October 2018

Legislative authority

Section 7 of the Act.
Sections 1(1), 7, and 43 of Regulation 134/98.

Audit requirements

Adequate documentation is on file to support the issuance of assistance to persons in long-term care homes.

Decisions about the maintenance or reduction of assistance are documented on file.

Application of policy

Administrators can issue an amount of $149 per month for personal needs to applicants or recipients residing in a long-term care home. This includes long-term care homes licensed under the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007.

Applicants or recipients who are admitted to long-term care homes for a short stay and are retaining their community accommodation shall receive their full income assistance for up to six months. After six months, assistance is reduced to $149 per month.

In situations where the applicant or recipient enters a long-term care home and is not retaining community accommodation, the amount of assistance is set at or reduced to $149 per month for each member of the benefit unit residing in the long-term care home, unless other income exceeds this amount.

Applicants or recipients living in long-term care homes are considered to be residents of the municipality in which they resided immediately prior to being admitted to the long-term care home. The following examples explain how to determine geographic residency for the purposes of cost-sharing.

Example 1

A participant is admitted to a long-term care home in Kenora. Previously, the recipient was living with his/her daughter in Whitefish Lake First Nation.

The recipient is considered to be a resident of Whitefish Lake First Nation, since Whitefish Lake First Nation was the immediate residence prior to admittance into the long-term care home.

Example 2

A recipient is admitted to a long-term care home in London. Previously, the recipient was living with his/her daughter in Strathroy, however the recipient had recently signed a lease to live in London.

The recipient is considered to be a resident of London, since he/she clearly intended to re-locate to London before being admitted into the long-term care home.

Example 3

A recipient is admitted to a long-term care home in London. Previously, the recipient was living with his/her daughter in Strathroy. The recipient had left the daughter’s home to receive treatment in a London hospital, and was admitted to the long-term care home directly from the hospital.

The recipient is considered to be a resident of Strathroy, since institutions (e.g., hospitals) are not considered to be places of ordinary residence.