Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services in light of the declining programs and services in the area of seniors’ care. I think we have to be cognizant of the aging population in the Northwest Territories. In my riding alone there are some 120 elders over the age of 70 in Tsiigehtchic, Aklavik and Fort McPherson. Yet we have to realize that as we age we also require more specialized programs and services. In light of that, we have to enhance the existing dollars. Right now in most communities all we have is home care. I think we have to expand programs and services to assist those people with regard to their mobility problems and disabilities, physically, mentally, emotionally, to assist them as we improve the quality of life for seniors.
I’d like to ask the Minister what her department is doing to improve the quality of life of elders in our communities and all communities of the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is quite right in saying that we need to do more to support elders in our communities. For example, in Aklavik right now one home care worker is supporting 35 elders, as the Member stated on the radio this morning. We believe there are many more seniors in a community like Aklavik who could do a lot better with support from the government. What we propose to do is redesign the program so that we increase the level of home care in the community so that we can support as many as 100 elders in the community right now, just in Aklavik. We also want to be able to provide elder programming out of the Joe Greenland Centre. We want to be able to do a lunch program there and have a closer relationship between the home care support and the health authority office there, whether it be managing chronic disease, providing support, or organizing an elders program there. This is more an expansive way of looking at how we provide for elders.
Again I think we also have to realize that we have to deal with the emotional and physical restraints that elders are under. We have to provide those types of programs in the communities to vitalize the elders and keep them active, keep them involved in different community activities and events, and keep them mobile. I’d like to ask the Minister what we’re doing to enhance the physical aspects of elders’ care in communities so that we do keep them active and full participants in our community activities.
Currently we are spending about $800,000 at the Joe Greenland Centre, not taking into consideration extra money that we have to spend there. The program is currently budgeted under the Beaufort-Delta for $800,000. That is serving two elders in the Joe Greenland Centre. What we propose to do is use half of that money, $350,000, back into the community.
When I was there with the Member in January, we committed to the community and the community group that we will sit down with the community and design an elders program together, and it could be recreational activities, social activities, providing lunches for the elders, because they need a point of contact. We have lots of elders in Aklavik that need support throughout, and we need a point of contact and meeting place where care providers can keep an eye on them and be in constant contact with them.
Again I think it’s important that we do deliver sort of elders day care programs and improve the quality of life for seniors in our communities. I think it has to be encompassing that you look at Meals on Wheels or the physical activities. We have to provide programs similar to the other segments of our population and ensure that we have a scheduled program in place in our communities so elders realize they are an important segment of our population and they are included in activities in the Northwest Territories. I’d like to know where we’re going to enhance elders day care programs in our communities and using the facilities that we have in our communities.
The Housing Corporation and the department will continue to support community programs for elders at the Joe Greenland Centre. We also plan to use the common area of the Joe Greenland Centre for an elders day program and continue access to the common area, kitchen, and specialized bathing equipment within the building which will be used by home care. The Beaufort-Delta Health Authority will continue to operate and there are also plans to use the common area and kitchen to provide a lunch program for elders every day, because we want to be in touch with the elders so that we have the constant capacity to look out for the elders.
There are many elders who are able to stay home and take care of themselves but they are being increasingly isolated without daily contact with the community support. This is what we are planning on doing in Aklavik.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think other important programs that we have to consider for all communities is the area of respite care and palliative care. I think those are the type of programs more associated with large regional centres. I think the communities have to have the access and ability to have those programs also delivered so that people will live out their days in the comfort of their own homes in their home communities, and work with the families to make life as comfortable as they can. I’d like to ask the Minister where we are going with those two programs for the communities.
The Member knows we were told when we were in Aklavik in January that there is one home care worker and he’s worked off his feet just driving elders around. He definitely needs more support and we are proposing to create two additional home care workers so that three home care workers can support the elders there. There is also a need for respite care program territorial-wide model and, as the Member knows, we are reviewing that. Part of that process, this is actually a very exciting roll-out for us that would depend on a lot of resources. Right now we need to be on the ground, and home care workers’ support and health care officials will give us more insight into exactly what the needs are as we work to expand this as the resources allow.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Abernethy.
