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Lapointe: ‘We need to do better for our seniors,’ and the federal Liberals have a plan

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for seniors, especially those living in long-term care and the people who care for them, says Sudbury federal Liberal candidate Viviane Lapointe.
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Viviane Lapointe and her mother.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been devastating for seniors, especially those living in long-term care and the people who care for them, says Sudbury federal Liberal candidate Viviane Lapointe.

“After caring for my mother in my own home, we eventually had to move her to a long-term-care facility where she could receive the round-the-clock care she needed.

“The staff at St. Gabriel’s Villa are amazing and very dedicated. We need to do more to support front-line health care workers and our vulnerable seniors,” Lapointe said.

“Seniors deserve to live in dignity, safety and comfort, and their families deserve to feel confident in the care and support their loved ones receive, no matter where they live,” Lapointe said.

“That’s why the Liberal Party has a plan to work with the provinces and territories to better support our seniors and the people who care for them.”

Last week, the Liberal Party announced a plan to train up to 50,000 new personal support workers and raise their wages, with a guaranteed minimum wage of at least $25 per hour. 

This investment would be used to improve the quality and availability of long-term care beds, Lapointe said.

The Liberal plan also calls for the creation of a new Safe Long-Term Care Act, which would set new national standards of care in the long-term care sector. 

The Liberal Party is committed to working with the provinces and territories to make long-term care homes safer and more accessible.

To help seniors stay in their homes, the Liberal plan will double the Home Accessibility Tax Credit to provide up to an additional $1,500.

Earlier this year, the federal government announced a 10 per cent raise in old age security for those aged 75 and older starting in July 2022, providing an estimated $766 in extra benefits to 3.3 million retirees.

“We need to do better for our seniors, as evidenced during COVID,” Lapointe said. “This government has made a serious commitment to the wellbeing of seniors here in Sudbury.”


 

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