Debbie Westfall, a Toronto senior, struggled for months without her Old Age Security (OAS) benefit due to an error by Service Canada. Upon applying for OAS before turning 65, she faced numerous delays and difficulties in communication. After intervention from CBC Toronto, her benefit was finally deposited. Both Westfall and her case manager emphasized the severe consequences such delays can have on seniors' lives, noting the frustrating and complex navigation of the Service Canada system. The case brings attention to broader issues within federal support for seniors.
Getting a hold of someone at Service Canada to solve the problem wasn't easy, she says. 'We phoned and phoned, and I was crying every day,' she said.
Max Kelly, an intensive case manager at Parkdale Activity Recreation Centre said, 'It seems to highlight a basic problem-solving issue within the federal government.'
'I was so overwhelmed, I could never have done this on my own. I am so relieved to have money for rent and food,' her case manager told CBC News.
Service Canada says there are a number of measures in place to ensure that seniors have support through the process, but the system can often be difficult to navigate.
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