Question Period Note: Elder Abuse

• Our government takes the physical, mental and financial wellbeing
and safety of Elders seriously.
• Indigenous Services Canada provides funding to First Nations
communities and organizations to administer and deliver health
and social programs that support elders living on reserve, such
as the First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care
Program, Assisted Living, Healthy Living and Income Assistance
Programs.
• First Nations are best placed to make decisions about programs
and services funded by Indigenous Services Canada, including
the supports relative to the safety and security of Elders.
• We are committed to working with First Nations communities
and organizations to address this important issue, while
supporting First Nations-led approaches.

Members of First Nations communities who live on-reserve and have chronic illnesses or
disabilities as well as seniors, receive help through the Assisted Living Program, which provides
daily living supports that help people maintain their independence and stay in their homes and
communities. In 2023-24, this program helped over 10,000 on-reserve residents, on an incometested
basis, providing non-medical services that included in-home care, adult foster care and
long-term care facilities.
Indigenous Services Canada’s First Nations and Inuit Home and Community Care Program
provides funding for medical home and community care services, such as in-home nursing and
personal care, in-home respite services, as well as palliative and end-of-life care to over 30,000
First Nations and Inuit, most of which are seniors, so that they receive the health care they need
in their homes and home communities. Community based staff working in this program are
supported via training, workshops and resources, for example the National First Nations
RE:AC, to understand the complex dynamics of abuse and neglect, to learn their roles and
responsibilities, and on how to prevent and respond to Elder abuse.
Long-term and Continuing Care Engagement:
To better support First Nations and Inuit individuals living with chronic illnesses and disabilities,
as well as seniors, Budget 2019 provided $8.5 million for ISC to work with First Nations and Inuit
communities on developing a new and more holistic long-term care continuum. This is a joint
initiative between Indigenous Services Canada’s Assisted Living and First Nations and Inuit
Home and Community Care programs. As part of the 2022 Fall Economic Statement, an
additional $10.1M was announced to continue the efforts of co-developing distinctions-based
policy options for a new Long-Term and Continuing Care framework that includes $2.8M for
Métis-led engagement activities.
First Nations and Inuit-led engagement activities concluded in 2022 and was followed by the
publication of national First Nations and Inuit summary reports. The First Nations engagement
identified elder abuse as a priority, and co-development discussions with First Nation partners
have included ways to address this important issue. redacted information

If pressed on long-term care on-reserve
• Indigenous Services Canada is working with Indigenous
communities and organizations to support a new distinctions based
holistic long-term and continuing care strategy.
• This will inform a more responsive, culturally-safe, and
integrated continuum of health and social long-term care
services.
• Indigenous led engagement was completed in Fall 2022, with
Indigenous Services Canada currently co-developing policy with
First Nation and Inuit partners. Discussions have included
addressing the needs of Elders, including in relation to abuse.
• We will continue to work with Indigenous partners to better
support the safety, security and well-being of Elders.

If pressed on support for Elders through federal programs
• Multiple federal programs, policies and initiatives exist that
support the well-being of elders.
• ISC has been working alongside ESDC (Economic and Social
Development Canada) in their federal leadership work related to
changing culture and public awareness related to preventing the
mistreatment of older adults. This work will help inform federal
programming and policies aimed at addressing the mistreatment
of older adults and is expected to be finalized in 2024.

If pressed on mental health supports in Manitoba
redacted information