Richmond Hill, ON, September 25, 2018 – This morning, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development, visited Mon Sheong Richmond Hill Long-Term Care Centre and Adult Day Centre. While visiting seniors, he took the opportunity to announce the progress made on Employment Insurance benefits. The changes made to EI will provide more support to caregivers. This is very exciting news and Mon Sheong Foundation is delighted to have been a part of this announcement.

The improvements include providing access to a new benefit of up to 15 weeks for caregivers who provide care to a critically ill or injured adult family member, and, for the first time, immediate and extended family members of children who are critically ill have access to a new benefit that was previously available only to parents, and much more. These updates will bring more relief to caregivers and their families.

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos said, “Every Canadian’s situation is unique. By making EI caregiving, maternity and parental benefits and leaves more flexible, inclusive and easier to access, we are providing hard-working middle-class Canadian families with more options to better balance their work and life responsibilities.” He visited seniors in the facility and took part in their morning exercise routine, before making his announcement. After, members of Mon Sheong Foundation’s board invited the minister to tour the Richmond Hill long-term care centre and the Adult Day Centre. He was impressed with the facility’s many services and took the time to meet and greet residents before leaving.

Mon Sheong Foundation’s CEO, Stephanie Wong, said, “We are delighted that Minister Duclos chose to share his special announcement concerning caregivers at our facility. Our long-term care residents and Adult Day Program participants were thrilled to have Minister Duclos join them in their morning activity today. We have had the Prime Minister and several MPs visit our facilities this year, so we are glad to see the federal government is keeping the Chinese community in mind.”

Mon Sheong has always supported taking care of caregivers. Mon Sheong Foundation Adult Day Program is community-based, promoting participant independence and wellbeing while supporting and providing relief to caregivers. Mon Sheong has also created 142 Private Care units in Markham and Richmond Hill, allowing seniors that are not yet admitted to a long-term care centre to have either a short or long-term stay. This would give caregivers some necessary relief and/or provide more around-the-clock care for seniors.