A woman in Prince Edward Island, aged 105 and residing in long-term care, is facing a significant financial challenge as she no longer qualifies for provincial assistance by a mere $75. The daughter of the elderly woman, June Rigden, expressed her concern over the situation, stating that her mother, Verna Phillips, who has been in long-term care for over two years, now faces an additional monthly expense of approximately $2,000 to maintain her current living arrangements due to the loss of government support.
Rigden emphasized the hardship her mother would face in relocating at her age and highlighted the unjust nature of the subsidy withdrawal. The province offers a subsidy program to aid residents with nursing home costs, with Rigden noting that Phillips had always met the eligibility criteria until this year when a slight increase in her pension income pushed her above the subsidy threshold by $75, resulting in a significant financial burden of $24,000 annually to maintain her current level of care.
Health P.E.I. and the Department of Health and Wellness acknowledged that while 85% of long-term care residents receive assistance, changes in income can lead to subsidy loss. Rigden’s appeal against the subsidy termination was unsuccessful initially, but subsequent adjustments to the income threshold by the province now potentially allow her mother to qualify for the subsidy once again, with the new threshold set at a net annual income of less than $44,250.40.
Rigden remains hopeful that her mother’s case will be reassessed, advocating for a more flexible system to prevent sudden subsidy cuts for seniors, particularly those over 100 years of age. She urges for a fairer approach that considers individual circumstances and proposes a sliding scale system to avoid similar situations for other vulnerable seniors. Rigden continues to engage with Health P.E.I. in the hopes of securing financial assistance for her mother and potentially helping other seniors facing similar challenges.
