Re: "Divorce a last resort for elderly?," Lethbridge Herald, Nov. 17.
Involuntary separation does not mean couples are divorcing.
When a senior couple's living arrangements change, for reasons beyond their control, such as when one partner needs to reside in a care facility because of increased care needs, the federal government requires the couple to fill out a form titled: Statutory Declaration - Separation of Legal Spouses or Common-law Partners.
While this is the same federal form someone would fill out if they were getting a divorce, directly on the form it asks the reasons for your separation. Here is where the couple would indicate "involuntary separation due to one partner moving to a care facility."
To recognize the increased accommodation costs of keeping two separate residences, federal and provincial programs provide additional supports to couples who are involuntarily separated.
Although the federal government requires seniors to fill out this form, here at home in Alberta we do not. In Alberta, for senior couples to maximize their benefits when they can no longer live together because of a change in their care needs, they simply need to notify the Alberta Seniors Benefit program of the change and their file is updated automatically. Their income is combined and divided by two so that each spouse is assessed as a single senior rather than as a couple, and their benefits reflect this change.
Alberta assists low-income seniors with their accommodation costs by providing financial assistance through the Alberta Seniors Benefit program. In order to determine benefits you may be eligible for, please use the online Seniors Benefits Estimator, available at www.seniors.alberta.ca/Seniors/
BenefitEstimator/.
To ensure your Alberta Seniors Benefit program file is up to date, or if you have questions, please call the Alberta Supports Contact Centre at 1-877-644-9992.
Chi Loo
Assistant Deputy Minister
Alberta Seniors