Tips: Separate the speaker's own recommendation from the views of each side.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Care homes for seniors with intensive needs, and stronger home care for those who prefer to stay home.: The care homes part is right. Many seniors do prefer to stay home, but the speaker's test for home care is safety, not preference.
• Care homes for the fast-growing group over 85, and stronger home care for those who can safely stay home.: The home care part is right. But the speaker chooses care homes by level of need, not by age.
• Care homes for the fast-growing group over 85, and stronger home care for those who prefer to stay home.: Both halves are wrong. The speaker sorts seniors by their needs and safety, not by age or preference.

Correct Answer: Some conditions cannot be managed safely at home, however dedicated the family is.

Why this is correct: The geriatrician says some conditions cannot be managed safely at home. This is true no matter how dedicated the family is.

Tips: Note which setting the expert talks about, and whether anything can change the expert's point.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Some conditions can be managed safely at home if the family is dedicated enough.: This turns the geriatrician's point around. A dedicated family is not enough for these conditions.
• Some conditions cannot be managed safely even in well-staffed care homes.: The geriatrician's limit is about the home, not care homes. Supporters say care homes are the safer place for complex needs.
• Most conditions can be managed at home when daily nursing visits are provided.: Daily nursing visits come from the speaker's Halifax story. The geriatrician does not make this claim.

Correct Answer: seniors cared for at home tend to feel better emotionally.

Why this is correct: The survey found that nearly 70 percent of seniors with home care reported better emotional well-being. It compares them with seniors in institutions.

Tips: Keep each piece of evidence linked to the side of the debate that uses it.

Why the other options are wrong:

• seniors in care homes tend to feel better emotionally.: The survey is about emotional well-being, but the better result is for home care. Seniors in institutions are the group it compares them with.
• seniors cared for at home tend to keep more independence.: Independence comes from the speaker's story about a neighbour in Halifax. The survey measured emotional well-being.
• seniors in care homes tend to feel safer.: A safer environment is a claim from the care home side. It is not a survey finding.

Correct Answer: Home care workers are often underpaid and travel long distances.

Why this is correct: Labour organisations warn that home care workers are often underpaid. They also travel long distances, especially in rural Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Tips: Several concerns are raised about home care. Check who raises each one and which people it is about.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Family carers are stretched thin by work and childcare.: This worry comes from critics of home care in general. The labour organisations talk about paid workers, not family members.
• Care home staff in rural areas are underpaid and overworked.: Low pay is right, but the warning is about home care workers. Care home staff are not part of it.
• Hospitals in Manitoba and Saskatchewan are overcrowded.: Overcrowded hospitals come from home care supporters. The two provinces are named only for workers' long travel.

Correct Answer: Critical of it, because both sides make valid points.

Why this is correct: The speaker says both sides have valid points. So treating it as an either-or choice is too simple, in the speaker's view.

Tips: Listen for how the speaker judges the idea of choosing between the two options.

Why the other options are wrong:

• Accepting of it, as long as the choice is based on cost.: Cost is one supporters' argument. The speaker does not accept the choice on any terms and wants both kinds of care.
• Accepting of it, because the evidence favours one side.: The speaker says both sides have valid points. That is the opposite of one side winning on evidence.
• Critical of it, because neither side has solid evidence.: The critical attitude is right, but not the reason. The speaker finds both sides convincing, not weak.

Correct Answer: object, because it leaves no place for seniors with the greatest needs.

Why this is correct: The speaker wants more care homes for seniors with intensive needs, as well as stronger home care. A plan with no new care homes leaves those seniors out.

Tips: Separate what the speaker would recommend from the views that each side gives.

Why the other options are wrong:

• support it, because most seniors prefer to age in place.: This is the home care side's argument. The speaker sees value in that side, but still wants new care homes as well.
• support it, because home care costs less and eases hospital pressure.: Cost is another home care argument. The speaker says choosing only one kind of care is too simple.
• object, because home care workers are already paid too little.: Low pay is the labour organisations' warning. The speaker wants home care made stronger, not stopped because of it.