Saint John East MLA Glen Savoie joined Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard for an announcement relating to the health plan. Image by Tamara Steele.
The provincial government has revealed more about its new five-year health plan ahead of its official release on Wednesday.
At the Loch Lomond Villa nursing home in Saint John on Tuesday, Social Development Minister Bruce Fitch announced the expansion of a program to help seniors stay in their homes longer.
The program Nursing Homes Without Walls which extends some of the services available in nursing homes to seniors who are still living at home will be expanded to include 16 additional locations.
Health Minister Dorothy Shephard called helping seniors “age in place” a key initiative in the new health plan.
“Within 10 years, more than 28 per cent of New Brunswick’s population will be over 65. That is a large segment that we need to make sure we are caring for properly,” Shephard said.
The plan also includes a partnership between the Extra-Mural program and 20 special care homes to provide clinical services and technology for routine follow-up appointments meaning seniors don’t have to leave their homes.
“Over the next two years, we expect to add we expect to include more than 30 special care homes into this partnership. In addition, tablets will be provided to special care homes to connect seniors with loved ones,” Shephard said.
Another component of the new health plan is the inclusion of long-term care staff on discharge teams in at least 10 hospitals across New Brunswick by early 2023 to assist seniors making the transition back home after a hospital stay with plans to address ongoing care.
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