Province to launch seniors community supportive living program pilot

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This article was published 07/07/2023 (1051 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Manitoba government is testing a new community supportive living program for seniors who need access to around-the-clock help but can otherwise live independently.

Seniors and Long-term Care Minister Scott Johnston said the pilot program will be rolled out in phases, with a total of 288 spaces across Ashern, Eriksdale, Selkirk, Swan River and Emerson-Franklin.

The program is described as “housing with supports,” and will offer supportive care to seniors with complex and chronic needs in a home-like environment.

Three support tiers will be offered to accepted residents. Around-the-clock onsite staff who provide personal care services will be available, and people with complex needs will have 24-7 access to nursing supports.

The program will also provide meals, laundry, light housekeeping, onsite therapy aides and recreational supports.

Shared Health provincial lead of clinical integration and community and continuing care Vikas Sethi said a disproportionate number of Manitoba seniors have been admitted to personal care homes too soon.

“Too often though, Manitoba had the approach that care homes are the only place senior citizens with complex health-care needs should go,” Sethi said.

“We know that most aging Manitobans if given the option would prefer to continue living active independent lives in the community, provided they have the appropriate supports in place to assist them.”

Johnston said the program is intended to prevent the premature placement of Manitobans in personal care homes.

“It does offer a bridge for something that I heard clearly when we were doing our seniors consultations,” Johnston said. “People want to stay in their residence, their residence of choice, for as long as they possibly can.”

The government has issued a request for proposal to find groups to deliver the program as part of a possible province-wide expansion.

Clients will rent their suite and pay for the different packages at a provincially standardized rates. Subsidies will also be offered, Johnston said.

On Friday, Johnston also confirmed the province will move forward with planning and design for two new personal care homes in Winnipeg, including a 143-bed facility in the Bridgwater neighbourhood and a 140-bed facility on Portage Avenue.

In late 2015, the former NDP government said it would build a PCH in Bridgwater prior to the 2016 general election. When the Tories formed government, plans for the PCH were confirmed and design work was supposed to begin in 2017.

Downtown Winnipeg lost 260 personal care home beds when Parkview Place was shuttered in April 2022.

Four homes are also slated for Arborg, Lac du Bonnet, Oakbank, and Stonewall.

If all the homes are built, an additional 678 beds would be added to the provincial system.

An additional 42 behavioural beds to provide care for seniors with complex mental health or behavioural needs are being added in Brandon and Winkler.

“I can assure you, we are pursuing the development,” Johnston said.

The province will spend $15 million to support planning and design.

— Staff