P.E.I. government rolls out At Home Caregiver Benefit promised in 2023 platform
The P.E.I. government provided details Monday on a new program announced last winter, designed to provide financial assistance to people caring for someone in their own home who would otherwise need to be admitted to a long-term care facility.
The At Home Caregiver Benefit will pay $250 to $1,500 a month depending on the care recipient's household income. It is paid to people receiving care, who will then use it to pay their primary caregivers.
Beginning immediately, people can call 1-800-371-8245 to require an assessment to determine if they are eligible.
The caregiver grant program was first promised in the Progressive Conservatives' 2023 election platform.
Last March, the province announced $5.2 million to fund the program in this fiscal year, but Health Minister Mark McLane said developing the new program had been harder than anticipated.
At a news briefing Monday, he said the goal of the program is to let people who are aging or living with a disability stay in their own homes as long as possible, as well as take pressure off the Island's long-term care facilities and their lengthy wait-lists.
Health Minister Mark McLane provides details on the new At Home Caregiver Benefit on Monday. (Ken Linton/CBC)
"It's a great way for people to age at home comfortably and safely and to support the caregivers because they're doing fantastic work for us," McLane said.
The primary caregiver can be a family member, friend or neighbour helping with chores such as housework, finances, shopping, transportation, personal care and meals. They may live in the same household as the care recipient, or in their own homes.
The recipient must be 65 years of age or older, or meet clinical eligibility as determined in the assessment. They must be a resident of P.E.I. holding a valid health card.
As of 2022, there were 36,664 Island residents who were 65 years of age or older, comprising 20.3 per cent of the P.E.I. population. Across Canada, 18.8 per cent of the population is aged 65 and up.