People don't really think about homecare until they need it. When a situation arises that you need of someone to help you in your home or residence most people go into panic mode as they deal with the crisis. You then look in the Yellow Pages, call friends or rely on someone to guide you to the places and people that can assist you. If you are in this crisis intervention category rest assured you are not alone. This is typical of most of us when it comes to many healthcare issues particularly home care.

We go about our days doing all our routine activities of daily living such as brushing our teeth, showering, putting on deodorant, tying your shoes, dressing, preparing our meals, eating, doing laundry and cleaning our living spaces. When you are healthy, these activities are taken for granted as they are just part of every day. What happens when we break a leg, are in a car accident or slip on ice and fracture an arm? We soon learn that those every day activities are not so ordinary or easy to do anymore. Aging can also play a part in our decreased ability to perform these activities without thinking about them. Diseases such as Arthritis, MS, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and sometimes Diabetes can also add to our frustration in not being able to do those things for ourselves that we have done since our parents gave us the gift of independence and taught us self-care.

Lets talk about a man in his early 80's, living alone with arthritis. This person may find that he could use a little assistance with the housekeeping as it has become very difficult to carry that heavy vacuum up and down the stairs and changing their bed. They may require only a few hours a week to complete these tasks and then be able to cope themselves with everything else. Possibly a family member has been helping out doing his shopping and other tasks but he is finding when their loved one comes to help there is no time for a visit. He wants to remain independent, but realizes he requires assistance. This person would benefit from having a home care worker.

There are different ways one could go about finding the right person to assist them. The local Community Care Access Centres (CCAC) are there to assist people in their home that meet a certain criteria. The service is paid through our OHIP dollars and being an Ontario resident with a valid Health Insurance Card would entitle you to this if you meet the criteria. That criteria must usually include an elements of personal care such as bathing, dressing, feeding or grooming. Our man suffering with Arthritis would likely not qualify for this assistance through the CCAC and would have to purchase this service on his own. He may have a benefit plan from his former or current employment that assists in paying for some or all of his homecare or maybe he carries Long Term Care Insurance that will also pay for a portion.

Assistance in payment for homecare may also be available if he was a war veteran. Under this category there is guidelines of qualification and it is best to contact the Department of Veteran Affairs to find out if you meet the criteria. Another way to gain information is to talk to others that may have a homecare worker or know of someone who has had one in the past. Ask them who the company is they are getting their worker from and if they are satisfied with the help provided. Call the company, tell them the situation, ask about some of their policies, what they can provide as well as price per hour. Shop around just as you would for any other service you purchase. Look in the phone book, Seniors magazines, the internet and contact the CCAC for referrals of companies to call.

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