Income security


Priority Area: Income Security Goal: Manitobans deserve a secure and dignified life in their later years, with a guaranteed and sufficient source of in- come.


Background: All Mani-


tobans should file a tax return each year. If you do not file your taxes you CANNOT get govern- ment benefits such as: Federal


Income Tax


Credits: • GST Credit - a tax-


free quarterly payment that helps individuals/fam- ilies with low and modest incomes to


offset all or


part of the GST or HST they pay. • Working Income Tax Benefit - a


refundable tax credit for working people with low-incomes. • Canada Child Benefit (CCB) - a


tax-free monthly payment to help support children under age 18. To get the CCB, you have to file your income tax return ev- ery year, even if you did not have income in the year. If you have a spouse or com- mon-law partner, they also have to file a return every year. • Canada Caregiver Credit – A non-


refundable tax credit that may be available if you support a spouse or common-law


Retired Teachers Association of Manitoba


partner or a dependent with a physical or mental impairment. Provincial (MB) Income Tax Credits: • Personal Tax Credit - a credit for low-income


and their dependents. • Education Property


Tax Credit – for those who pay rent or property taxes in Manitoba. Seniors may qualify for additional amounts • Primary


Caregiver


Tax Credit – for people who provide ongoing vol- untary care and support to family members, friends or neighbours who require help in their home.


Retirement Income should assure citi-


zens a financial income adequate enough to support an active life style. Current fi- nancial supports include: • Old age Security (OAS),


• Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), • Canada Pension Plan (CPP), • Allowance for the Survivor, • Death Benefit, • Disability Pension, • Pension Sharing, Credit Compassionate Care Benefits, • Primary Caregiver Tax Benefit, • Disability Tax Credit • Retirement Pensions and Private Savings


Health and healthcare


Priority areas: Healthcare Background: In 2015, the World


Health Organization (WHO) released its first report on aging and health. In this document, health is de- fined as “the process of developing and maintain- ing the functional ability that enables well-being in older age,” (WHO, 2016). Functional ability is con- ceptualized


the intrinsic


as including capacities


(physical and psychologi- cal) as well as environmen- tal


circumstances “to en-


able people to be and to do what they have reason to value,” (WHO, 2015). It is important to note that disease is not the focus of the WHO report, nor the Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health (GSAP). In 2018, the Coalition for Healthy Ag-


ing in Manitoba conducted consultations directly related to the GSAP in several communities in the province. Attendees


included older people, caregivers, and


healthcare workers. There is broad support for the GSAP objectives. And while many recognize that Manitoba has many health- care


achievements and


good programs, there are several areas for improve- ment related to healthcare. Recommendations: 1) Orient health systems around intrinsic


capacity


and functional ability (i.e., shift the focus from disease treatment) a. Recognize the com-


plex care needs that come with multiple conditions that affect function. b. Provide assistive de-


vices that make major changes in a per- son’s life (e.g., hearing aids, walking aids, dentures, glasses) to those in need. 2) Develop and ensure affordable access to quality older person-centred and inte- grated clinical care (a good goal for Shared Health to realize). a. Decrease fragmentation of care with


comprehensive personalized care plans


that maximize functional ability, and con- sider the older person’s preferences and foster self-management; b. Minimize out-of-pocket spending; c. Decrease polypharmacy; d. Increase access to specialist geriatric


care, particularly for frail older people; and e. Situate services close to where older


people live (i.e., providing care at home for those who need help). 3) Ensure a sustainable and appropriate- ly trained, deployed and managed health workforce.


a. All service providers require geronto-


logical and geriatric skills (including spe- cialists), as well as competencies related to integrated care, so these elements should be included in curricula of all health pro- fessionals, and continuing education op- portunities for those who are already prac- ticing. b. Supply of geriatricians should meet population needs across the province and not just in some regions, and there should also be specialized units to manage com- plex cases.


c. New workforce positions may need


to be created (care coordinators, self-man- agement counsellors). 4) While most people want to stay in


their homes for as long as possible, in line with provincial directives, more supports are needed to ensure that care is appropri- ate and addresses functioning, and does not lead to overburdening of unpaid care- givers.


a. Increases are needed in respite care. b. Homecare services are too task-ori-


ented and so contribute to the fragmented care that was mentioned above. 5) Those in remote communities have


even greater challenges associated with travel costs, wait lists to see specialists, and continuity of care due to an ever-changing landscape of healthcare providers. a. Special attention is needed to ensure


that services and good quality care are ac- cessible to all regardless of where they live. The University of Manitoba Centre on Ag- ing is located on the UM campus at 338 Is- bister Building–183 Dafoe Road, Winnipeg. Call 204-74-8754, email coaman@umani- toba.ca or go online to umanitoba.ca/aging.


specific plans for protecting people from financial abuse. A May 2018 working group of the Fed-


Manitobans


Filing income tax is the first step in order to access government benefits.


In addition to these current benefits, governments have been reviewing addi- tional initiatives that would help seniors through better information and education of programs and to make very real changes to supplement income and support. In March 2018, 29 recommendations


were made to the House of Commons Standing sources,


Committee on Human Re- Skills and Social development


including recommendations to improve telephone and in-person services, review indexing of the Guaranteed Income Sup- plement and Old Age Security including an information campaign about GIS and RRSP withdrawals, increase the amount that GIS recipients can earn before the benefit is reduced, inform families about how to claim the CPP Death Benefit, in- dex the CPP Death Benefit, and develop


eral/Provincial/Territorial Forum of Min- isters Responsible for Seniors reported that “There is a need to increase the la- bour force participation of older individu- als”. It went on to say that skill shortages are expected to increase in certain occupa- tions and regions. Many older adults who struggle when trying to stay in the labour market or re-enter the workforce face par- ticular challenges including ageism, a lack of education and access to training, dif- ficulty in finding and applying for jobs, health and work-life balance issues and lack of incentives. Eight broad categories to promote la- bour force participants of older individuals have been identified: awareness initiatives, financial


incentives, health employment legislation, the and safety, retirement


income system, skill development, work- place accommodation and employment services.


It is critical that people be made aware


of the existing government programs that are in place and that they take advantage of the programs for which they qualify. Retired Teachers’ Association of Manitoba


(RTAM) is located at 206 – 1555 St. James St., Winnipeg. Call 1-204-889-3660, email info@rtam.mb.ca or go online to www.rtam. mb.ca.


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