Angry seniors demand answers about nursing home fee changes

The minister responsible for nursing homes in the province met withmore than 100angry seniorsin Fredericton on Friday to answer questionsaboutcontroversial changes to how nursing home fees are calculated.

But Social Development Minister Cathy Rogers could not answer a key onrabout the value of seniors' homes.

Starting in the fall, the cap that limits what seniors pay to $113 per day will be removed for those whom the government deemscan afford to pay.

"For those who cannot afford to pay, nothing will change. Long-term care will continue to be subsidized," Rogers stressed during the meeting,organized by members of theCoalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights, and the Canadian Association of Retired Persons.

But the governmentwill start including money in seniors' bank accounts in deciding whether they're eligible for subsidies for nursing home costs.

Thevalue of their homes won't be considered, butDebbie McCormack travelledfrom Saint John to ask the minister what will happen if seniors like her mother selltheir home and put the money in the bank.

"Will the money from the family home be included in her assets?"

I've been collecting people's ideas into what they think is fair and reasonable, and this will definitely be included in the design of a policy.- Cathy Rogers, social development minister

Rogers says she still hasn't decided.

"At this point, I have been collecting everyone's input, which is what we said we would do. Which is why we didn't have the details to announce immediately," she told reporters after the meeting at the Fredericton Legion.

"I've been collecting people's ideas into what they think is fair and reasonable, and this will definitely be included in the design of a policy."

The measures were announced in the budget,but Rogers says she's consulting with seniors to figure out the details.

McCormack urged Rogers to scrap the changes.

"I would suggest to the minister that you back to the drawing board and look at what we wanted when we went to the [budget consultation] sessions, which was, increase the HST,"she said to applause.

Rogers replied that raising the sales tax is "in some ways, a lazy way to find a solution," which was greeted with boos and jeers.

"I'm not saying it's off the table," she added.