BILL NO. 47

(as introduced)

1st Session, 63rd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
66 Elizabeth II, 2017

Private Member's Bill

Homes for Special Care Act
(amended)

The Honourable Jamie Baillie
Cumberland South

First Reading: October 13, 2017

(Explanatory Note)

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

This Bill establishes a Seniors' Bill of Rights for seniors in a residential care facility, a nursing home or a home for aged or disabled persons and provides for its display and enforcement.

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 Subsection 2(1) of Chapter 203 of the Revised Statutes, 1989, the Homes for Special Care Act, as amended by Chapter 17 of the Acts of 2010, is further amended by adding immediately after clause (m) the following clause:

(ma) "Seniors' Bill of Rights" means the list of rights enumerated under subsection 8F(1);

8F (1) Every licensee shall ensure that the following rights of resident seniors are fully respected and promoted:

(a) the right to be treated with courtesy and respect and in a way that fully recognizes the senior's individuality and respects the senior's dignity;

(b) the right to be protected from abuse;

(c) the right to be properly sheltered, clothed, groomed, and cared for in a manner consistent with the senior's needs;

(d) the right to high quality, nutritious meals that comply with the senior's dietary needs;

(e) the right to live in a safe and clean environment;

(f) the right to exercise the rights of a citizen;

(g) the right to be afforded privacy in treatment and in caring for the senior's personal needs;

(h) the right to keep and display personal possessions, pictures and other furnishings in the senior's room, subject to safety requirements and the rights of other residents;

(i) when dying or very ill, the right to have family and friends present 24 hours per day;

(j) the right to live in the same facility as his or her spouse as long as the placement does not negatively impact the health of either of the spouses;

(k) the right to participate in the life of the facility;

(l) the right to have the senior's lifestyle choices respected;

(m) the right to pursue social, cultural, religious, spiritual and other interests, to develop the senior's potential and to be given reasonable assistance to pursue those interests and to develop that potential.

(2) A licensee shall display the Seniors' Bill of Rights in a prominent location in every facility for which the licensee holds a license.

(3) A resident senior may enforce the Seniors' Bill of Rights against the licensee as though the senior and licensee had entered into a contract under which the licensee had fully agreed to fully respect and promote all of the rights set out in the Seniors' Bill of Rights.

(fa) governing how rights set out in the Seniors' Bill of Rights must be respected and promoted by licensees;