News release

Government Wants to Hear from Nova Scotians About Home Care, Op-Ed

Health and Wellness

NOTE: The following is an op-ed piece from Health and Wellness Minister Leo Glavine.


There has been a lot of talk lately about home care in our province. I would like to be clear that government is absolutely committed to quality home care in Nova Scotia.

Nova Scotians want to stay in their homes as long as possible and this government is committed to helping people do just that. To support people, we need a well-funded, quality home-care system that meets the needs of Nova Scotians.

This is why, since 2013, government has added $44 million to the home-care budget. We now support 15,539 clients, and taxpayers spend $241 million a year on home-care service. This is almost a quarter of a billion dollars.

Despite this investment, it is clear there are still challenges: the population is rapidly aging, there are wait lists, accountability measures need tightening and we need a more efficient system.

This is why government is working on measures to improve the system -- a plan that will put the needs of clients first.

To ensure this plan meets the needs of Nova Scotians, we need to hear from home-care clients and their caregivers. We need to hear from average Nova Scotians about what they expect from home care as they and their families age.

So, in the coming days, I will be reaching out to begin a discussion with all Nova Scotians about the future of our home-care system and what people expect. This discussion will help government move forward with a plan to improve home-care service delivery in the province.

When we begin our survey, I encourage all Nova Scotians to participate. It will be our chance to help shape the future of home care.