Indian and Northern Affairs Canada's (INAC) Assisted Living program helps First Nations people with functional limitations (because of age, health problems or disability), to maintain their independence, to maximize their level of functioning, and to live in conditions of health and safety.

There are three components to the Assisted Living program:

• in-home care, which provides homemaker services;
• foster care, which provides supervision and care in a family setting; and
• institutional care, which provides services in Type I and II institutions*.

*Type I is residential care for individuals requiring only limited supervision and assistance with daily living activities for short periods of time each day, and Type II is extended care for individuals requiring some personal care on a 24 hour basis, under medical and nursing supervision. Individuals requiring more intensive levels of medical care (i.e. Types III, IV and V) are considered the responsibility of health authorities.

Background

The INAC Assisted Living Program is one of INAC's social programs, which include Child & Family Services, Income Assistance, Children's Programs, Family Violence Prevention and other social services that address individual and family well-being. It is a complementary initiative to Health Canada's Home & Community Care Program.  It also ties into Health Canada's Non-insured Health Benefits Program.  The Assisted Living Program is primarily directed at serving the needs of the elderly.

The Assisted Living Program is consistent with the federal government's general policy to provide First Nations people on-reserve with access to services which are comparable to services provided by the provinces to other Canadians. A 1984 Memorandum of Understanding between INAC and Health Canada sets out the respective areas of responsibility of each department. Although INAC does provide funding for institutional care, in 1988 a moratorium was placed upon the construction of new on-reserve personal care homes, placing greater emphasis on in-home care.

Eligibility

Assisted Living services are provided to registered First Nations individuals living on-reserve, who have functional limitations because of age, health problems or disability and who require care. The program is administered by First Nations officers who assess the financial and social needs of individuals.

More Information

For further information on the Assisted Living Program in your community, contact the INAC regional office nearest you.