New Brunswick

Long Term Care Program

Complex application

Need you to file taxes and apply separately

The Long Term Care Program may help seniors cover a portion of the cost of your caregiver support and home support services. The type of help can be someone to guide or supervise you doing a task safely, or someone doing the task for you.

Your eligibility for the program will not be based on a medical diagnosis.  Instead, it is based on whether you need regular help over a long period of time that your spouse, family member or a friend is unable to support you with.

Through the Long Term Care Program you will be assessed, have a plan developed and services coordinated that best meet your goals.  You may even qualify for financial help towards the cost of services.  If you prefer not to go through the Long Term Care program you can get many of these supports on your own.

You can also choose to manage your own long-term care services, using Self-Managed Support, a new option from the Long Term Care Program that lets you get funding directly.

To qualify for the Long Term Care Program, you need to meet all of the following criteria:

  • You must be 65 years of age or older.
  • You live in New Brunswick.
  • You consent to an assessment of your personal care and social needs, which is called a functional assessment.
  • You are medically stable. This means you are currently not getting care and treatment that will significantly improve your condition.
  • You have limited ability to do your daily activities and have personal care needs that are currently not met by someone else.
  • You need services on a long-term basis.
  • You consent to financial assessment, if applicable*

Financial assessments are only needed if you feel you cannot pay the full the cost of your services without a subsidy from Social Development.*

Whether or not you qualify for financial help will depend on your household income.  If you qualify for a financial help, the amount you pay for services will be determined through a financial assessment.  This assessment looks at both your household income and the total cost of services.  For more information on how to qualify financially read the Standard Family Contribution from Income (pdf).

Notice of Assessment

A statement from Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to each taxpayer, every year, after you have filed a tax return. It tells you the amount of income tax you owe, or the amount of the refund you will get.

Everyone who applies for the Long Term Care Program will go through an application process to find out if they qualify for services and, where applicable, financial help.

Anyone can start the process, but if you are not calling for yourself, please ensure you have permission from that person. You must have ALL the following information for the older adult who would like to apply for services when you call:

  • Full name
  • Date of Birth
  • Phone Number
  • Address
  • Description of the type activities you need help with and the reason you need the help.

You can apply in two ways:

Your information will be shared with a Social Worker within the Department of Social Development. If you are applying for financial help, your information will also be shared with a Financial Needs Assessor within the Department of Social Development. Two assessments may need to be completed: A Functional Assessment by the Social Worker and optionally, a Financial Assessment by the Financial Needs Assessor.

The time it takes to complete the assessment process will vary depending on such things as how long it takes you to return the financial documents, your health status or your Social Worker needing more information from other professionals (such as, your family physician, Extra Mural Nurse or Occupational Therapist or Mental Health professional).

You can learn more about the full application process on the Long Term Care program website.

Last updated: May 27, 2021