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The provincial government is expanding its caregiver benefit program.
The program pays family and friends to take care of people with physical or mental impairments in their homes. About 650 caregivers currently work within the system.
An injection of $1.85 million will increase the number of caregivers to 1,000, the province announced Friday.
Changes to the program, including who can qualify, go into effect Dec. 1.
Health Minister Maureen MacDonald said the announcement is part of a commitment to help roughly 600 more seniors stay in their homes longer.
Caregivers receive $400 a month for a minimum of 20 hours' work per week. The people they care for must be low-income and have severe mental or physical restrictions.
The province also announced $100,000 to launch the Personal Alert Assistance Program.
The program would provide up to $480 a year to eligible seniors to purchase a personal alert assistance service.
Low-income seniors who live alone, receive publicly funded home care services, have a history of recent falls and use a cane, walker or wheelchair are eligible.
The program is expected to have 200 clients when it begins Jan. 1.
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