The Caring Corner®
The Canadians Are onto Something
Here in the US we can sometimes be snarky about our neighbors to the north, but as a Qualified Dementia Care Specialist, I have to say “hats off” to Quebec for its recent initiative to provide services for its aging population.
Quebec has passed a bill that will allow seniors to receive care at home instead of having to go to an institution. Since I am in the home care business, I have my biases, but I have not met any one who says it’s better to leave home and live in an institution when all they need is in home assistance.
The Quebec bill will allow elders to receive basic home care – help with cooking, cleaning, bathing, dressing and the like – when it is deemed that it is necessary for the aged person’s well being. The bill will provide subsidies, but the senior will still be required to pay about 20 percent of the total cost.
Critics of the bill fear that the province will be unable to afford it, but I wonder if they have taken into the account the alternative cost of placing someone in an institution.
Caring for our senior population is an ongoing experiment. The demographics and associated rising costs are inexorable. No one wants to leave home. We need to keep our eyes on our neighbors to the north.
