Ste. Anne's Hospital

Mental Health

New Table of Disabilities

Care for the Caregiver

Quick Links

• Assistance Service
• Notice to Physicians and Pharmacists
• Entitlement Guidelines
• Table of Disabilities
• Medical Questionnaires
• Alzheimer Wandering Registry Program for Veterans
• Amendments to Veterans Affairs Canada's Treatment Benefits
• National Framework on Aging Seniors Policies and Programs Database
• Seniors Canada On-line (external link)
• Salute!

Providers & Professionals

At the federal level, the Department is active in interdepartmental discussions on matters affecting seniors, including the Interdepartmental Committee on Aging and Seniors Issues (IDC-ASI). VAC also is an active member of the IDC-ASI's National Framework for Aging Working Group and the lead department in a Caregiving Working Group.

In recognition of the benefits gained through the sharing of knowledge, the Department has been active in consultation, research and partnership collaboration. For example, the Gerontological Advisory Council was formed in October 1997 to help advise VAC on policies, services and trends impacting Canada's aging veteran population. Also, the VAC-Canadian Forces Advisory Council was created in July 2000 to advise the Department in its efforts to meet the complex needs of CF clients and their families.

VAC's reputation for expertise on the subject of aging is solidified by Departmental Gerontologist, Dr. David Pedlar. As the winner of a prestigious international award for a research paper on care giving, Dr. Pedlar notes that as part of VAC's Client Centred Service Approach both clients and their family caregivers are now included in the client needs assessment process.

Additionally, the Review of Veterans' Care Needs (RVCN) is a policy and research effort that is facilitating our commitment to best meet the changing needs of all clients. To respond to our clients' demographic and health changes, VAC is adopting a service philosophy built on best practices in Client Services, one that identifies individual client's needs and then determines how best to provide assistance. Abstracts of a number of research papers can be found on this site along with access to obtaining the entire report.

We anticipate the development of evidence-based programs and policies will further cement the Department's reputation as a centre of excellence in the field of aging, as well as facilitate Departmental efforts to maintain a national treatment and services program that recognizes the evolving needs of all clients.