Liberal

WHEREAS it is well established that, wherever feasible, seniors and others with disabilities are happier and more content in a home setting than in an institution;

WHEREAS the Liberal Party of Canada has proposed to provide compensation for the families of seniors and others requiring home care;

WHEREAS a study commissioned by Veterans Affairs Canada¹has indicated that the provision of home support services can significantly reduce the rate of hospital admission and, in doing so, significantly reduce overall health care costs;

WHEREAS a strategy developed by the Province of Ontario entitled Aging at Home Strategy has demonstrated that the provision of support services in the home can significantly reduce the rate of admission to hospital or nursing home and thus significantly reduce costs to the point where it has been reported that, if the program keeps ten seniors a year out of a nursing home, it will pay for itself;

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that a Liberal Government, in addition to those aspects of Home Care already proposed, undertake discussions with the provinces and territories to cost share home support services within the context of the Canada Health Act in order to reduce the rate of admissions to acute care hospitals and long term care facilities in order to reduce costs and enhance the comfort and wellbeing of seniors and others with disabilities.

Senior Liberals’ Commission