Article content Leader of NL’s liberal party, John Hogan, New Democratic Party leader, Jim Dinn and Progressive Conservative leader, Tony Wakeham. Photo by Cameron Kilfoy/The TelegramArticle contentAffordability for seniors: DinnArticle contentNew Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jim Dinn said he wants to ensure seniors have support to stay at home. His platform also wants to address the issues driving workers out of home care and affordability for seniors themselves. Article contentHe referenced a personal story about a home care worker he met who earned more at her job at a convenience store than in her trained profession. Article content“If you want to have workers, people to age well at home, anyone with disabilities, then you’ve got to make sure that the workers themselves are fairly compensated, and that means not just a decent wage, but also access to benefits such as health care and a pension,” said Dinn. Article contentDinn agreed with Wakeham, who said that seniors are more frail than they were and linked it back to the social determinants of health as laid out in Health Accord NL. Article content“Part of that is tied to the fact that they can’t afford their prescription drugs, something that the PharmaCare plan would have solved months ago, or helped solve,” said Dinn. Article contentArticle content“We have seniors who have been living on the same retirement income for decades. In some cases, they can’t afford their they can’t afford to stay together in long-term care facilities.” Article contentDinn said the main thing is ensuring they can afford essentials such as food, and that is why the NDP has committed to raising the seniors benefit by 25 per cent. Article content“So then we don’t have as many people needing to go into long-term care. Shouldn’t that be our goal?” Article contentLiberals pledging financial help Article contentOn the campaign trail, Liberal leader John Hogan committed, if elected, to establishing a monitoring and licensing body to ensure that standards are adhered to in long-term care and personal care home facilities. Article contentArticle contentBut beyond that, Hogan was asked what he would do to ensure that the standards lead to better care and not just more red tape. Article contentHe said that seniors have built this province, and it’s important that they receive the best possible care. Hogan added that he wants seniors to not only stay in their homes but their communities as well. Article content“We want to keep them in our homes, and this government has implemented things like the aging well at home grant, it’s just $400 a year, and I’ve pledged to increase that to $800 a year,” said Hogan. Article content“And the caregiver benefit, which is $400 a month, we’ve done that, and I’ve pledged to increase that to $800 a month. That’s important money to allow individuals and seniors to stay in their homes.” Article contentHogan has also announced the creation of a seniors navigation team to help seniors fill out forms, access funding, and address tech barriers. In addition, if elected, he will implement mobile health teams to bring health services directly to seniors unable to travel.
As NLs population ages, party leaders clash over how best to care for seniors
