Personal care homes and community care homes in this province will receive financial support from government to accept more residents who require a higher level of care.

The Department of Health and Community Services announced today it has increased monthly rates provided for government-subsidized beds.

The additional annual investment of approximately $15.4-million will provide operators with increased subsidy rates, allowing them to support residents with higher-care needs, help with recruitment and retention of personal care home workers and allow for patients currently in acute beds to receive care in personal care homes.

Personal care homes provide care and accommodations to seniors and older adults who require assistance with daily living. Community care homes province accommodations and supervision to individuals with persistent mental illness.

“Our personal care homes play a pivotal role in the continuum of care for seniors across this province,” Beverly Russell, president of Quality Living Alliance for Seniors said.

“Today’s announcement will allow us to expand the delivery of care to welcome more complex needs seniors to our homes and will enable us to offer much deserved wage increases to our devoted personal care attendants.”

Russell will join Shaun Lane, president of the Personal Care Home Owners Association of Newfoundland and Labrador, and Tom Osborne, Minister of Health and Community Services, who will speak to reporters this afternoon about the subsidy increases.