Increase in Personal Care Homes Announced

The Manitoba government announced on Friday, Feb. 18 that it will expand Holy Family Home on Aberdeen Avenue in Winnipeg and will build a new personal care home (PHC) in Lac du Bonnet. According to a report by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy, the number of Manitoba seniors is expected to nearly double by 2036.

The government plans to spend $200 million over the next ten years in expanding or building new personal care homes.  It will spend $16 million over the next two years on initiatives intended to allow seniors to live independent lives longer. "This is a long-term plan. It's a long-term vision. It recognizes the demographic reality in Manitoba," said Premier Greg Selinger at Friday's news conference.  The government plans to release more details on construction plans for new PCH spaces over the next year.

In addition to building more personal care homes, the government will be taking steps to keep seniors at home and out of personal care homes.

Starting in the spring of 2011, the province has plans to increase home care hours for some from the current 50 hours per week to 55 hours.  The government will also offer "intensive rehabilitation supports" for seniors recovering from surgery or injury with the aim of keeping them out of personal care homes.

The province plans to introduce a new income support of up to $295 per month to ensure those who live in provincial supportive housing units do not have to enter personal care homes for financial reasons.

The study, Population Aging and the Continuum of Older Adult Care in Manitoba, released on Friday, was conducted by the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy at the University of Manitoba. It is available online at http://mchp-appserv.cpe.umanitoba.ca/reference/LOC_Report_WEB.pdf.