Grants, subsidies and free emergency information kits are just three resources available for seniors in the Neepawa & District Area that many people may not know about. 

The Emergency Response Information Kit (ERIK) is used in home emergency cases. It provides Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responders with all the pertinent information about the patient in situations where the patient isn't able to convey the information themselves. The kit is meant to be attached to your fridge where EMS responders are trained to look for it. It includes the Manitoba Health ID, a list of medications, and proxy information so that the EMS team can take immediate proper action or treatment during emergency cases.

Kits can be picked up at the local Home Assistance Neepawa & District (HAND) office.

Michelle Kasprick is the HAND Senior Resource Coordinator. She emphasizes the need to regularly update it when needed and that this kit is not only available for Seniors but for anyone who needs it.

Recently added to the ERIK is the new Patient/ Resident/ Client Advocate Agreement. “What this does is that you choose a person. Keeping in mind that this is confidential information so you want to be fairly confident in who you’re choosing. And it’s just giving that person the access to go with you to your medical appointments, to ask questions on your behalf, explain things to you, be present in a room for exams, and such. Then you have that person sign and date it and again if there’s changes, [or] if you change a person, do a new one and destroy the old one.” said Kasprick.

HAND is also in partnership with Victoria Lifeline which offers subsidies for seniors on safety monitoring products and services. “I’m finding a lot of people don’t know about it and for people that are on pension only, it’s quite easy to qualify really because if your income is $16,000 or less on your notice of assessment, then you likely qualify and if you are a couple, if you’re married, then your household income if it is $24,000 or less, you qualify. And that just really cuts the cost of Lifeline and I think that it deters a lot of people because they think that they can’t afford it but it’s very very affordable and so necessary," said Kasprick. Seniors in the area can phone the HAND office for assistance.

Another opportunity for seniors is the Hearing Aid Grant. It provides $2,000 for hearing aids every five years if a person meets the eligibility requirements. To be eligible a person must be a resident of Manitoba, aged 60 years old or older and have a household income of $80,000 or less. Kasprick mentioned that the application process is also simple and that you need to fill out a form and phone in.