Government of Saskatchewan Celebrates International Day of Older Persons

Released on October 1, 2015

As the world celebrates International Day of the Older Persons on October 1, the Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to recognize the contributions seniors make to our communities and our province.

“Seniors are incredibly important to our government and our province,” Health Minister Dustin Duncan said. “We want to ensure that seniors living in Saskatchewan have a high quality of life and suitable care choices, whether they choose to stay in the community and age in place, or move to a personal care home or long-term care facility.”

In total, the 2015-16 Budget invested $10 million in new initiatives to enhance services for seniors at home or in long-term care, including:

$3.5 million committed to enhance the Home First/Quick Response Program in Regina Qu’Appelle, Saskatoon and Prince Albert Parkland Health Regions, and expanding the program in the Prairie North Health Region to an additional site;
$2.8 million for the Regina Qu’Appelle and Saskatoon Health Regions to develop specialized units for individuals with dementia or challenging behaviours;
$2.0 million in Individualized Funding for home care clients;
$1.0 million annually to support Purposeful Rounding, the practice of regularly checking on residents’ needs using the 4Ps – positioning, personal needs, pain and proximity of personal items; and
$700,000 for Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region to develop a Geriatric Program. This funding will aid in the recruitment of a geriatrician to Regina to provide a range of services to seniors.

“Many seniors are choosing to stay in the community, and our government is working to help provide options to ensure that those who wish to do that can afford to do so safely and comfortably,” Duncan said.

While the majority of long term care residents are seniors, this only represents about five per cent of the total seniors’ population in Saskatchewan.

In 2014-15, home care programs across the province provided home care services to 40,922 home care clients. Since 2007, funding for home care in Saskatchewan has increased by more than 50 per cent. This year, government invested $2.0 million in Individualized Funding that provides increased choice and flexibility for home care clients to choose their care provider.

In March, Senior’s House Call programming began in the Saskatoon and Regina Qu’Appelle Health Regions. This initiative is providing the highest-need seniors with home-based access to health care providers, including physicians and nurse practitioners.

Living in Saskatchewan has also become more affordable for seniors: social housing is now available for seniors in approximately 250 communities across the province; the Seniors Income Plan has tripled since 2008 - from $90 a month to $270 a month; under the Seniors’ Drug Plan, seniors pay only $20 per prescription for approved drugs; and seniors have access to the Personal Care Home Benefit to help with the cost of living in a personal care home.

Since 2007, government has made record investments in enhancing long-term care. This investment includes:

spending $250 million to replace 13 outdated long-term care facilities in seven health regions;
$108 million for the new 225 bed long-term care centre in Swift Current;
establishing the Urgent Issues Action Fund in 2013, which provided $10.04 million for health regions to address priority issues in long-term care and another $3.8 million for ongoing pressures; and
additional beds at Oliver Lodge in Saskatoon and the completion of Samaritan Place, an innovative, new 100 bed facility in Saskatoon.

For information on programs and services available to seniors, visit www.saskatchewan.ca/seniors.

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For more information, contact:

Tyler McMurchy
Health
Regina
Phone: 306-787-4083
Email: tyler.mcmurchy@gov.sk.ca
Cell: 306-537-3594

Government of Saskatchewan Celebrates International Day of Older Persons

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