Accessibility Tools

Municipal Office - 2357 Highway 206, P.O. Box 120, Arichat, Nova Scotia B0E 1A0
(902) 226-2400, Toll Free: 1-800-567-2600

Seniors Resources and Support

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Photo Credit: Derrick Cameron

 Senior Resources and Supports

Calendar of Events 

 The Seniors Take Action Coalition's Community Calendar is now online and updated every week. View or print it at www.seniorstakeaction.ca/calendar.

Printed copies are available in the foyer of the Municipal Administration Building. and can also be viewed daily at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Telile Community Television, in English and French

 Comfort Centre List

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 To view the list of comfort centers in Richmond County, updated October 3, 2023,  pdf visit, Comfort Center List.(144 KB)

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 Grants and Programs

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Age-Friendly Communities Grant

Department - Organization: The Province of Nova Scotia

Description:

The Age-Friendly Communities Grant supports community-based initiatives that promote healthy aging and help older adults stay active, healthy, connected and engaged in their communities.

There are two types of funding available through the grant: project funding and planning funding.

Project funding:

Project funding supports organizations that are ready to deliver:

  • a new activity, program or service that benefits older adults
  • a meaningful expansion of an existing activity, program or service
  • work that strengthens an organizations or community’s ability to support older adults, such as training, outreach or practical resources

Projects can help older adults participate in community life, build social connections, stay active, learn, access programs and services, and live safely and independently.

Examples can include social and recreational activities, intergenerational programs, physical activity and healthy eating programs, community meals, digital literacy and educational activities, transportation and outreach initiatives, and training or resources that strengthen community capacity to support older adults.

Funding is not available simply to continue or repeat an existing program without meaningful changes.

Planning funding:

Planning funding is for organizations and communities that need to better understand an issue, consult older adults and community partners, explore possible solutions or develop a plan before taking action.

Planning can include needs assessments, research, community engagement, identifying gaps and barriers, or developing an age-friendly community plan or roadmap.

Planning initiatives must include an active local government partner and meaningfully engage older adults and relevant community partners throughout the process.

Deadline: November 19, 2026

Website: https://novascotia.ca/age-friendly-grant/

Contact: 

Department: Province of Nova Scotia 

Description

Heating Assistance Rebate Program

Department: Province of Nova Scotia 

Description: The Heating Assistance Rebate Program helps low-income Nova Scotians with the cost of home heating. Rebates are $400 for each household. You can apply 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Eligible home heating costs include:

  • heating oil
  • electric heat
  • natural gas heat
  • wood
  • wood pellets
  • coal
  • other heating sources

Ineligible home heating costs include:

  • heating that’s included in rent
  • electricity usage that’s less than 5,000 kWh per year
  • heating for investment or income properties
  • heating for seasonal or recreation properties
  • heating for commercial or business propertiesEligibility
    • have a 2025 net income of $30,000 or less and live alone with no kids or dependents
    • have a combined 2025 net household income of $45,000 or less and live with kids, dependents or other adults (to qualify as a single parent, you need to receive the Canada Child Benefit)
    • receive Income Assistance from the Department of Opportunities and Social Development
    • receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) or the Allowance from Service Canada
    If your personal or financial situation has significantly changed since you filed your income tax for 2025, you still may qualify. Contact the Department of Service Nova Scotia to find out if you qualify.How to apply
    1. Apply online for the rebate.
    2. Check the application for details on all required supporting documents.
    3. Submit your completed application and any supporting documents.
    4. Check your application status online (if you apply online).
    How long it takesIf your income tax refund is direct deposited, your heating assistance rebate is too. If not, your rebate is mailed to you.
  • It should take 8 weeks to get your rebate. It can take longer if more information is needed or if your application hasn’t been filled in correctly. If more information is required to process your rebate, we may contact you by mail or email.
  • You need to apply by 31 March 2027.
  • To qualify for the rebate, you need to pay for your own home (residential) heat and meet 1 of the following criteria:

Contact:

Phone: 902-424-5200
Toll-free: 1-800-670-4357

Website: https://www.novascotia.ca/apply-heating-assistance-rebate-heating-assistance-rebate-program

Deadline: March 31st 2027

 

Seniors Care Grant

Department: Organization: Province of Nova Scotia 

Description: 

The Seniors Care Grant helps low-income seniors with the cost of household services (like lawn care, snow removal, grocery delivery, transportation, small home repairs and phone service), healthcare services (like physiotherapy and mental health support) and home heating. Grants are $750 for each household. You can apply until 1 December 2026.

Grant amount

You can receive $750 if you qualify for the Seniors Care Grant.

Eligible household and healthcare services and home heating costs

Eligible household and healthcare services and home heating costs include services that help you stay in your home including:

  • cooking and meal preparation (excluding the cost of food)
  • grocery and meal delivery (excluding the cost of food)
  • healthcare services for your health and wellness (like foot care, physiotherapy and mental health support)
  • home heating (like furnace oil, natural gas, propane, firewood, wood pellets and electricity)
  • home heating repairs and regular heating maintenance
  • home cleaning, organizing and help with downsizing or moving
  • laundry
  • medication and prescription delivery (excluding the cost of medications and prescriptions)
  • outdoor work (like driveway maintenance, landscaping, lawn care, snow removal, stacking wood and tree removal)
  • phone, cellphone and internet services (excluding the cost of devices)
  • small home repairs (like windows, doors, roof, plumbing, electrical, decks, fencing, siding and painting)
  • transportation (like taxis, ride shares, shuttles and other methods of transportation) and public and community transit (like the bus, Access-A-Bus and ferry)

Ineligible household and healthcare services include the cost of:

  • devices (like phones, cellphones, computers, laptops and tablets)
  • food
  • medical and assistive devices (like eyeglasses, dentures, dental implants, braces, orthopedic supports and personal alerts)
  • medications, prescriptions, supplements and vitamins
Help with your application

The Seniors Care Grant can help you with the application process and answer questions about proof of income, home ownership or lease agreement, and receipts for household and healthcare services and home heating.

Receipts

Keep a copy of your receipts for household and healthcare services and home heating for your records. You only need to provide receipts if the Seniors Care Grant contacts you and asks you to provide receipts.

Acceptable receipts include receipts:

  • on a piece of paper or in a notebook (written or signed by the service provider)
  • in a receipt book (written or signed by the person or business providing the service)
  • from a business

Receipts need to include:

  • name of the person receiving the service
  • type of service received
  • cost of the service
  • date of the service
  • name and address of the person or business providing the service

Deadline: December 01, 2026

Website: Seniors Care Grant

 

Housing Repair and Accessibility Program 

Department/Organization: Provincial Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Description: 

The Housing Repair and Accessibility Program may fund up to $18,000 of eligible repair costs. For larger repair projects an additional $20,000 may be available as a repayable loan. The applicant or other sources need to fund the remaining balance of the costs.

The funding provides $10,000 as a grant and $8,000 as a forgivable loan. To have the loan forgiven, you must meet the loan conditions.

Eligible repairs

Eligible emergency repairs are repairs or issues in 1 or more of the 4 critical situation categories that represent a hazard to a property or occupants and may result in the occupants having to leave the home.

Eligible health and safety repairs are repairs or issues in 1 or more of the 4 critical situation categories that are less urgent but still require attention.

Critical situation categories include:

  • structural
  • electrical
  • plumbing
  • heating

Eligible costs

Eligible costs include:

  • material
  • labour
  • legal fees
  • related taxes

Costs are not eligible if you complete the work before you’re approved for the fundind

Eligibility

You can apply for funding if:

  • repairs are an emergency or required to maintain the safe occupancy of your home
  • you own and have lived in your home where the repairs will be applied for at least 1 year
  • your home is at least 5 years old
  • you have an annual pre-tax (gross) household income that’s not more than the income limits in the Housing Repair Guide
  • you don’t have the financial ability to pay for the repairs on your own based on your pre-tax (gross) household income and investments (households with more than $25,000 in investment assets are not eligible)
  • you haven’t received previous housing repair grants in the last 5 years, unless the repairs are eligible emergency repairs
  • you haven’t received previous housing repair loans in the last 15 years, unless the repairs are eligible emergency repairs
  • your property taxes are paid up to date or you have a payment plan in place with the local government for at least 3 months
  • your property value is no more than $360,000 in Halifax Regional Municipality and the County of East Hants or $280,000 in other regions of Nova Scotia

Eligible properties include:

  • single-family detached house
  • townhouse (semi-detached) or row house
  • condominium property (interiors only, not common spaces)
  • manufactured (mobile) home where ownership of the unit is verified

You also need to meet any additional eligibility criteria (like repair eligibility) outlined in the Housing Repair Guide.

 

Deadline: Continuous intake

Contact: 
Toll-free: 1-844-424-5110

Website: https://beta.novascotia.ca/accessible-housing-program

 

We Are Young 

Department: Organization: We Are Young - charitable organization 

Description: 

 We Are Young is a charity dedicated to empowering seniors by improving age-related barriers such as social isolation and loneliness, enhancing mental and physical well-being and restoring seniors' sense of purpose through creative, transformative wish fulfillment. These experience-based wishes create lasting memories, whether it's realizing a lifelong dream, rediscovering a passion, or reconnecting with loved ones. 

Through our work, we are challenging societal perceptions of aging and fostering a culture of inclusivity and respect, creating meaningful experiences that inspire individual and community-level change. 

Eligibility: 

  • 70 years or older
  • Permanent resident of Atlantic Canada or Ontario 
  • Has an experience- based wish they would like to see fulfilled
  • Can not fulfill their wish on their own

Deadline: Continuous intake

Contact: 
Tel: 902.701.8848

Email:

Website: weareyoung.ca 

 

For additional information on other grants and programs, visit Other Grants and Programs.

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Positive Aging Directory

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To view or download the 2026-2027 Positive Aging Directory.

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Senior Club List - Richmond County 

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  • Arichat - Isle Madame New Horizons Senior Citizens Club - Phone: 902-219-3102
  • Dundee / St. George’s Channel - South Mountain Golden Arms Association - Phone: 902-345-0495
  • Grand River – Grand River Seniors Club - Phone: 902-587-2143
  • L’Ardoise – L’Ardoise Jolly Seniors Club - Phone: 902- 302 2563  
  • Louisdale – Fleurs de Lis Seniors Club - Phone: 902-345-2232
  • Lower River – Riverdale’s Seniors Club 55 - Phone: 902-625-0166
  • River Bourgeois – River Bourgeois 50+ Seniors - Phone: 902-535-2141
  • Red Islands – Bras d’Or Lakes Seniors Club - Phone: 902 631-5643
  • St. Peter’s – Bonnie Brae Seniors Citizens Club - Phone: 902-535-2835
  • Petit de Grat - Le Regroupement des aînés de la Nouvelle-Écosse (RANE) - Phone: 902-226-0077

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 Seniors Information Line

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211 is available in English, French and a variety of other languages, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Nova Scotians can access 211 by phone, e-mail at , or go to ns.211.ca.

This service provides information on seniors' programs and services which include:

  • Discussing areas of concern
  • Help in accessing information dealing with government services and programs.

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 Senior Safety Program

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Dr. Kingston Memorial Community Health Centre
40 School Rd.
L'Ardoise, Richmond County,
Nova Scotia, B0E 1S0

General Inquiries: 902-587-2800
Fax: 902-587-2813

Hours of Operation

The hours of operation varies, please phone general inquiries at 902-587-2800.

Service Description

Helps seniors navigate local services that increase their safety, security, health and well-being. Provides presentations on and information about:

  • Falls prevention
  • Online, mail, phone, and door-to-door fraud and scams awareness
  • Mindfulness-based stress reduction
  • Elder abuse awareness

Eligibility

Open to all who identify as a senior.

Application Process

Call or email to request a presentation or service navigation assistance. There are not documents required for eligibility nor any fees.

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Senior Take Action Coalition

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The coalition assists, supports, and advocates to ensure all seniors' issues and concerns are addressed.

The Board of Directors of Seniors Take Action Coalition of Richmond County promotes an age-friendly community and is committed to engaging older adults to live healthy, safe, and active lives. The Coalition works together collaboratively to ensure the issues that impact older adults remain a priority in Richmond County.

For more information, go to Seniors Take Action Coalition on Facebook.

2024 Seniors Take Action Coalition year in review document.   pdf A Year at a Glance STAC 2024(324 KB)

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2025 Year At A Glance English

2025 A Year At A Glance French

 

STAC ANNUAL REPORT

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2024-2025 Annual Report - Check out the highlights for the past year!

Seniors Take Action Coalition of Richmond County is pleased to share the Annual Report for 2024-2025.

You can download the PDF version  pdf 2024-2025 STAC Annual Report(15.01 MB) or view online using the following link: https://online.pubhtml5.com/qkgt/qnis/

Other Editions

2023-2024 Annual Report

If you would like to learn more about the work of the Seniors Take Action Coalition of Richmond County in the past year, check out their annual report.

To view or download your own PDF copy, go to  pdf STAC Annual Report 2023-2024(1.80 MB)

To access an online version, visit https://online.pubhtml5.com/qkgt/jvsa/

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Acting Collectively Project

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Aging adults can live at home longer, healthier, and more independently when there are community support and services in place to meet their needs. The ACTing Collectively project is a local and collaborative effort to improve the well-being and safety of aging adults in Cape Breton. The project launched summer of 2022 in Richmond County, Victoria County, and the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Adults 65 and older, living in these communities are invited to take part in this project by having a one-hour conversation about what they need to live well in their local communities. Individuals taking part in the interviews will receive a list of local resources they can contact to address their needs. Information on identified needs and resources available to meet those needs will be summarized and shared with leaders and policymakers in the local communities. This will help local communities identify and plan the local resources and services needed to help adults in Cape Breton age well at home.

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Better with Age Newsletter

To subscribe to the newsletter, visit Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter

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NEW ISSUE - Spring 2026

Click on the link below to access the online version
 Spring 2026 

To read past issues, visit the following:

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2026 Seniors Centre Without Walls Toolkit

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"Seniors Centre Without Walls Toolkit (2026) is based on our recent Age-Friendly Community Project. This toolkit tells our story, using a flexible approach to design a Seniors Centre Without Walls tailored to the specific issues and needs in our rural communities in Richmond County. We hope that the lessons we learned along the way provide you with some ideas about ways that you might approach what you do to support older adults in your communities. "

Download a copy here  or click the link below for the online version

2026 Seniors Centre Without Walls Toolkit

 

 Body, Mind, Spirit Tool Kit

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The Mind Body and Spirit Project was a collaborative partnership involving many community partners in Richmond County.     
Funding was made possible through the community funding stream streams funding with Mental Health and Addictions,   
Department of Health and Wellness and the Municipality of the County of Richmond. The Dr. Kingston Memorial Community
Health Centre was pleased to act at the official sponsor and provided the overall coordination for the project.

  • To view or download the Body, Mind, Spirit Took Kit click on this link:  pdf Spirit Tool Kit (4.72 MB)   
  • If you have any questions, please contact the Dr. Kingston Memorial Community Health Center at
    (902) 587-2800.

 

Continuing Care Information

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Nova Scotia Health Continuing Care is a program offered to residents of Richmond County. Use the link below to go to the short, easy-to-read Continuing Care brochure (French & English) that highlights the variety of programs and services available to support seniors and adults who may need help to continue living safely and independently.

Continuing Care Programs and Services Brochure - English

Continuing Care Programs and Services Brochure - French

 

Strait Richmond Hospital

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Strait Richmond Hospital serves the health care needs of the residents of communities in Richmond County and the southern portion of Inverness County.

Patient Switchboard: 902-625-3350
Administrative Switchboard: 902-625-3100

For service status updates, please visit: Strait Richmond Hospital | Nova Scotia Health (nshealth.ca)

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