The provincial government is hoping one of it's new programs will help seniors make their living situations safer as they age.

The Seniors Home Adaptation and Repair Program (SHARP) was introduced last week which allows seniors to apply for a low-interest home equity loan.

Minister of Seniors & Housing Lori Sigurdson says the program can help anything from flooring to special assistance.

"Sometimes as seniors age they may have increased mobility challenges, they may have a walker and so there for the carpet may make it difficult to move around," she says. "They may have difficulties with stairs so they may need a lift or something to support them to be able to traverse to those stairs."

Sigurdson says the loan does cover a few parameters.

"It's a low-interest home equity loan, the household must make 75 thousand dollars annually or less. So there is a ceiling on how much income a couple can make, of course it is for seniors over 65 and it's for their primary residence."

The minister says if seniors don't have enough equity in their primary residence they can also apply for a different grant to help them upgrade their homes.

"The program is a loan program but there are some seniors who do live in their own homes but don't have that 25 percent equity and for them there is a grant program. We've invested two million dollars in that program to support seniors who may not have that so they also can age in their communities."

For more information on SHARP, click here.

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