**** NS Government Media Release
More Support for Home Care, Improved Safety
Government is taking steps to make sure Nova Scotians who want to continue living at home have the support they need, while the people who care for them have the right tools to do their jobs safely.
Government will invest $1.86 million into more safety equipment and training for home support workers.
“We are committed to helping home care workers provide safe, quality care for our loved ones”, said Health and Wellness Minister Randy Delorey. “These investments will provide staff access to new training and tools to help provide that care.”
An investment of $1.36 million will support education and training opportunities through groups like the Health Care Human Resource Sector Council and LearnSphere, and non-violent crisis intervention training for nurses.
Five-hundred-thousand-dollars will be used to buy equipment including slider sheets and transfer belts. This will help home support workers move and lift clients more easily and safely and help prevent workplace injuries.
“This is a welcome investment in the health system” said Jeff Densmore, regional executive director for the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON), Nova Scotia. “Ensuring that VON nurses and Continuing Care Assistants are able to provide care without risking their own health is key to our ability to serve our clients well. We look forward to the improvements this will bring.”
Funding for this initiative comes from the Canada-Nova Scotia Home and Community Care and Mental Health and Addiction Services Funding Agreement.
This builds on a similar investment in March, when government announced $2.5 million for long-term care facilities to have better access to mattresses and lifts for long-term care homes across the province.