Medication Information

Accessing public and private home care services

There may be support available in your community (e.g. home care) to help with medication self-management An individual’s ability to manage the symptoms, side effects, treatment, and physical and social consequences of taking medications. . Some of these supports might include medication set-up and/or organization and medication administration Refers to how a medication is taken. Some examples include oral, injection, inhalation, topical . There are two main types of home care: public and private.

Public home care Covered by provincial health plans if you qualify for government-funded services. can be covered by provincial health plans if you qualify for government-funded services.

Private home care Is not covered by provincial health plans, and generally requires out-of-pocket payments. Costs of private home care can vary drastically depending on the types of services required. is not covered by provincial health plans, and generally requires out-of-pocket payments. Costs of private home care Is not covered by provincial health plans, and generally requires out-of-pocket payments. Costs of private home care can vary drastically depending on the types of services required. can vary drastically depending on the types of services required.

Local home care and other community care organizations can help assess your care needs, determine what services are available in your area, determine your eligibility for funding, and help develop a care plan if you are eligible for their services.

When thinking about home care services, it is important to consider a few things:

• Do you want and/or need physical support? What type? How many hours/days per week?
• Do you want and/or need mental or emotional support? What type? How many hours/days per week?
• What is your comfort level with someone coming into your home?
• What is your comfort level with someone providing personal care to you?

Starting the Process

1. Contact your home and community care support services organization

• For example, to contact your local Home and Community Care Support Services organization in Ontario you can call 310-2222 (no area code required) or visit the Home and Community Care Spport Services Map
• For example, to find out whether you qualify for home care in Alberta, you will need to contact Alberta Health Services line via their Health Link Line at 811
• Note: Region boundaries may change over time, which may impact the availability of services

2. Discuss and advocate for your needs

• A care coordinator Work with health care providers, patients, and caregivers to coordinate care services, organize patient care, and manage the patient’s treatment plan. or case manager will make an initial assessment of your needs and assess your eligibility for services that the Home and Community Care Support Services organization provides. This may include a care coordinator Work with health care providers, patients, and caregivers to coordinate care services, organize patient care, and manage the patient’s treatment plan. visiting your home
• Care coordinators/ case managers are important for understanding and developing a plan to address your care needs
• Note: You can advocate for services based on supports you may think you need

3. Qualifying for government-funded services

• Based on your needs and the services available in your community, the case manager will determine what home care services you are eligible to receive

When selecting a Private Home Care service consider the following factors

• Wait Times: Ask if there is a wait time for receiving home care services and what the wait time is like
• Credibility: Ask about the company’s history and for references. Look for reviews of the company, factoring in reliability and quality of service
• Financial Cost: Compare the cost of services across different home care service providers
• Longevity: Ask about how long the company has been providing services
• Accreditation Ongoing process of assessing and granting recognition to institutions that maintain standards of excellence. Allows organizations to understand how to use their resources, enhance quality and safety and reduce risk. : Ask if the company is accredited and about the qualifications of the staff
• Service Timings: Ask about the hours and days of available services. Confirm 24/7 availability from staff
• Cancellation: Ask about the cancellation policy and the process of cancelling the services if you are not satisfied. Review the costs of services and if there is a minimum number of required services