Here are some Ontario based programs that are available should you or a friend need some assistance.
Types of services in your home
In-home services are made up of:
1. Health care professionals
You can arrange to have health professionals visit you in your home. They can assess your needs, provide care or help you to care for yourself by providing:
- nursing care – including help to take medications, change bandages and clean wounds, recover from an injury or health problem, check your health, create a care plan
- physiotherapy – including help for back pain, mobility problems, blood circulation, pain relief and relaxation
- occupational therapy – including help to make day-to-day activities easier and make it easier to move around in your home
- speech-language therapy – including stroke recovery for seniors who have difficulty speaking or understanding speech
- social work – including help for caregivers to cope and manage stress, help for families to address conflicts
- healthy eating – including help to assess eating habits and create a healthy eating plan
- home healthcare supplies – including dressings, walking aids, braces, cushions
2. Personal care
You can arrange for health care professionals to help you with your daily care or help you safely manage these activities yourself. They can help you with:
- washing and bathing
- mouth care
- hair care
- preventative skin care
- routine hand or foot care
- getting in and out of chairs, vehicles or beds
- dressing and undressing
- eating
- toileting
- taking you to appointments
3. Homemaking
To help maintain a safe and comfortable home, homemaking services can assist you with routine household activities including:
- housecleaning
- doing laundry
- shopping
- banking
- paying bills
- planning menus
- preparing menus
- caring for children
4. Family-managed home care
For greater flexibility and choice, if you’re eligible, you can receive funding directly to pay for home care services. You are responsible for the related administrative tasks, such as finding, hiring and paying your service providers, but you also have the freedom to choose your provider, direct how they care for you or your loved one and set a schedule that best works for you.
This program is available for the following people with home care needs:
- children with complex medical needs
- adults with an acquired brain injury
- home-schooled children with qualifying health care needs
- those in extraordinary circumstances
Contact your local LHIN to find out if you are eligible and for more information on how this program works.
5. End-of-life care at home
If you or a loved one requires end-of-life care at home, there are many programs in Ontario that can help you. You can request:
- nursing and personal care
- medical supplies, including low-cost medication for seniors through the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan
- tests
- hospital and sickroom equipment
- transportation to other health services
- help to manage pain
- home hospice services – including in-home visits and respite care by trained volunteers
Types of services in your community
Many communities have services just for seniors and other people who may need support to continue living independently at home. You may have to pay a fee for some of these programs or you may find there is funding available. Some of these services are offered only in larger communities. You can find:
- adult day programs – including social, fitness and other healthy activities
- transportation services – for people who don’t have public transportation or need help to use it
- community hospice services – including counselling, support groups, yoga and art classes, grief support
- residential hospices – where end-of-life care is provided in a home-like environment for those who can no longer stay in their own homes. People in residential hospices receive a wide range of palliative services to keep them comfortable.
Exercise and falls prevention classes
These classes help seniors stay active, healthy and independent. They focus on improving strength and balance to prevent injury and falls. They are led by fitness instructors, trained peer facilitators or support workers – not a registered physiotherapist
You may find classes offered in your community or long-term care homes.
To find a class near you call the Seniors’ INFOline:
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