Difference between revisions of "Introduction to Legal Issues in Admission and Transfer in Residential Care"

As previously noted, the statutory authority for client rates is covered by the Continuing  Care Fees Regulation. The person may have low income, or may have higher income but his or her spouse is still living at home. If paying the full client rate would cause serious financial hardship, the resident or his or her substitute may apply for a temporary reduction of the rate.

This is referred to as a “hardship waiver” in the regulations. The Ministry of Health and health authorities use the term “temporary rate reductions”. These waivers or reductions are also available for other costs such as wheelchair fees. Residents and families may not be unaware these waivers exist, how to apply, or the need to re-apply annually. For others, the fact these are referred are called hardship waivers is itself embarrassing and stigmatizing,([[{{PAGENAME}}#References|20]]) especially given the fact that many older people and their families do not want to be thought of as “charity cases”.