Health and Community Services
March 7, 2014
New Home Support Option Offers Choice for Seniors and Families
Paid Family Caregiving Will See Increased Flexibility and Choice
Beginning March 24, new, eligible home support clients will have the option of paying family members for some personal care and behavioural support services. The Provincial Government’s new Paid Family Caregiving Home Support Option will provide seniors and adults with disabilities, who meet existing criteria, increased choice when it comes to home support.
“Our government committed in its Blue Book to develop a new model of home care that realigns patient care funding so that it is based on the patient’s assessed needs and to provide clients with the option of receiving that care from family members. Through an investment of $8.2 million, we will initially allow up to 250 subsidies for seniors and adults with disabilities who are new to the home support system, to have the option of paying family members for home support. This option will provide clients with enhanced choice while maintaining existing informal caregiving relationships."
- The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Health and Community Services
The new home support option expands the definition of family members who can provide care to include parents, children, grandparents, grandchildren, siblings and relatives residing in the same home. This excludes spouses and common-law partners as there is still the expectation that the natural caregiving roles provided by these individuals will continue. This option also provides clients with a more flexible payment model that will provide subsidy funds directly to the client to best meet their support requirement to remain in the community. This funding will be provided to individuals in a manner in which flexibility, choice and self-determination are respected while ensuring a reasonable level of accountability in meeting support/care needs.
“Under this new option, families continue to be an integral part of the circle of care and will be expected to continue to provide some care without payment. However, our government is now offering increased choice to seniors and adults with disabilities entering the home support system.”
- Minister Sullivan
New home support applicants, interested in applying for this option, may begin to identify themselves to their regional health authority on Thursday, March 13, and assessment will begin on March 24. Eligibility requirements for this home support option can be found at www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/long_term_care/family_caregiving.html.
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to supporting important social programs, strong communities and the health and well-being of children, families and seniors.
QUICK FACTS
- The new Paid Family Caregiving Home Support Option will begin March 24.
- The phased in approach will initially allow up to 250 subsidies for seniors and adults with disabilities who are new to the home support system, to have the option of paying family members for home support.
- Government is investing $8.2 million to provide eligible seniors and adults with disabilities enhanced choice when it comes to home support and a more flexible payment model.
- Paid Family Caregiving is another home support option for people who meet the existing home support criteria and builds on the informal support and care already provided by family members. That informal caregiving network will be maintained and family members will be required to continue to provide informal unpaid assistance and to provide respite for one another.
- New home support applicants interested in applying for this new option may begin to identify themselves to their regional health authority on Thursday, March 13.
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Media contact:Jennifer Tulk
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 728-4104
JenniferTulk@gov.nl.ca
2014 03 07 3:05 p.m.