“We also deal with the issue of elder abuse,” says Eng, citing this as part of the group’s third major plank — rights — which includes issues of mandatory retirement and ageism.
“Experts tell us about 10 per cent of the older population confronts some level of elder abuse,” says Eng. “One per cent is too many.”
Local issues pursued by CARP have included raising concerns about Alberta’s intention to revise the seniors’ drug plan. The provincial government announced in March it was postponing the changes — which were scheduled to go into effect on July 1 — pending further review of their potential impact on seniors.
“This minister has listened to our concerns,” Robotham wrote in the May newsletter of the Calgary chapter of CARP.
But Robotham says the group is not only non-profit, but also non-political and non-partisan.
“We have no ties to restrict what we say,” he says, adding “we’re not banner-carrying, flag-waving people who are sitting on the steps of the legislature screaming at the government. We feel there’s a better way to handle things like that and get more respect from everybody.”
CARP’s members number about 350,000 nationally, with about 1,200 Calgary chapter members.
They come from all walks of life. Calgary chapter vice-chair Roy Goodall spent 39 years in the Canadian military before retiring in 2000.
“The issues facing seniors are the same as just about everyone else,” he says — adding that on some issues, older Canadians might “be on one side of the coin” from their younger colleagues.
For example, CARP is looking into whether older Albertans, whose children have long since left school, need to pay education taxes, he says.
Besides advocacy, CARP members have access to a number of discounts and affinity programs on items ranging from insurance to hearing-aid batteries, says Robotham.
Eng says the decision to widen the group’s membership to younger people ties in with CARP’s own long-standing battle against ageism.
“We thought, ‘If we want to fight age discrimination, maybe we should stop doing it, ourselves,'” she says. “Everybody interested in the issue of quality of life is welcome as a member.”
Eng says members are in a perfect position to be advocates for themselves.
“These are people who came through the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s — all the political activism, the counter-culture,” she says.
“They’re the ones who say: ‘I’m not going to take political pandering. I want answers; I want self-determination.’
“They aren’t looking for handouts, but a hand up.”
Although he stresses the nonpolitical nature of CARP, Robotham says older Canadians have a plenty of clout.
“The zoomers are the nest egg of a lot of spending power in the country,” he says. “They do a lot of travelling, are a very proud people and they’re not looking for handouts.”
He says he’d love to see the local chapter expand with more members, especially those who want to volunteer their time.
“There’s hope we can attract people for the things available through CARP and we can draw on their expertise,” says Robotham.
