Susan Walsh, a public servant with over 35 years of experience including the past four as Newfoundland and Labrador’s seniors’ advocate, approaches retirement with mixed feelings. She looks forward to more time with family and her aging parents, yet regrets leaving her role as a vital voice for seniors often overlooked in the province.
Stepping into a Vulnerable Position
Walsh assumed the role in 2022 following a year-long vacancy. Amid rumors that the provincial government might eliminate the position entirely, she applied to safeguard it. “I knew what needed to be done, so I threw my hat in the ring,” she states.
To solidify the office’s future, Walsh embarked on an extensive road trip, visiting more than 70 communities and engaging with thousands of seniors. She documented their key concerns and priorities firsthand.
Raising Awareness and Building Connections
During these visits, Walsh discovered widespread unawareness of the seniors’ advocate office. “I couldn’t believe that so many folks throughout Newfoundland and Labrador had no idea there was an office of the seniors’ advocate and what they did,” she notes. “And you know what? I really understand it because we were four people in a small office in St. John’s. So how would they know?”
Reflecting on her tenure, Walsh views it as successful, with the office now on stable footing. “I think for the most part, we’re not there. We’re not finished,” she acknowledges. “But I’ve succeeded in what I set out to do, and it’s made a difference.”
Persistent Challenges for Seniors
Aging in place emerges as the top concern, particularly for rural seniors lacking community support. “The critical element that’s really missing is we’re not supporting people in their communities,” Walsh emphasizes. “Seniors want to stay in their communities, age well in the right place, and we’re not supporting those areas.”
She urges her successor to prioritize this issue. Walsh also takes pride in career highlights, such as leading a statutory review of workers’ compensation legislation that introduced presumptive cancer coverage for volunteer firefighters. “I’m so happy to have all those memories, but for me the honour of my career has been to be the seniors’ advocate. It’s meant the world to me.”
