麻豆传媒AV

Just recently I received a whole $1.10 increase in my Old Age Security, and I'm not too sure just what amounts out of that I can put to rent or food or medicine. Maybe I will just splurge and spend it all foolishly on bingo like we seniors are supposed to do.

It can give a person a headache just deciding what to do with all the huge amounts of extra money that keeps coming our way. Good job we have all those young and well paid politicians looking after us who are concerned that we have better cellphone coverage and charges and that we have more and better channel choices on that old TV of ours. It would be devastating when at the end of the month with all those bills to pay and not a lot of food in the home if we didn't have the TV and smartphones to help us get through the winter blues.

The recent meetings between the federal and provincial finance ministers made it clear that if they raised the Canadian Pension Plan and the OAS this country of ours would be heading down that slippery slope to a major recession. I don't want to sound ungrateful, because I do recognize the fact we are probably better off than a lot of people in other countries, but the truth is that a large number of seniors are not living in the lap of luxury.

Despite the government telling us how well off we all are we can often see and hear on a daily basis that a large number of seniors/pensioners are having an increasingly more difficult time coping with their day-to-day living. We are showing up more and more often at food banks and soup kitchens. None of that is helped by the acute shortage of affordable housing and the ever worsening health care situation all across the country.

As seniors we have consistently said time and time again that as more people join the ranks of the senior population, it will only get worse. Maybe instead of giving bus loads of dollars to so many other countries who are killing each other in the thousands, those young politicians could turn their eyes to this country and solve the problems we face here.

2014 was just started when the weather decided to take a hand in making life miserable for a large number of people in Canada. There were deepfreeze conditions, snow and ice, and then to add a little topping, no power for the good people in the Maritimes. You have to wonder at times if the prime minister didn't have a hand in the dismal weather just to take the heat away from the senate scandal. That of course is a whole scenario that boggles the minds of everyone, not just seniors. It always appears that whenever the power is turned off that whole area of the country goes down. No phones, no banking, no anything and housebound old people who suffer along with everyone else probably feel it the worst.

We have become so dependent on energy in its many forms. It is of little use decrying places like the tar sands as one old singer wants to do as he drives his electric car to Fort McMurray. We all know the problem that surrounds us and despite the fact that no one wants a nuclear reactor or a tar sands in their back yard, the truth is we cannot seem to get along without that energy. It provides 100 per cent of what our lives are built around now. We can see what happens to us all when we become deprived of energy for even short periods of time and for whatever reasons.

I know many people across Canada do not have door-to-door mail delivery, but for those who still do it must have seemed a little strange to hear that it was going to be discontinued. Especially so when the reason for that is that it will make us all, and seniors in particular, healthier when we have to walk to the post box. The Canada Post spokesman, whoever he is, even suggested seniors had told him that it was the way to help us remain in our own homes that much longer.

I know not too many people will worry themselves about this piece of news but for the old people living alone who are dependent on walkers, sticks, crutches and wheelchairs to get around it will come as a blow. Just how will having them out on icy sidewalks and out in all sorts of inclement weather keep them healthy? There is a saying that "ignorance is bliss" but that man is just not mentally equipped to have the position he holds.

SSAI's five- pin bowling tournament is coming up in March, so now is the time to register your team to take part in this fun event. Everyone always has a good time and who knows, you may win a prize or two. Whatever, you will be staying active and keeping healthy, which is the main thing.

Stay in touch, I miss seeing and being with all my old friends.