Ms. Brenda Shestowsky (Senior Director, Social Policy and Programs Branch, Education and Social Development Programs and Partnerships Sector, Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development) at the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee

Thanks, Robin.

Thank you, committee members, for inviting me to provide comments here as well.

In addition to the services provided through the department's home and community care program, there are also services available through the assisted living program. These services fall within the range of non-medical supports, things such as housekeeping, homemaking, etc. This is a $110 million per year program that has three components: in-home care, adult foster care, and institutional care.

Eligible individuals may receive in-home care services—as I mentioned, light housekeeping, homemaking etc.—and other activities to help them maintain their functional independence within their home. In 2016-17 about 9,600 individuals benefited from the in-home care program component of the the assisted living program.

Adult foster care is a type of service that is also available. It provides supervision and care to individuals who are unable to live independently because of either physical or cognitive disabilities. These are individuals who do not require 24-hour continuous nursing or medical care. In 2016-17, 118 individuals participated in the adult foster care component of the assisted living program.

The institutional care component of the program helps to subsidize the facility copayment fees related to room and board for those within an institutional environment, long-term care facility, or personal care home, either on or off reserve. In 2016-17, some 830 individuals benefited from the institutional care component of this program.

It's important to note that this program really functions like an income support program, in that it is available to those individuals who cannot pay for institutional care or in-home care supports themselves. It very much mirrors what provinces and territories do with respect to in-home care and institutional services.

As well as not having the financial means, individuals must also not have any available family members who can provide the service to them. It's thus very limited in the scope of its application.

Robin.