connect you to a portal for all of them!
ONTARIO GOVERNMENT RESOURCES FOR SENIORS
Provincial resources for seniors are available at:
https://www.Ontario.ca/Seniors
Note that Calling 211 in Ontario takes you to a helpline staffed by highly trained specialists who have access to an online database of Ontario’s community and social services. Calls are free and confidential and a live person answers 24/7.
PERTH AND AREA EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES BY OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS
The Town of Perth maintains a useful monthly schedule of area events.
Perth and Smiths Fall Duplicate Bridge Club
Partners may join and play at one or both locations as they choose. The club will help find a partner for an individual without one.
The Smiths Falls Duplicate Bridge Club meets Monday evenings at 7:00 and Tuesday afternoons at 1:00 (at the Royal Canadian Legion, 7 Main Street East, Smiths Falls, ON). For information, call Don Grant at 613-283-7164 or Email donandivy@cogeco.ca Want to play in Smiths Falls but need a partner? Call Iris Winston at 613-256-4747. MAP
The Perth Duplicate Bridge Club meets Thursday evenings at 7:00. (at Perth Civitan Club, 6787 Lanark County Rd 43, Perth, ON K0G 1B0) For information, call Linda Selig at 613-264-0945 or Email lmselig@yahoo.ca Want to play in Perth but need a partner? Call Bert Picard at 613-267-5305. MAP
Probus Club of Perth
Probus clubs are organizations for retired people who wish to maintain a social network with others who have similar interests. There are more than 4,000 Probus Clubs worldwide with over 300,000 members. Probus Perth is a particularly active club with more than 150 enthusiastic members. The club has monthly meetings, excluding July and August, featuring interesting and entertaining speakers and presenters on an eclectic range of topics
Optional social activities include such things as annual trips to the 1000 Island Playhouse, local dinner / theatre events, fall bus trips to interesting sites, seasonal parties, lunches and much more. New members are always welcome.
http://probusperth.ca/
Perth Horticultural Society
Perth & District Horticulture Society (PDHS), now over 30 years old, represents and supports the needs of many novice, serious and devoted gardeners who beautify our community and lend a helping hand to nature’s masterpiece.
PDHS activities include Horticultural Shows, Presentations by Expert Speakers, and many other activities of interest to Gardeners. Check their website for detailed information: http://www.perthhortsociety.com/
HEALTH SERVICES FOR SENIORS:
The following information, primarily supporting active living, care-giving and maintenance of health, has been selected from the OSS publication, A Guide to Programs and Services for Seniors in Ontario:
Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program
The dental care program will be available through public health units, including some mobile dental clinics, as well as participating Community Health Centres and Aboriginal Health Access Centres. A user-friendly web portal to apply for the program is now open and can be accessed via ontario.ca/SeniorsDental. Seniors can also pick up an application form at their local public health unit. To find out more, you can also call: 416-916-0204 or Toll-Free 1-833-207-4435; TTY 1-800-855-0511
Ontarians aged 65 and over with an income of $19,300 or less, or couples with a combined annual income of $32,300 or less, who do not have dental benefits, will qualify for the Ontario Seniors Dental Care Program.
Community Care Access Centres (CCAC’s)
CCAC’s are local non-profit community agencies that provide simplified access to home and community care, and can help you live independently in your own home for as long as possible. They are also your single point of access for admission to a long term care home.
General information is available at the Central Phone Number, 310-CCAC (310-2222). No area code is required. Note that if you want to apply for admission to a long term care home, you must do so through your LOCAL CCAC, which is the South East Local Health Integration Network: http://healthcareathome.ca/southeast/en (LOCAL PHONE NUMBERS follow).
Community Home Support Lanark County
Services for Seniors & Adults with Physical Disabilities
Perth: 613-267-6400;
Smiths Falls: 613-283-6745;
Lanark: 613-259-5412;
Carleton Place: 613-253-0733;
Pakenham 613-624-5647
Available resources through the above phone number:
- Adult Day Programs
- Caregiver Support Services
- Client Intervention and Assistance Services
- Emergency Response Service
- Foot Care Services
- Friendly Visiting Services
- Home Help Referral Service
- Home Maintenance and Repair Services
- Meal Services (Meals on Wheels)
- Social or Recreational Services
- Transportation Services
- Security Checks or Reassurance Services
- Palliative Care
- Complex Continuing Care.
Note that fees may be charged for some consumer costs or for some services and that all services may not be available in all locations
ACTIVE LIVING:
Physical Activity Tips for Older Adults
www.publichealth.gc.ca/paguide
Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines
www.csep.ca/guidelines
Ontario Parks (reduced fees for seniors)
www.ontarioparks.com
Fishing and Hunting (special provisions for seniors)
Ministry of Natural Resources Outdoors Card Centre
www.ontario.ca/outdoorscard
Third Age Network
This network consists of self-managed groups of seniors who share learning experiences on a wide range of subjects.
www.thirdagenetwork.ca
Home, Community and Residential Services for Seniors
https://www.ontario.ca/page/seniors-home-and-housing
Tax Credits for Caregivers
Health 811
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this free service connects you to a registered nurse who can provide confidential health advice and general health information. You will be asked to describe your symptoms and answer questions. The registered nurse may then advise self-care, recommend a visit to a health practitioner or refer you to community resources near you. This service is available in English or French, with translation support for other languages and a direct TTY number for those with hearing and speech difficulties.
Phone: 1-866-797-0000
TTY: 1-866-797-0007
Website: https://health811.ontario.ca/
Ontario Health Card (OHIP)
Your Ontario photo health card has an expiry date that matches your birthday, and must be periodically renewed and another photo taken. Renewal notices are mailed to you two months in advance of the expiry date. Red and white health cards do not have an expiry date. If you are 80 years of age or older, you have the option of renewing by mail, but your new health card won’t include your photo or signature.
Service Ontario: 1-866-532-3161; TTY: 1-800-387-5559;
Apply for a health card: https://www.ontario.ca/page/apply-ohip-and-get-health-card
Renew health card: https://www.ontario.ca/page/health-card-renewal
Ontario Drug Benefit Program
May be reached by the same numbers as OHIP, above, and https://www.ontario.ca/page/seniors-ontario-drug-benefit-deductible-and-prescription-co-payment
Hearing Care Counselling Program
Designed to help seniors (55+) stay connected, independent and confident, offering information on communication devices and other available services in the comfort of their own home. Counsellors provide home visits, education, demonstrations and recommendations of communication devices.
Canadian Hearing Society: 1-877-347-3427; TTY: 1-877-216-7310; www.chs.ca
Mental Health
Contact your family doctor for information on Specialized Geriatric mental Health Outreach Programs, Programs for Seniors with Mental Illness, Hospital Based Psychiatric Services, Addiction Services.
The Canadian Mental Health Association is a non-profit, charitable organization committed to improving services and support for people living with mental illness and their families. It provides services in 32 branches across Ontario and may be reached at 1-800-875-6213 or www.ontario.cmha.ca
MedicAlert® Safely Home®
The Alzheimer Society and the Canadian Medical Alert Foundation have partnered to combine the best features of MedicAlert Services and the Alzheimer Society’s “Safely Home” program. For a fee, members receive an engraved identification bracelet that allows police and emergency responders to quickly identify the person who has wandered.
1-855-581-3794 or www.alzheimer.ca (>Living with dementia >Safety >MedicAlert®Safely Home®).
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease that makes bones more brittle and more likely to break during a fall. Older women are especially at risk of developing the disease. Ask your doctor for a bone mineral density test to determine your risk. General information is available from:
Osteoporosis Canada at 1-800-463-6842 or www.osteoporosis.ca .
ENERGY AFFORDABILITY PROGRAM
A VARIETY OF FREE UPGRADES ARE AVAILABLE TO THOSE MEETING ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
These may include:
Depending on eligibility and the existing equipment within your home, you may receive:
Option 1: Comprehensive support
- Cold climate air source heat pump**
- LED light bulbs
- Energy-efficient refrigerators
- Energy-efficient freezers
- Energy-efficient dehumidifiers
- Energy-efficient window air conditioner
- Drying rack for clothes
- Smart power strip
- High-efficiency showerheads (standard and handheld)*
- Faucet aerators (kitchen and bathroom)*
- Additional attic or basement insulation**
- Draft proofing**
- Programmable or smart thermostat(s)**
*for homes with electric hot water heating
**for homes heated by electricity or oil
WHO IS ELIGIBLE? (Watch out for OR and AND)
To qualify, the participant must be:
- A resident of an eligible Social Housing property, OR
- An individual who owns, rents or leases a residence, is listed as the primary or secondary utility account holder,
AND meets ONE of the following criteria:
- Has an annual household income for the previous year that does not exceed the following limits:
| Number of people in the home | Before-tax household income |
| 1 | $47,090 |
| 2 | $66,595 |
| 3 | $81,561 |
| 4 | $94,179 |
| 5 | $105,295 |
| 6+ | $115,345 |
| 7+ | $124,586 |
- Received assistance from one of the following programs in the past 12 months:
- Any on-reserve community member.
Option 2: Energy saving kits
(if you do not qualify for Option 1)
Depending on eligibility and the existing equipment within your home each kit may include:
- Block heater timer
- LED light bulbs
- Weather-stripping
- High-efficiency handheld showerhead
- Faucet aerators (kitchen and bathroom)
- Retractable clothesline
- LED night light
To qualify, the participant must:
- Be an individual who owns, rents or leases a residence in Ontario and is listed as the primary or secondary utility account holder
- Have an annual household income for the previous year that does not exceed the following limits:
| Number of people in the home | Before-tax household income |
| 1 | $69,763 |
| 2 | $98,659 |
| 3 | $120,831 |
| 4 | $139,524 |
| 5 | $155,993 |
| 6+ | $170,882 |
For complete details or to apply directly with Greensaver, call 1 855 591 0877 or email hap@greensaver.org or visit greensaver.org/homeassistance.