Financial boost for some care-home residents to start in May
More than 200 rest or care-home residents on financial assistance will be $100 better off each month from May.
Plans to provide the 240 residents with a personal care allowance were unveiled during the Government’s midyear financial review last September.
However, legislation had to be drafted and passed by the lawmakers before any monies could be paid out.
Tinée Furbert, the Minister of Youth, Social Development and Seniors, told the House of Assembly on Friday that the administrative paperwork was now complete ― and that less well-off seniors can expect payments from May.
Ms Furbert said: “The Department of Financial Assistance was given a supplementary of $911,000 that was approved by this House in October 2024, to provide a monthly personal care allowance of $100 to all financial assistance clients who reside in rest homes and nursing homes.
“The monthly allowance will allow for the purchase of personal care and healthcare goods and services, such as toiletries and grooming services.”
She said the department had worked with the Ministry of Justice on an amendment to add an expenditure line item to legally facilitate the $100 personal care allowance, effective February 1.
Ms Furbert said that of the 240 beneficiaries, 220 were seniors and 20 were people with disabilities.
She added that many rest home residents on financial assistance were concerned that they could not afford basic hygiene products.
She said: “Many financial assistance clients who reside in rest and nursing homes including those without critical family support, already have the high expense of rest and nursing home fees ranging from $5,000 to $12,000, and, cannot support their basic hygiene needs and purchase the personal care products and services.
“Several residents have expressed their concerns about this and having no money to purchase such items.
“Administrators at the rest and nursing homes have shared that they do not have the funds to purchase personal care products and services for residents.
“Consequently, some families provide personal care products and services for their loved ones, some do not, and those residents with no family support tend to go without these basic personal care items.”
• To read Tinée Furbert’s statement in full, see Related Media
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