NLIS 11
March 21, 2005
(Health and Community Services)
(Finance)
 

Government enhances care for seniors with $14.5 million investment

The Williams government is taking steps to deliver real, positive change that will enhance care for seniors, individuals requiring supportive services and their care providers, Health and Community Services Minister John Ottenheimer and Finance Minister and President of Treasury Board Loyola Sullivan announced today.

"As our population ages, the needs of our elderly and vulnerable persons requiring supportive services continue to grow and present new challenges for society," said Minister Ottenheimer. "We all want the highest quality of life for our parents, family and friends who live in long-term care homes or require continuing care and our government is responding to meet the needs of vulnerable persons now and for the future."

Budget 2005 outlines a $14.5 million investment to upgrade long-term care facilities, as well as personal and community care homes across the province, and to recognize the valuable contribution of home support workers in providing supportive services to individuals in need in their communities. In addition, indexation of the Seniors� Benefit will cost $100,000 this year.

Upgrading Homes
Government is committed to providing homes where seniors can live in dignity and with the highest possible quality of life. Recognizing that investments must be made now to ensure appropriate capacity in the future, government will proceed with the following infrastructure projects:

• $2.7 million toward a new Corner Brook long-term care home to proceed with detailed design and initial site work;
• $1.4 million toward a new long-term care home in Clarenville to begin detailed design and site work; and
• $200,000 to begin planning and develop conceptual drawings for a new long-term care home in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

"Building on our Blueprint commitment to upgrade long-term care facilities across the province, we�re beginning our investment in areas where there is a need for community capacity," said Minister Ottenheimer. "Knowing the appropriate care will be available when people need it protects our elderly and offers great comfort to families."

Government will also invest $1.2 million in life-safety projects and building enhancements in existing long term care facilities. Some of the projects include roof repairs at St. John�s nursing homes; window repairs at Bonavista and Botwood nursing homes; fire alarm systems upgrades in Buchans and Baie Verte.

As announced recently, government will also address the safety and security of seniors and persons with disabilities living in personal and community care homes. Government will invest $4 million to assist operators with the installation of sprinkler systems in their homes.

One-time capital grants will be offered to eligible home owners for 75 per cent of sprinkler installation costs up to a maximum of $75,000 per home. Home owners will qualify for the program if they are in receipt of the fire commissioner�s 2003 order and either do not currently have a sprinkler system or have installed one as a direct result of the order.

Valuing Care Providers
As families age, parents may no longer be able to care for older children in need of on-going supports and continuing care. They turn to community support services that help persons with disabilities, as well as seniors, live in their communities as independently as possible. Currently, more than 3,500 individuals are in receipt of home support services throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.

Government recognizes that home support services are an important part of the continuum of care and needs to retain a stable supply of home support workers who provide care in the community. Effective April 1, 2005, government is making a $5 million investment to increase the home support rate so that employers of home support workers, including both agencies and self-managed home support clients, can provide a 50 cent-an-hour wage increase to their workers in recognition of the valuable contribution they make. This represents a 6.9 per cent wage increase and achieves wage parity with VON workers in Corner Brook.

Newfoundland and Labrador is home to approximately 66,300 seniors, which is close to 13 per cent of the population. Statistics Canada predicts that by 2021, the province will have more than one in four persons 65 years or older, the highest proportion in the country.

Earlier this year, government announced the establishment of a Division of Aging and Seniors, Provincial Advisory Council and Ministerial Council of Aging and Seniors � new initiatives focused on seeking the input of seniors in planning for the future. Through these initiatives, government will address future needs of long-term care and supportive services.

Seniors� Benefit
In keeping with the Seniors� Benefit indexation announced last year, in Budget 2005 the benefit is indexed to the provincial Consumer Price Index for 2004 which is 1.4. As a result of indexation, the maximum tax credit will become $365 per senior, or $730 per senior couple. In addition, the income phase-out ranges will also increase. The phase-out will begin at $14,608, up from $14,406, and will be completely phased-out at $20,864, up from $20,576.

"The indexation announced today brings the total expenditures for the Seniors� Benefit to $7.8 million," said Minister Sullivan. "Government believes in supporting seniors� efforts to live full, active and independent lives, and the measures contained in Budget 2005 are helping to do just that."

Media contact:
Carolyn Chaplin, Health and Community Services, (709) 729-1377, 682-5093
Diane Keough, Finance, (709) 729-1377, 685-4401

2005 03 21                        2:45 p.m.