Thank you, Madam Chair. An area I believe that also comes under community health programs is essentially all the program delivery that is channelled through health and social services authorities. The specific area that I was wanting to look into, Madam Chair, was the advancement of our treatment and care facilities for dementia and Alzheimer's patients. Madam Chair, this has been predicted for some time and the forecasts are sadly coming true as our population ages. There is a growing incidence of this in the NWT. Sadly, we have not kept pace with designing services and facilities to do the best job of dealing with this very complex condition.
Madam Chair, through the department and the federal government, we know that, at least in Yellowknife, we have $1 million that has been put in place to advance the planning and detailed drawing up until the tendering stage for a facility, a custom designed facility here in Yellowknife. The department, I believe, deserves acknowledgement and appreciation for the support it has had there. We are still a couple of years away from it.
Madam Chair, there is something that does, though, seem to be coming up quickly, more quickly than we may have anticipated; it's the pressure on families who are looking after loved ones with dementia for assistance. In order for them to continue looking after their loved ones at home, which is by far the best situation, both from a family and from a government point of view because it certainly helps to save money in resources, they do need help in the areas or respite and day programming services that can assist them in the pressures they are experiencing in caring for their loved ones, but also I think it's a quality of life situation for these people.
I know that in organizations here in Yellowknife such as the seniors' organizations, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Authority, which has been delivering some of these. I believe the Yellowknife Association for Community Living is involved in a respite program. We have the skill and the wherewithal to help with this, but the dollars and the resources aren't there yet, Madam Chair. So I wanted to ask the Minister what are the resources or the availability of putting this kind of thing together and helping to make a difference and make a difference soon for these families, Madam Chair?