Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd ask the Minister responsible for Health and seniors to confirm where her department is with respect to developing a home care strategy that is in line with this government's commitment to supporting seniors, aging at home, with dignity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a very important commitment to me. I plan to age in place here. I know some of my colleagues do as well, and their parents as well. And so the services provided are very important.
In the 18th Assembly, the department commissioned a home and community care study. It was delivered in September of 2019. It had 22 recommendations. And the department followed up by responding formally to the home and community care review. And so that is basically our strategy for what we're doing with home and community care; how we're addressing those 22 recommendations.
In this fiscal year, there are six new positions in home and community care, a total of spending of $1.42 million. And the priorities for this year are to hire three new regional home care nurses who will provide oversight for home care in their areas, two territorial wound care nurses, support for additional home care services after hours and on weekends, and for people who are palliative, and a project manager in Yellowknife. So there are a lot of things going on in home and community care to better meet the needs of residents of the NWT, recognizing that our population of people who are aging need these services. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess you provided me with the Minister provided me with the number of supports that are going to be coming out. And I'm just wondering on the timing of them, if some are out already, if we're moving ahead, or are some going to be in place later on, if she can just come up with some idea of time for me. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure when these six positions will be filled or if they've already been filled so I'll have to come back to the Member with that information. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if her department is working with the Minister of Housing and ECE to collaborate on effective programs and support for seniors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are taking a whole of government approach to seniors aging because it cuts across many different departments. And one of the things that we're working on together is an elders strategy which will look in more detail at the gaps that exist across government in services for seniors and to make a plan to fill those gaps. So that includes housing. So we recently the Minister of Housing and I recently went to Fort Good Hope for the opening of their new seniors housing. And the collaboration there is that the Housing Corporation built the facility, and the nursing unit in Fort Good Hope provides the home and community care so that the people who are living in the housing can stay in the housing. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the issues that arise, and I know it is in Hay River, is that some seniors don't have access to transportation to get to the health centre. You know, they may have to take a taxi and some may not have the funds. And I know that there are vouchers that are provided at some times. But can the Minister confirm with her department about considering providing financial support to communities without adequate means of transportation to health centres so that they can make it there. Thank you.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, transportation is an issue in every community, including Yellowknife. Getting seniors to program sites, health sites, shopping, and so on is an issue all around. This is not something that the department has taken on but it's something that I can inquire about. The department provides the individual support. So if somebody needs a walker, for example, then the department would assist them in obtaining that but not necessarily a ride to the health centre. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.
