Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I wish to talk about the importance of respite care in the small communities. Mr. Speaker, in many instances, young couples often take the responsibility for caring for aged senior family members or an ailing family member. This is the same for many grandchildren who live with their grandparents. They too are given the responsibility of caring and doing everything for the aging grandparents.
Mr. Speaker, over the last few days of this sitting, we have heard the Minister talk about changes to the way the government delivers health care, including funding of health services. It is good to hear the Minister responding to feedback, but this has left some confusion with my constituents that I’m hoping to clear up today.
Mr. Speaker, I understand the Minister and her department are doing what they think is best for the interests of the Northwest Territories. However, I am here today to talk about the interests of the people in Lutselk'e and Fort Resolution. Mr. Speaker, we know caring for aged and disabled family members can be a tremendous burden on families and family members. Without the necessary supports, it’s only a matter of time before family members are overcome with burnout or family resources are drained, and then ultimately the family members in need are placed in long-term care facilities and then become an added cost to the government.
Mr. Speaker, last year the Minister stated that we are expanding the program for children and youth through respite care in the communities outside of Yellowknife. Respite care provides planned relief for caregivers, families and people with disabilities. Relief is necessary to decrease burnout and stress and allow caregivers to provide the best possible support, and thereby the best quality of life for those with disabilities. This action focuses on improving outcomes and opportunities for children and youth. Mr. Speaker, my constituents want to know if the plans have changed or the funding for respite for communities outside of Yellowknife will also be cut.
Mr. Speaker, as I speak today, there are families that are doing what they can to ease the day-to-day living of disabled and aged family members in all the communities across the North. These families need parity on what this government is doing. These families need support. These families need help. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll be talking about respite services today as well.
Respite services are an incredibly valuable program through the Northwest Territories. Parents who are asking for respite help are not asking because they are incapable of caring for their children, but because while caring so much for their children, they are challenged to care for themselves.
This Assembly and previous Assemblies, the 14th and 15th, have acknowledged the importance of respite. So much so that in March 2005, the current Minister, while she was a Member, made a statement, and I quote directly from the March 2005 Hansard, where the Minister indicated:
“I would like to speak today in support of the Yellowknife Association for Community Living respite services currently funded by the GNWT Department of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, the goal of respite services is to provide safe individual lives and flexible respite support to disabilities, more opportunities for inclusion in community activities. It is an essential support service that provides planned relief for parents, families and the people with disabilities that they care for. Such relief is necessary in order to decrease burnout, stress and family breakdown. It also helps families provide the best possible support and care to their loved ones with disabilities, and it ensures that people with disabilities experience a high quality of life.”
Mr. Speaker, the Member, at the time, went further to urge the Minister-of-the-day to not only maintain services but to expand those services to people on waiting lists as well as communities throughout the Northwest Territories.
I was pleased earlier in the year when I saw the report on the Foundation for Change, where the department indicated that respite services or respite care services for families with special needs and disabled children would be expanded through the Northwest Territories. This was fantastic news. Unfortunately, we all know now that the Yellowknife Association for Community Living program that was funded by Yellowknife Health and Social Services has been cancelled as of April 1, 2011. What I am concerned about, Mr. Speaker, is that the actions aren’t consistent with the words.
Later today I will be asking the Minister of Health and Social Services some questions on respite and what we are going to do to expand as outlined in the Foundation for Change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will be talking about the delivery of care services in our communities.
Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Delta riding I represent has some 35 individuals who were identified as disabled. Mr. Speaker, the special needs individuals, persons with disabilities and, more importantly, the elderly should be receiving this important care. In Fort McPherson alone, I have some 223 elders over the age of 60. Of that, 66 elders are over the age of 70 to the age of 97.
Mr. Speaker, families in our communities are having to take care of their loved ones on their own. Mr. Speaker, that is not the way programs and services should be delivered. In most cases, the individuals have to look for support elsewhere or have their loved ones sent to regional health centres such as Inuvik and the Joe Greenland Centre in Aklavik, which they call respite care. Mr. Speaker, that is no way to deal with the individuals of our society who should be getting the attention they deserve and the programs and services they require.
Again, it’s important to realize that the question of quality of life to all residents is critical to providing services throughout the Northwest Territories to ensure we are providing respite care services and other services in all our communities where people with disabilities and special needs are located and that they don’t have to be removed from their home communities to receive that care.
Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services on exactly what this government is doing to ensure we have adequate programs and services in all our communities. Mahsi.
