Evidence of meeting #72 for Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was seniors.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond Centre, BC
Then, to the occupational therapists, thank you again for the good work you've done, especially for your checklist for identifying elder abuse, because the minute you go into a home, you know that somebody might have been abused physically or mentally, and there should be a checklist.
About funding, you have received, in the former government, the new horizons for seniors program, which doesn't only cover one year, but covers more than a year.
Do you see the need for longer-term funding, say for the new horizons program? I know most of your organizations here have received some money through that program. Do you believe that there should be a longer-term strategy so that we can plan ahead three years, for example?
4:50 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Yes. All the funding into the research and longitudinal studies to help us understand and to really put our resources in where they're going to get the greatest impact is critical.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond Centre, BC
The third question is about family caregivers. Again and again I keep hearing about support for family caregivers who are not paid family caregivers. Some of them may not be on EI. Some of them have to give up work in order to care for families. They are stressed, and they need special help.
Do you see the need for looking into that in more depth so that the right kind of help—instead of just tax credits—would be available?
4:50 p.m.
President, Peel, Ontario Branch, Senior Empowerment Assistance Centre
It's very important to look into this aspect. Our policy is really a strategy that the federal government should incorporate into the national seniors strategy, because even right now, we don't even know.... There are a lot of them, and we don't even know the statistics for the family caregivers. They contribute a lot. They're a tremendous help in stabilizing families and in helping these seniors. I will say definitely more research should be done.
What we are doing as an organization in the region of Peel is mobilizing this set of people to engage them, enlighten them, educate them, and even empower them. In fact, next week we are looking forward to fundraising in Mississauga and Brampton to be able to do more projects and programs for these kinds of people.
The family caregivers strategy is very, very important to what we are discussing, so I quite agree with you that the government should look in depth into these kinds of people, because right now they are not getting any benefits. The government should help them in the form of tax rebates so as to encourage that, to motivate that, to be able to support seniors in society.
4:50 p.m.
Conservative
Alice Wong Conservative Richmond Centre, BC
Thank you.
The CAOT did a good job in their update lately about the loss of productivity, the number of hours family friends or family members have been doing for caregiving. England, as I mentioned again and again, has a very good model, and I think it's about time we looked into that.
Also, we mentioned a lot about the need for co-operation between the federal and provincial governments. Do you see the need to continue a federal, provincial, and territorial forum for seniors, ministers for seniors, working together? It's an open question for any of you.
4:55 p.m.
President, Peel, Ontario Branch, Senior Empowerment Assistance Centre
Yes, I see it as very important, especially with the territories. It's very close to the grassroots that knows what is happening at the grassroots level. It's very important at the federal level, at the provincial level, and even at the municipal level to be able to work together to form this national strategy.
Definitely, as I said, there should also be collaboration through a kind of educational enlightenment through private organizations, through NGOs. Let us come together as a bloc in formulating this national strategy. There's no way you can exclude seniors from this national strategy, because they have to be fully engaged to be able to support anything that affects their lives. Everybody has to work together in view of the importance of this problem confronting seniors.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Thank you, Chair.
Mr. Beaney or Mr. Shiner made reference to how CMHC should probably pilot a project to demonstrate technology for the aging. Was it Mr. Shiner? Could you quickly tell us what technology you'd be looking at?
4:55 p.m.
Professor, Atlantic Seniors Housing Research Alliance, Mount Saint Vincent University, As an Individual
The challenge right now is that a whole range of very expensive technologies is emerging, such as motion sensors and alarm systems, but we're lacking evidence that these are cost-effective, and that they truly help people to age in place.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
4:55 p.m.
Professor, Atlantic Seniors Housing Research Alliance, Mount Saint Vincent University, As an Individual
We have some small projects. One at the University of Toronto is very interesting, but CMHC should seize this opportunity to show and prove measures that these approaches actually help, because it is extremely costly to equip a home with all this type of technology. We need to prove it helps them.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
That's good. Thank you.
We've heard different witnesses who are targeting various levels of care to seniors. If you had a choice between doctor, nurse, or occupational therapist and the ability to stay in the house because both the medical sides look at the medical that has already happened.... Your points were well taken.
Where would you put your priority, from the aspect of living?
4:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
I think the answer lies in the right care and the right person. It depends if—
4:55 p.m.
President, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Let me answer.
The occupational therapist.
4:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Hospice Care Ottawa
I would agree with Janet. It really has to be a team model, and if I've learned anything—
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
But within the team, and the ability to stay in the home longer, which would rank in priority?
4:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
It's on the spectrum of things. At the preventive level with a senior whose health is not in decline, I think as an occupational therapist, we can project their future needs.
4:55 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
Madam Craik, re the allocation of home care money to the provinces, I'm a former provincial politician, and health care is usually on the front line of delivery. You made reference that the federal government should attach some strings to the allocation as it relates to home care. Our government has put significant...and signed agreements with each of the provinces targeting home care because the provinces tend to move the money all around.
Could you expand a bit more on how you would like to see that specified to the provinces?
4:55 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
That $5 billion earmarked for home care is in the provinces' hands. Can this discussion be done at the federal-provincial-territorial meeting of the health ministers so the money is spent appropriately on home care services to keep seniors out of hospital? Sometimes I know the federal government is looking at the outcome they want to see. We know the hospital readmission rate should be monitored closely.
5 p.m.
Liberal
Bobby Morrissey Liberal Egmont, PE
If you were going to prioritize within that envelope, what would you put at the top?
5 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
For those home care dollars?
5 p.m.
Executive Director, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapy.
