Thank you.
Another major problem that average human beings deal with as we age is memory loss, but that's not mental illness. If there's some sort of dementia and loss of cognitive skill, that would be mental illness, but there are normal physiological problems with aging that need to be addressed.
There was in the news just recently a man who lost all of his wealth through a form of elder abuse by his children, and his cushion to be able to retire with dignity was taken. We've heard over the years about the growing problem of elder abuse.
I believe seniors are stigmatized. They are seen at the end, yet they are a huge resource of experience and talent that can be tapped into and used to benefit Canada, even in the form of volunteerism, if they do have resources. About 80% of seniors do, while about 20% rent and have very limited supplementary resources.
I'll ask you to talk about how we can engage our senior population, who are maybe experiencing poverty, so that we can make full use of those talents. Even if there are some cognitive difficulties, we need to show them dignity and keep them active. Poverty is not only dollars, or lack of, but poverty is being left in isolation or experiencing elder abuse. How do we properly take care of our senior population? If we do it properly, it may not cost anything. It may be a huge benefit to our country and our communities.
Do you have any comments?