FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 17, 2025
Statement from Karla Bernard on the barriers Island seniors face accessing government support programs
Charlottetown, PE – Last week we heard that a shortage of long-term care beds is a major factor in driving our long ER and surgery wait times. With this in mind, you would assume the King government is doing everything it can to help seniors stay in their homes and out of long-term care. Sadly, that is not the case.
While this government has implemented several fantastic programs aimed at supporting seniors, unfortunately I hear from so many seniors across the Island who struggle to access these programs. Seniors and their families tell me they have trouble completing the application process or are denied the help because they don’t meet the strict eligibility criteria.
For example, the At Home Caregiver Benefit, a program that supports caregivers, has an eligibility rate of less than 40%. Last year 456 Islanders who applied for this program were denied. I’ve heard from Islanders like a 90-year-old woman whose 93-year-old husband requires significant care for his daily activities. He was denied simply because he could still feed himself. Denials like this only serve to increase the waitlist for long-term care, further exasperating the overcapacity we’re experiencing across our healthcare system.
The same unwillingness to help seniors stay in their homes is evident in the Seniors Independence Program. Seniors who want a small amount of help to shovel their steps or maintain their homes are met with strict eligibility criteria. To qualify for this program, a single senior must have a net household income under $33,000. Even then, the maximum benefit is $1,800 a year — barely enough to cover basic needs.
This government’s priorities are baffling. They have spent millions of dollars on trips to Boston, NHL partnerships, and expensive consulting contracts with private firms from Ontario. But when it comes to helping Island seniors who need support to remain in their homes, they nickel and dime every step of the way.
I am calling on government to significantly increase the eligibility criteria for programs aimed at supporting seniors. Our healthcare system is in crisis and helping Island seniors stay in their homes is one tangible way to help not only Island seniors but the system as a whole.
Karla Bernard
Leader of the Third Party
MLA Charlottetown-Victoria Park
-30-
For media inquiries, please contact:
Katie Rankin
Chief of Staff
Office of the Third Party
Tel: (902) 213-6378
Email: kerankin@assembly.pe.ca