Canada's Minister of Seniors, Kamal Khera, has announced a new initiative called Age Well at Home. She said the program will help seniors stay in their homes for as long as possible as they age by providing them with practical assistance for everyday tasks.
Budget 2021 provided $90 million in funding that will be invested over four fiscal years, starting in 2022–23, for Age Well at Home. As part of the calls for proposals, organizations will be able to apply for funding for projects under two streams: In-Home Support Pilot Projects and Scaling Up for Seniors.
The In-Home Support Pilot Projects stream funds eligible organizations across Canada that have experience delivering one or more specific volunteer-based services to seniors. Organizations need to provide at least one of the eligible practical support services to low-income and otherwise vulnerable seniors in a local area, as well as help seniors navigate and access eligible services provided by other local organizations.
Eligible services are:
light housekeeping (such as laundry, cleaning); meal delivery and/or preparation; home maintenance (such as repairs, yard work, lawn mowing); transportation (such as to appointments, errands); snow removal; volunteer drop-offs (such as groceries, medication, pet supplies); and friendly visiting in the home.
The Scaling Up for Seniors stream provides funds to eligible organizations to expand services that have already demonstrated results in helping seniors age in place. Applications must propose to deliver services in more than one province or territory. However, Indigenous governments and organizations located in Quebec can choose whether to propose to scale up within a single province or territory, or scale up within more than one.
Organizations are invited to apply for the In-Home Support Pilot Projects stream and the Scaling Up for Seniors stream of the Age Well at Home initiative until July 22, 2022.
"Healthy aging includes the ability to stay at home for as long as possible. Through the Age Well at Home initiative, the Government of Canada is helping seniors access the services they need to be able to age at home, where they are comfortable, within the communities that support them." said Khera.