• Low Income Seniors Benefit : Budget 2015 increases the Low Income Seniors Benefit by $1.7 million, for a total of $42.1 million. As a result, about 45,000 households will receive this benefit in October 2015 to a maximum of $1,059.
• Close to Home: Close to Home: A Strategy for Long-Term Care and Community Support Services was released in June 2012. This 10-year strategy is helping to guide and transform the delivery of long-term care and community supports in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• Long-Term Care and Community Support Services: More than 20,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians avail of long-term care and community support services each year. Budget 2015 allocates close to $700 million for these services, including about $180 million for the Provincial Home Support Program, which last year assisted about 9,000 individuals - 5,000 of whom were seniors.
• The Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program (65Plus Plan): The Newfoundland and Labrador Prescription Drug Program provides financial assistance for the purchase of eligible prescription medication under five different plans - one being the 65Plus Plan. This plan provides coverage of eligible prescription drugs to residents 65 and older who receive Old Age Security Benefits (OAS) and the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS). Individuals under this program pay a maximum dispensing fee of $6 per prescription for covered drugs. In 2014-15, the 65Plus Plan served more than 41,500 people through an investment of over $45 million.
• Care in Personal Care Homes Project: The enhanced Care in Personal Care Homes Project is a $1.5 million, 18-month project to help address growing demands for safe, quality living arrangements/accommodations for older adults by allowing three personal care homes to admit clients requiring a higher level of care.
• Community Rapid Response Teams: The Provincial Government is investing $3.1 million for a two-year pilot for four Community Rapid Response Teams. These teams, composed of health professionals, will assess patients at emergency departments to determine if medically stable patients can return home safely with enhanced community-based health services, thereby avoiding admission to the hospital. While the primary target group is seniors, this service is available to all adults. Teams are operating in St. John's (2 teams), Grand Falls-Windsor and Corner Brook.
• Age-Friendly Grants: In the past five years, the Provincial Government has allocated more than $1.1 million to promote the importance of healthy aging and to help create more age-friendly communities through the Age-Friendly Grants program. To date 45 communities have received funding to assess their age-friendliness; 13 existing age-friendly communities have received funding to implement "next steps"; and 95 grants have been provided to seniors' organizations and retiree groups to implement age-friendly projects.
• Healthy Aging Research Program: A total of over $1 million has been committed to support research in the area of aging and seniors. This program is administered through the Newfoundland and Labrador Centre for Applied Health Research.
• Age-Friendly Newfoundland and Labrador Transportation Pilot Project: $1.3 million has been allocated for the three-year Age-Friendly Newfoundland and Labrador Transportation Pilot Project (2013-15) to increase access for older adults, as well as individuals with mobility challenges, to affordable and reliable transportation. This includes transportation to medical appointments, shopping, and socializing. The pilot groups are: the Canadian Red Cross Society; St. John's Transportation Commission (Metrobus); Bay St. George Area Development Association; Town of Springdale; and the Town of Clarenville.
• Seniors' Discounts: Anyone aged 65 or more can avail of a 35 per cent reduction on driver's licence and vehicle registration fees, and benefit from a reduction in fees for fishing, hunting, camping and wood cutting. Since 2012, over $3 million is provided for this initiative annually.
• The Violence Against Older Persons Public Awareness Campaign : Since 2007 a commitment has been made to create a society where older adults are free from violence and neglect. The Violence Against Older Persons Public Awareness Campaign, a component of the Provincial Violence Prevention Initiative, was developed through the Violence Prevention Initiative, Women's Policy Office and Office for Aging and Seniors. A complementary initiative, the Respect Aging program was designed to educate and train various audiences in the recognition, prevention and intervention of violence against older persons.
• Adult Protection Act : In an effort to further protect more vulnerable adults in our province, the Adult Protection Act was proclaimed on June 30, 2014. This act replaces the Neglected Adults Welfare Act. It protects adults who are at risk of abuse and neglect, and who do not understand or appreciate that risk. This legislation applies to all adults meeting the criteria of an adult in need of protective intervention, regardless of their living arrangement. Living arrangements: include, but are not limited to, a private residence, personal care home, alternate family care home, hospital or long-term care facility.
• Targeted Initiative for Older Workers:- The Targeted Initiative for Older Workers is a federal-provincial-territorial cost-shared initiative, aimed at helping unemployed workers. This program provides a range of employment activities, including skills upgrading, for unemployed older workers. The initiative targets those living in vulnerable communities with populations of 250,000 or less, or those affected by significant industrial downsizing/closures.
• Seniors of Distinction Awards: The Newfoundland and Labrador Seniors of Distinction Awards, established in 2009, recognize and celebrate the contributions, achievements and diversity of seniors throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The Seniors of Distinction Awards are an opportunity to recognize seniors of all walks of life - seniors who are experts in their field, seniors who share their culture and talents, seniors who volunteer as coaches, organizers and fundraisers, and seniors who care for people in need of understanding and companionship.

2015 09 11                              9:45 a.m.