The Coalition for the Dignity of Seniors (CDA) is calling on the Legault government to do more for seniors, as the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the distress experienced by this vulnerable category.
The organization, which submitted a brief on Sunday to the Minister of Finance as part of the budget consultations, pleads the urgency of acting to make up for the “unacceptable” deficits in the treatment offered to seniors.
It offers a series of recommendations, emphasizing the need to invest more in health prevention, palliative care and medical assistance in dying.
In addition, the CDA is calling for decent incomes to allow seniors to age with dignity, by suggesting a new allowance for seniors who have no income.
The CDA proposes to “set up a pension benefit guarantee fund which provides for the payment of compensatory indemnities to retirees, in the event of the insolvency of the promoter of their pension plan”.
She suggests that Quebec improve the tax credit for medical expenses and reduce the eligibility threshold from 3% to 1.5% of income for people aged 65 and over.
“The sooner we put these kinds of recommendations in place, the sooner the living conditions of our seniors will be improved,” the organization said in a statement.
“It is high time that the Quebec state gives itself the means to offer more dignity to its elders,” added the CDA.