When Shirley Bush's husband Bill was diagnosed with prostate cancer and confined to his bed, she knew that getting care for her husband in their own home was both a necessity and a priority. Spending his final months around his wife, family and friends kept him happy and helped him enjoy some freedom and independence despite his health problems. “Bill was a musician, and we had a big grand piano in the house,” recalls Shirley. “Our personal care worker asked him if he liked to dance? He said that he was more of a musician than a dancer, so she sang a beautiful African song for him and his face just lit up. She took great care of him and made him so happy.” It is this type of loving care and affection that can have a marked impact on elderly and disabled people as they recover or just enjoy their lives in their home environment. Over 500,000 people like Shirley's husband receive home care services across Ontario. As Ontario's population rapidly ages—recent estimates project the seniors' population to double in the next 16 years—home care services will become an even more integral part of our health care system. In fact, they will assist in freeing up hospital beds and spaces in nursing homes by giving seniors the help they need in their own home. The province has invested $1.1billion in an initiative designed to help seniors age comfortably and independently in their own homes. Finding home care shouldn’t be a stressful process. The following tips are designed to help you in your search for the care that you need:

The best place to start looking for home care is through your nearest Community Care Access Centre (CCAC). There are fourteen CCACs across the province that are funded and legislated by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Wherever you live in Ontario, community-based home care services are available for you and your loved ones. Visiting 310ccac.ca or calling #1-800-445-1822 will help you find a home care provider near you.

CCACs provide a variety of home care services that can help you with your day-to-day activities or provide you with the high quality of medical care you need. If meal preparation is becoming too much to manage, or if you need assistance with bathing and dressing home care can provide you with these basic services that can help maintain your quality of life. If you require the services of a health professional, such as a physiotherapist, social worker or nurse in your own home, your CCAC can provide you with these services too. CCACs are there to connect you with the home care worker and company that best suits your needs.

Each CCAC is staffed by caring and knowledgeable professionals who will assess your needs, determine your requirements for care, answer your questions, and develop a customized care plan that meets your individual needs. The aim of home care is to provide you with the freedom to stay in your own home instead of moving to a long term care facility, and the staff at the CCAC will provide you with a range of care options that ensures your safety and independence.

A case manager at your local CCAC will talk to you about what your needs are and what CCACs can provide. They will conduct a health care assessment and develop a customized plan to suit your needs. They will check in with you regularly to adjust your plan if your needs change.

Home Care is FREE. It is paid for by taxpayers across Ontario. So remember, you have earned the rights and privileges of home care and you deserve a high-quality of care. If you feel that you aren't receiving adequate care, it is important that you contact your CCAC. Many home care workers are working long hours and have multiple patients, it is often beyond their control if they are scheduled in a way that means they cannot arrive on time and spend enough time with you. So it is helpful if you let CCACs know if agencies are not delivering the care you expect.

For more information on Home Care in Ontario, and the campaign to improve home care services, visit OntariansForQualityHomeCare.ca