HALIFAX — The Nova Scotia government has announced details of how it will spend the $14 million in additional funding it set aside in its spring budget for home-care and home-support services for seniors.
Health Minister Leo Glavine says the money will be used to give people the help they need to live on their own, near family and friends, for as long as they can.
Glavine says the funding includes $7.4 million for home-support services, like bathing, meal preparation and other daily tasks.
He says $1.2 million has been added to the caregiver benefit program, which supports family members who care for loved ones at home.
"We all know a relative or neighbour who wants to remain in their own home, but needs some help with meal preparation or bathing, or some nursing support in their communities," the minister said in a statement.
As well, $4.2 million has been added to support home-nursing and four new nursing clinics that started up last year.
The clinics, operated by the Victorian Order of Nurses, are in Halifax, Berwick, New Minas and Bridgewater.
The clinics are used by people referred by their health-care provider, but only if they are mobile and prefer scheduled appointments.
The province says more than 14,000 Nova Scotians receive home-care or home-support services, programs that now cost a total of $255.3 million each year — an increase of $59.1 million in the past three years.
