NEW GLASGOW – A new program will help seniors receive more support to stay in their own homes and communities.
The $1.4 million Supportive Care Program will provide eligible people who have cognitive impairment with $500 per month for home support services such as personal care, respite care, meal preparation and essential housekeeping.
Clients may also be eligible to be reimbursed for snow removal services, up to $495 per year.
"The Supportive Care Program will benefit low-income seniors by giving them and their caregivers greater control and flexibility to organize homecare," said Health and Wellness Minister Maureen MacDonald. "It is part of the commitment to give seniors more options to stay in their homes and communities longer."
The program begins April 1 and will support 230 clients annually. To be eligible, Nova Scotia residents must be 65 or older and have a net annual household income of $18,785 or less if they are single, or $35,570 or less if they are married.
They must also have a continuing care co-ordinator assessment that shows they have significant memory loss and memory problems that affect daily functioning, an unmet need for 25-40 hours per month of home-support services, and a substitute decision-maker.
More information about the Supportive Care Program is available at www.gov.ns.ca/health. To apply for the program or for further information, call toll free at 1-800-225-7225.
