Anyone can make a referral to the Home and Community Care program. When you contact the home and community care program, you will be connected with Intake. The Intake staff will ask a series of questions over the phone to determine the priority level of the person in need of assistance/care.
Priority is given to individuals with unmet care needs, limited support, and immediate risks to their health if they do not receive the help. Some of the factors considered are:
- If the individual is over the age of 85
- If assistance with activities of daily living (shopping, housekeeping) is needed
- Assistance with daily living is required (bathing, personal care)
- The person’s cognitive functioning
- Medications
- Level of mobility
- Falls have occurred, or if the person is at risk of falls
- Support system (i.e., family members, friends, neighbours are able to provide assistance)
- Abuse issues
- Money
- If acute care admission has occurred
If, as a result of Intake telephone screening, the person is determined to be high or medium priority, a Case Manager is assigned and will make a home visit to further assess how many hours of services the person will receive and whether the person is eligible for home support service and other home-based care programs
If, as a result of Intake telephone screening, the person is determined to be low priority, yet home support or other home-based care services are still desired by the individual requiring care and/or the family, services can be arranged privately. The person requiring assistance or his/her family caregivers can contact the Home Support Agency of their choice. Ask the Intake worker for information on resources available in your community. This also holds true for individuals who are receiving some home care but want additional hours.
Adapted from: Family Caregivers' Network Society, Resource Guide for Family Caregivers, 2006.