The minister of Seniors, Marguerite Blais, filed Thursday, bill 56, which aims to better support the action of these relatives, who are dedicated to older people.
Share
June 11, 2020 15h22
Share
A law and a national policy that will guide the caregivers
Jocelyne Richer
The Canadian Press
A law, a national policy, a plan of action, an observatory: the government Legault intends to increase the means being designed to recognize, and to better frame the role played by family caregivers.
The minister of Seniors, Marguerite Blais, filed Thursday, bill 56, which aims to better support the action of these relatives, who are dedicated to older people.
In the press conference, she described the gesture as”historic”.
Quebec wants to better recognise their contribution. According to government estimates, there would be 1.6 million family caregivers in Quebec.
By this law, the government also has the intention of creating an Observatory québec near aidance, who will provide information “reliable and objective” on the near-aidance.
It will also have to submit to the government of “indicators to measure quality of life, health and well-being of the people close to helping”, while evaluating the impact of the government’s actions made to their intention.
It also provides for a government action plan for carers will need to be prepared every five years.
The different departments will need to take into account the guiding principles of the future national policy in their programs and services.
Bill 56 will not be able to be reviewed and adopted before the autumn.
How do you define a caregiver? It is in the eyes of the law “any person who continuously or occasionally, provides significant support to a member of his entourage who has a temporary disability or a permanent and with whom she shares an emotional connection, whether it is family or not.”
The support in question must be offered as non-professional, in an informal setting.
It can take different forms: assistance with transportation, personal care or with housework.
On the financial plan, an analysis will be made as to whether Quebec will continue to support organizations that offer respite to their caregivers or whether it will opt instead to pay them money directly, ” said Ms. Blais.
Quebec has committed to provide more respite services for family caregivers, often faced with living in distress because of the heaviness of the task.
The minister emphasized that the law will have a direct impact and concrete, since the health network will have the legal obligation to “evaluate health and well-being of the person close to the helping professions and especially not to use it”.
