Those closely watching the federal election this spring on CBC will have seen a brief segment featuring Vernon, B.C.’s Carole Fawcett of the Seniors Tin Cup movement, advocating for more help for low-income seniors.

While pleased by the publicity, Fawcett says the CBC “didn’t use a lot of the things they asked me about – I guess I got a little strident, as I am wont to do!”

The movement’s aim is help improve federal benefits for seniors “to meet at least the current accepted line of poverty,” about $25,252, the organization’s website notes. “Twenty-eight per cent of senior women are living in poverty,” the site adds.

With all that’s going on in the world, from trade wars to actual wars, it has been a quiet time on the seniors’ advocacy front, Fawcett says. “Other things are on people’s minds – but now, we are about to get back up and running.”

The group’s next event will be “a rally up and down the main street of Vernon. We’ll be bringing lawn chairs and will sit at all intersections,” distributing literature, taking questions and “getting the word out,” she says.

While the recently rolled out national dental care program is good news for many low-income seniors, there hasn’t been much action on senior income and care from the government lately. In fact, says Fawcett, a federal program called NEXUS in B.C., which helped older people “age at home” and offered seniors help with housekeeping, doctor visits, mowing the lawn and so on, recently announced it was winding down due to program cuts.

“These are low income seniors, not always in the best of health – these are not people who are going to be able to do these things themselves,” she says.

It’s not easy being a low-income senior in these days of eye-popping rents and grocery bills, she says.

“I live on $23,000 a year. But I’m lucky, I have a townhouse and a good vehicle, both are paid off and mine. But many seniors have nowhere to live, and finding an affordable place when rents are so exorbitant – in the thousands – is very difficult,” she explains.

“I really don’t know when this government is going to pay attention to seniors – of late, with every budget brought forward, there is no mention of seniors. Meanwhile, everything is going up in price.” As an example, she says a can of Maxwell House coffee now goes for $25 in her local grocery store. “I’m going to have to switch to tea,” she says with a laugh.

The efforts of the Seniors Tin Cup movement are starting to gain traction. Their website “looks great, and is getting more traffic,” she says.

Seniors themselves can help government see that the modest benefits offered by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) are not keeping up with the rising cost of living.

“They can write letters. I’ll help them draft the letters, even,” she says, adding that a letter to government template will soon be added to the website.

Fawcett says one policy change — increasing the GIS — would be the best way to help low-income seniors. “That’s the change we absolutely hope for,” she explains. Often, she points out, increasing CPP or OAS can actually reduce GIS amounts — that’s why the group favours increasing GIS over changes to the other benefits.

“We are looking for the government to take action,” she says. Provinces can also help by lowering costs for seniors – an example is shingles vaccines, which you have to pay for in B.C., she adds.

“All we’re looking for is to raise people’s incomes up to around $25,000, so they can function. They will be able to live a basic, simple life at that level of income,” she says.

We thank Carole Fawcett for taking the time to speak with us.

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