(from Hogwarts)

Appointment
The new chair of the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta is the rookie MLA for Lacombe-Ponoka, Raymond Prins. Mr. Prins can be contacted by e-mail at lacombe.ponoka@assembly.ab.ca or by telephone at (780) 422-3353 or by mail at #503 Legislative Building, 10800 - 97 Avenue N.W., Edmonton. Alberta T5K 2B6.

Home Exchange?
Alex Kozeluk (mlex@oanet.com) asks about the possibility of setting up a Home Exchange Program for retired teachers. Citing examples of other such programs, Alex wonders whether there are younger retired teachers who are computer whizzes who might have the resources and the savvy to undertake such a project. It is an idea that he thinks might be worth investigating since people he knows who have undertaken home exchanges have been well pleased with the outcome.

Ombudsman for Older People
Wales could become the first country in the world to appoint an independent Commissioner for Older People by 2007, with the announcement of the commencement of the process for securing the necessary legislation . . According to June Hutt, Minister for Health and Social Services, the appointment would help tackle discrimination on grounds of age and challenge unfair and outdated attitudes and practices which affect older people. (Source: The Weekly News, North Wales, December 9, 2004).

HASI Program
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is offering Home Adaptations for Seniors' Independence Program (HASI) for seniors over 65 years. This program helps >>>

ARTA © 2005

landowners and landlords pay for minor adaptations to the property to extend the time that low-income seniors can live in their own homes independently. Homeowners and landlords may qualify for assistance as long as the occupant of the dwelling where the adaptations will be made meet the following conditions:

- 65 years of age or over.
- Difficulty with daily living activities due to diminishing abilities brought on by aging.
- Total household income is below the income limit for their area.
- The dwelling unit to be adapted is a permanent residence.

If you know someone who might benefit from this program, please have them call Sharmin Ladha at (403) 515-3015.

Pension increases - January 2005
Did you check to see what your pension increase was between 2004 and 2005? My CPP increased by 2.3 percent, equal to the increase in the Canadian Consumer Price Index. On the other hand, my ATRF pension increased by 0.78 percent or between 60 and 70 percent of Alberta's Consumer Price Index, which for 2004 increased by 1.3 percent. So for 2005 the purchasing power of my ATRF pension is 0.52 percent less than that of my 2004 pension.

 

A Dell customer called to say he couldn't get his computer to fax anything. After 40 minutes of troubleshooting, the technician discovered the man was trying to fax a piece of paper by holding it in front of the monitor screen and by hitting the "Send" key.

 

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