The need for improvements to the provincial self-managed home care program

Monday April 12, I called in Question Period for the government to better organize and deliver the provincial self-managed care program so it is easier to access. My question and the Minister's response are below

Home-Care Services
Self-Managed Care Program

Hon. Jon Gerrard (River Heights): Home care should be the first option for seniors who need it. Important steps to facilitate it–facilitate this are, first, to ensure shut-in seniors can receive the vaccine in their home and, second, to improve access to self-managed care.

Right now, the self-managed care program is confusing and too many seniors are being treated with hostility and resentment for wanting to use it, and they are being deterred from using it.

When will the Minister of Health act to make sure that the self-managed care program is working more smoothly and is adequately resourced to ensure more seniors can continue to live in their own home instead of having to move to a long-term-care home?

Hon. Heather Stefanson (Minister of Health and Seniors Care): Well, Madam Speaker, we certainly agree with that approach. We want to ensure that we find ways for seniors to remain in their homes as long as possible with their loved ones.

And certainly we recognize that and we are working with Shared Health, with the regional health authorities, to ensure that we put together a plan to ensure that that takes place, Madam Speaker.

With respect, the member opposite mentioned the COVID vaccine, getting it out to as many communities as possible. That's what we have been doing, with respect to our pop-up clinics, as well as our FIT teams, Madam Speaker.

We'll continue to work with those to ensure that we have greater access to all Manitobans, who need, want and deserve the vaccine.

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