In the Operating Budget for 2023-2024 our government announced $5.2 million for a Primary Caregiver Grant, to help support caregivers to look after people and keep them in their homes. (see CBC – 6 programs in the P.E.I. budget that could have a direct impact on you)
This is something I have been advocating for several years – see post from March 7, 2017 below where I raise this idea.
The Minister of Health and Wellness gave an update on the Primary Caregiver Grant when asked questions by the Leader of the Third Party on November 17, 2023. Please find excerpts from the exchange below.
You can view the full transcript in the PDF at this link: Hansard-17 November 2023 (PDF) Starting on page 14 of 61 (page 2082 of Hansard).
Primary caregiver grant
A question to the Minister of Health: Is this program up and running?
Speaker: The hon. Minister of Health and Wellness.
Hon. M. McLane: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank the member for the question. I can honestly say that my own members have given me enough pressure about this, let alone the opposition, which is good. A couple of things of note.
There is only one other program in Canada that is similar to this, so obviously we have to create this from scratch. There is a lot of work in order to stand this program up.
We do have an advisory group that involves Health PEI, Department of Health, Social Development and Seniors, and actually Justice, as well. We are working on the program. It is complex. It is new. I agree it is important and we will continue to work on it. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
To the minister: What have you done for Islanders to get this program going and why isn’t it operational today?
Speaker: The hon. Minister of Health and Wellness.
Hon. M. McLane: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I do appreciate the question. It will be a very beneficial program to those caregivers in our province.
Some of the things that we’re working on is the eligibility criteria, of course – I think that’s really important – circumstances when the benefit would be started and stopped, eligible expenses, and integration with other programs. It’s important to understand the complexity – and how we will do those payments is another part of this program.
Conceptually, it does sound easy, but when you get right down to it, those are just some of the issues that that advisory group is working on. We do expect to launch it this year.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Question to the Minister of Health: Will there be an age cutoff to be eligible for this program?
Speaker: The hon. Minister of Health and Wellness.
Hon. M. McLane: Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I do appreciate the questions. It’s good to discuss this here in the Legislature.
Just to give an example of the program, it will be a ladder approach. I think we will start with certain criteria and then move up as we learn more about the program. The goal of the program is community-based care. Basically, the approach we’ve taken is what we call long-term supportive care.
An example would be a 64-year-old woman who has advanced MS who has immobility or challenges eating and stuff like that. Eventually, it’s part of our Community First program where we’re trying to support people in their homes as long as possible. We’ll need to be very specific on the criteria and then expand it as we learn more about the program.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
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