With respect to the slowness of Veterans Affairs Canada, some applications are extremely complex, and some applications require the resubmission of documents. The resubmission of documents takes time. Sometimes they ask for medical documents. In cases that I'm aware of, the securing of medical documents takes more time, and sometimes the person who requires attention is slow in receiving these documents. By the same token, the medical professions in our community are very busy. I appreciate the slowness and the degree of slowness that is alluded to, but by the same token, if we had more persons with the Royal Canadian Legion--a very good organization--and with our organization, who volunteered to assist these veterans, and if the veterans had confidence in these persons, it would be addressed with respect to the slowness.
Once the documents are sent or given to Veterans Affairs Canada, that's a different story. We have no control over that, only to indicate that recently, as I've indicated, between last week and this week, they addressed the case that was brought to their attention.
I appreciate the complexity of the documents. For instance, I'm aware of a colleague who has applied for hearing assistance. He required the report of an audiologist. Just to get an appointment with that particular specialist took some time. After six months had elapsed, Veterans Affairs Canada sent him a reminder, and he still experienced difficulty in getting a comprehensive report from an audiologist. Once again, that has now been addressed. By the same token, that was very timely.
With respect to the trend of keeping veterans in their homes, I'm under the impression that once that particular decision is made...I feel it is less expensive, bearing in mind that a lot of times the dollar is the bottom line. To keep a veteran at home, with respect to the various services, such as home care, Meals on Wheels, and assistance in getting to appointments, is much cheaper and much better for the veteran, as opposed to putting that veteran in a long-term bed, which I understand costs a tremendous amount of money.
Once again, the veteran's mental health at that particular time will be addressed in that he will be in familiar surroundings in a familiar community. Once he establishes a rapport with the persons who are providing service, I think the veteran will be much happier and much more comfortable in his home. Our association agrees with the home care situation, and we hope there is more of it.