Resources for Seniors

By Giselle General

There can be challenges that seniors can face with maintaining their home and doing day-to-day tasks. Depending on family, financial, and medical circumstances that are currently happening, sometimes it can be challenging to perform certain tasks at home, or the idea of having a new fun activity is worth exploring. This is a range of resources that can serve as a starting point when faced with this situation.

1. Call 211: Calling 211 and directly speaking to a person over the phone can help determine what resources are available based on location and need.

2. Transportation: Sometimes, going to different places can be a challenge. Below are some resources that can help.

a. Edmonton Transit Service: Seniors 65 years of age and older qualify for a reduced rate for day fares and bus passes. There are additional supports for seniors such as the DATS Program which is the ETS’s door-to-door transportation service for those who cannot take regular transit. And when taking regular transit, a senior can ask a driver to stop at a place along the route other than a bus stop. b. Drive Happiness Volunteer Program

- Seniors Assisted Transportation is a registered, not for profit organization providing door-thru-door, assisted transportation services to seniors with reduced mobility and who experience barriers in using public transportation. www.drivehappiness. ca is the website and the phone number is 780-424-5438

3. Directory of Services: There are several directories, both available in print form or digital that provides a comprehensive list of activities, events, and programs. Many are categorized by location and by activity: a. The Recreation and Wellness Directory for Older Adults can be accessed online at https://www. seniorscouncil.net/recreation-directory b. The Directory of Seniors Services 2017/2018 can be accessed online at https://www.mysage.ca/publications/ directory sexist rhetoric about women, such as negative stereotypes, is true. And we hold onto this rhetoric letting it guide how we feel about ourselves and other women. Mothers can implement these ideologies through the chores, the praise, and the type of criticism they give to their daughters.’’

4. Seniors Centres: There are several seniors centres throughout the city.

In the Philippines, one of the observations in the Toxic Filipino Traits: Internalized Misogyny Is Destroying Femininity (villagepipol. com) mentioned that “Women put down other women to please men or society in general. They get irritated when other girls show their soft side. In real life and on social media, girls are shamed for being ‘girly’ when in fact, it is just their personality. Imagine being shamed for being who you are.”

Misogyny

March is a month honouring Women across the globe. This yearly women's celebration also highlights our ongoing struggle for equality, liberalization, and independence that began with a protest by women garment workers in New York on March 8, 1857, and continues with the new generations of Millennials or Gen-Z.

By definition, Misogyny is hatred of, contempt for, or prejudice against women. It is a form of sexism that is used to keep women at a lower social status than men, thus maintaining the social roles of patriarchy. Misogyny has been widely practiced for thousands of years. It is reflected in art, literature, human societal structure, historical events, mythology, philosophy, and religion worldwide. (Wikipedia)

Furthermore, In Internalized Misogyny: Lessons From MomWomen's Republic it says that “a study published in 2011 found that mothers had the most significant role in transferring sexist ideas to their daughters. A sad truth is that internalized misogyny is first learned at home. Internalized misogyny occurs when we believe that

Below is a quick list: a. Central: Central Lions Seniors Centre, Edmonton Seniors Centre, Jewish Seniors Citizen’s Centre, Operation Friendship Seniors Society, Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton b. North Side: Ital Canadian Seniors Centre, Northgate Lions Seniors Recreation Centre, Northwest Edmonton Seniors Society, Edmonton Aboriginal Seniors Centre c. South Side: Mill Woods Senior and Multicultural Centre, Southeast Edmonton Seniors Association, Southwest Seniors Outreach Society, Southwest Edmonton Seniors Association, Strathcona Place Society, Senior Citizens Opportunity Neighbourhood Association d. West Side: Westend Seniors Activity Centre

5. Help At Home: The Edmonton Seniors Home Supports Program is a referral service that gives seniors referrals to vetted service providers who offer snow removal, yard help, housekeeping and minor home repair services. The website to find contributes to the normalization of violence against women in mainstream culture. Consequences experienced by victims/survivors include but are not limited to:

■ Suicide

■ Emotional and psychological distress

■ Violation of privacy

■ Public humiliation and exposure

■ Damage to reputation

■ Job loss

■ Financial losses

■ Damage to personal relationships

■ Violation of personal dignity and autonomy

■ Fear for physical and/or psychological safety

■ Identity theft/fraud more information is http://www. seniorshomesupports.com/ and the brochure is https://www.edmonton. ca/programs_services/documents/ SeniorsHomeSupportsProgram.pdf. One agency from the seniors centre listed above coordinates the service and they are listed below: a. West -Westend Seniors Activity Centre - 780-483-1209

• Prohibition on Discrimination Against Women

• Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004.

• Assistance for small-scale women entrepreneurs

• Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995.

• The Anti-Rape Law of 1997

• Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998.

• Magna Carta of Women b. North West- North West Edmonton Seniors Society-780-482-1958 c. North East - North Edmonton Seniors Association - 780-944-7470 d. South East - South East Edmonton Seniors Association - 780-468-1985 e. Mill Woods - Mill Woods Seniors Association - 780-496-2997 f. South West - SouthWest Edmonton Seniors Association - 780-860-2931

• Pursuant to this law is Executive Order 273 that states the approval and adoption of Philippine Plan for Gender-Responsive Development, 1995-2025.

Women (1967)

• Declaration on the Protection of Women and Children in Emergency and Armed Conflict (1974)

• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)

• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (1993)

• Inter-American Convention for the Prevention, Punishment and Elimination of Violence against Women (Belém do Pará Convention) (1995)

• Universal Declaration on Democracy (1997)

Misogyny can manifest in various ways, such as social exclusion, sex discrimination, hostility, patriarchy, male privilege, belittling of women, violence against women and sexual objectification. This is a serious problem in Canada that has contributed to some of the worst mass killings in Canadian history. Some examples are:

• The Polytechnique massacre in 1989 where a gunman killed 14 women and injured 10 others at an engineering school because he blamed feminists for ruining his life.

• The Toronto van attack in 2018 where a man drove a rented van into pedestrians killing 10 people and injuring 16 others because he identified as an incel (involuntary celibate) who hated women for rejecting him sexually.

• The Nova Scotia shooting rampage in 2020 where a gunman killed 22 people and injured three others after assaulting his girlfriend.

Some instances of misogyny can be addressed using existing criminal and civil Canadian laws.

There is also Cyber Misogyny in Canada, which has real, tangible, and often devastating consequences for the safety and security of women and girls. Cyber misogyny also violates women’s and girls’ rights to equality and freedom from discrimination, and

Canadian Legal Responses to Cyber Misogyny (Cyber Misogyny

- Learning Network - Western University(vawlearningnetwork.ca))

In Celebration of International Women's Month, here is a list of laws covering Filipino women’s rights in the Philippines and a List of International laws protecting Women's Rights:

Philippine Laws:

• 105-Day Expanded Maternity Leave Law.

• RA 6949 declares the eighth day of March every year as a special working holiday. National Women's day

International Laws:

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)

• Convention on the Political Rights of Women (1952)

• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)

• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)

• Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against

• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1999) (Women in politics.com)

The hatred held over the mere presence of a woman is heartbreaking. Misogyny is a malfeasance of female identity and the real estate of a woman to be a human. Being equal as humans, and being responsible citizens, we are all entitled to hold judgements, convictions and conjectures. Unveil yourself and enjoy sexuality and womanhood.

Happy Women's Month!