The Veterans Independence Program, managed by Veterans Affairs Canada, provides among other benefits, housekeeping and groundskeeping to veterans as a top up to provincial programs so that veterans are able to remain in their homes for a longer period of time than otherwise would be possible. In this way the program enhances the quality of life of the veteran and frequently delays being institutionalized in a long-term care facility. In that way the program is also less of a burden on the taxpayer. The spouse of the veteran will benefit collaterally in that she benefits from the housekeeping and groundskeeping in their common residence.

Under current policy, VAC continues the Veterans Independence Program for one year following the death of the veteran. While this provides a short period of cushioning to the spouse of the veteran, at the end of the one year, the spouse is cut off from the benefits. In many instances this then means the surviving spouse must enter a long-term care facility for want of home support. The cost to provide VIP benefits is between $2,000 to $3,000 per year per client for housekeeping and groundskeeping. Long-term care costs on the other hand are in the order of $50,000 to $80,000 per person per year. Much of the long-term care cost is ultimately covered by the Canadian taxpayer. The net result is that for the want of a $2,000 to $3,000 program, Canadian taxpayers are faced with expending thousands of dollars per year more than was the case if Veterans Independence Program benefits had continued.

Legion members fully understand that it is provincial tax dollars and not federal tax dollars that fill this gap, however with federal-provincial partnerships firmly entrenched in the fabric of our society, there are a number of innovative ways that the government can approach the issue to reduce the cost to the taxpayer. The Legion urges VAC to enter into agreements with the provinces to manage the Veterans Independence Program for surviving spouses of the veterans with funding provided by provincial health authorities who otherwise would have to pick up the cost of long-term care. Veterans Affairs officials have often cited the high cost of providing program benefits to surviving spouses as a reason for not implementing the change. This model would eliminate that objection.

As a Legion member it is important that you are aware of this priority issue which the Legion seeks to resolve by having the VIP benefits extended to a spouse of a veteran for the life of the surviving spouse as long as the need for the program continues to exist.

You are encouraged, by the resolution passed at the last dominion convention and by the Legion executive to talk about this among your comrades at the branch, with municipal and provincial authorities and in any way you can help spread the message so that progress can be made. At the same time that you are assisting in raising an awareness at branch level, the executive at Dominion Command and at provincial level will continue to do their utmost to achieve the resolution on this issue passed at the dominion convention in Edmonton last June and make it a reality.

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Important New Facts about the Veterans Independence Program
The Government of Canada is extending the VIP housekeeping and/or grounds maintenance service for life to qualifying survivors of deceased Veterans.  Where there was no survivor at the time of death, another primary care giver may be considered.

These services are provided to Veterans and their survivors or other primary care givers to help them live independently in their own homes.

You may be eligible if:

- You are a survivor or another primary care giver of a Veteran who has died since September 1, 1990; and
- The Veteran was receiving these benefits at the time of death or the Veteran was receiving these benefits and died within a year of being admitted to a health facility.