Some Nova Scotian seniors will be able to qualify for a one-time $250 emergency heating grant, which the province says will allow more seniors to “live well at home.”
In a release, Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams said the money is an expansion of the Seniors Care Grant, which provides up to $500 to low-income seniors each year for things like lawn care, small household repairs, grocery and medication delivery, and transportation.
With this change, eligible seniors can get up to $750 this fiscal year. Applications open on Sept. 1.
“We know that the cost of many of the things we need every day is rising, and that is having an impact on many Nova Scotia seniors who can least afford it,” said Adams in the release.
“We have always said that we would look for new ways to meet the needs of seniors and expanding this already successful program will provide more support so that they can live with dignity and respect.”
The heating grant is open to those who have already received the Seniors Care Grant and the Heating Assistance Rebate Program in the past year. The grant can help pay for the cost of oil, wood, electricity and other energy sources, the release said.
In order to be eligible for the Seniors Care Grant, applicants must:
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- Be 65 or older;
- Have an annual net household income of $37,500 or less;
- Live independently in a home they own or rent, either by themselves or with a spouse or partner.
Those eligible also need to keep receipts for work or services provided.
The release said the Seniors Care Grant has also expanded the list of services covered to help seniors stay in their homes longer. This includes the cost of telephone or internet services, eye exams, dental work, mental health supports, physical therapy, occupational therapy, massage and foot care.
“With these additions, the Seniors Care Grant is expected to use its entire $29.1 million budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year,” the release said.
So far, the province said 27,394 grants have been distributed, totalling more than $13 million.
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