Quebec’s action in favour of the elderly deemed insufficient: poll

Five years after the start of the pandemic that decimated and wounded a generation of seniors, barely a quarter of Quebecers consider government action for seniors satisfactory.

This is the finding of a Segma poll conducted on behalf of the Coalition for the Dignity of Seniors and obtained by The Canadian Press.

The data was collected in late December and early January, but was only recently made public on the anniversary of the first lockdown, five years ago, in 2020.

No fewer than 68.2 per cent of respondents believe government action for seniors is unsatisfactory. Of these respondents, a quarter, or 24.1 per cent, even consider it very unsatisfactory.

Less than two weeks before the tabling of a budget that could prove a difficult decision, the CAQ government has received an unfavourable report card and a clear message in favor of reinvestment.

Moreover, respondents overwhelmingly supported three proposed measures to improve living conditions for seniors.

89.9 per cent favour tax measures and financial assistance to guarantee a viable income for seniors.

Similarly, 88 per cent favour limiting rent increases to ensure housing remains affordable for seniors.

Finally, 90.3 per cent favour financial support for seniors to enable them to remain in seniors’ residences that offer healthcare.

Finally, respondents were critical of Santé Québec, the new agency that coordinates activities in the healthcare system.

Less than a third (32.8 per cent) of respondents believe it will improve care for seniors.

The survey was conducted via a web panel with 841 respondents, from Dec. 16 to Jan. 2. It was weighted to be representative of the Quebec population in terms of gender, age, region, and education.

A margin of error cannot be calculated since this is a sample drawn from a web panel, but for comparison, a probability sample of the same size would have a maximum margin of error of 3.4 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Last year, the Coalition, which brings together several organizations representing seniors, organized a summit on home care.

At the end of the summit, it called for CLSCs open 24/7 as the main point of contact for seniors requiring home care.

Home support services range from domestic help to babysitting, emergency assistance, nutrition, family tasks, personal care, and more.

Currently, only a minority of seniors have full access to all the home services they require and the Health and Welfare Commissioner concluded that the current system’s performance is “worrying”: it only meets 10.7 per cent of the need for support hours.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews