NEW DESIGNATION AIMS TO BETTER PREPARE CANADIANS WORKING WITH SENIORS

NEW DESIGNATION AIMS TO BETTER PREPARE CANADIANS WORKING WITH SENIORS HAMILTON, ON, 24th July 2003: A new Canadian designation program will assist business professionals in providing service and products to an aging Canadian population. By 2012, about one third of Canadians will be over the age of 55. The new designation -- Elder Planning Counselor (EPC) -- will target specific needs and help professionals better understand the issues that are relevant to the 55 plus age group.

The Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies" (CIEPS) course has been created to establish a unique standard of service for all professionals and business people who provide seniors with high quality services and products that best suit their lives and circumstances. The EPC" will help seniors identify the business people and professionals who have a special interest and proficiency in dealing with them and their needs.

Studies show that seniors want advisors who understand their life issues, alternatives and concerns, who respect their circumstances and experiences and can accommodate their physical and health needs. The EPC is the first Canadian professional development standard for elder education," says Thomas Miller, President of CIEPS.
The EPC" program covers all relevant seniors issues including aging, health issues, financial planning considerations, spirituality, long term care as well as end of life issues. This makes the EPC" a new and valued counselor to seniors, regardless of the service or product they provide.

CIEPS is an educational program designed by Pro-Seminars International Inc., a Canadian leader in continuing education programs for financial advisors. Pro-Seminars was founded in 1998 by Mr. Thomas Miller, built on the belief that quality, convenient continuing education was vitally important to advisor success.
CIEPS continues that tradition. Pro-Seminars has successfully presented hundreds of seminars to thousands of advisors across Canada. Through this grassroots contact, Mr. Miller discovered that advice on dealing with seniors was becoming more important and was hard to come by. His research and investment over the last two years has resulted in the CIEPS course and the EPC designation.

The "Advisory Council" of the CIEPS is impressive: Steve Pitzner, BBA, JD, the American Executive Director, Micheline Varas B.A., RHU, RFC, Larry Terrace FLMI, CFP, Ch.FC., CLU, Michael Beninger, LL.B. LL.M., Doug Carroll, BA. J.D., LLB., Mike Englert, B. Ed., Peter Wouters, FLMI, RHU, CFP, CLU, Ch.FC, ACS, AIAA, ALHC, ARP, TEP, Karen Henderson, Hon. BA. and Jim Ruta, BA, RHU who is also a Founding Member of the CIEPS Advisory Council. Council members will be added as the program develops.

The EPC" designation is granted after an in-depth four-day program of live classroom instruction, combined with before and after class study and concluding with a proctored examination. In time, the course will also be available on the Internet. It is aimed at financial advisors, real estate agents, lawyers, bankers, mortgage brokers, funeral directors, accountants, medical professionals and others. An EPC" will be able to make a better connection with our large and fast growing senior market; the winner will be the seniors who will get the type and quality of service they need and want.

Initial response to the EPC" has been tremendous and almost all seats are reserved for the first two live classes in Toronto and Vancouver. For Charter Membership" in the CIEPS, visit the Web Site at www.cieps.com.