Anglophone seniors feel isolated and fearful: study

CTV Montreal: Seniors fearful: study A new study shows that many Anglophone Quebecer seniors feel isolated and insecure about their care – and their children feel alone, too.

A new survey of elderly Anglophones in Quebec shows that many feel isolated and insecure about their care.

The study also shows some of their children are also feeling alone as caregivers.

The study suggests that English connections are increasingly hard to find, especially when comes to health and social services.

“It's a general thing that you try to find services, you press 9, nothing happens,” said Linda Palesch, who is a caregiver to her mother-on-law.

Seniors Action Quebec found many of the most vulnerable seniors in the province are low-income women who don't speak French and are being cared for by fewer family members living in Quebec.

Sharon Zigman looks after her elderly parents and is the only one who remains in Montreal out of 22 cousins.

“Because of the political situation, the economy, everybody left,” she said.

The result is greater anxiety for aging Anglos, exacerbated by a health system that's shrinking and changing.

“We were told that there would be no frontline services impacted with Bill 10. Well that's a fallacy,” said Ruth Pelletier of Seniors Action Quebec.

“It's causing chaos and it's causing a lot of fear,” added researcher Dr. Joanne Pocock.

There are over 1 million English speakers in the province, about 25 per cent of which are 55 or over, yet Pocock said the Quebec government does not appear to have any real information about this population.

“So all of these things are really, really frightening,” said senior Fanny Nemtean.