Home care services provide personalized medical and non-medical support to individuals in their own homes, helping with daily activities, personal care, and managing health conditions.
Tips & Links
Home care services in BC include a range of health care support services provided to people in their own homes. These services are designed to help you, mainly seniors and those with complex health conditions and/or disabilities, live independently, while maintaining your quality of life.
Learn More
- The first step is to have a home care assessment. This determines, based on your safety, assistance required, and your income, what amount of care the public system will provide you as outlined by the Government of BC.
- Learn about the differences between public versus private services from the Government of BC. Eligibility for public services is determined by a case worker and based on your level of need and income.
- Learn if you are eligible for publicly funded home care services by reviewing the criteria from the Government of BC.
- Learn about the broad range of home care services available from companionship care, to cleaning and light chores, to helping with medications, bathing and dressing, meal support, to 24 hour personal care support from the Government of BC.
- Know that privately paid caregivers can charge between $15-$50/hour. An agency rate can be from $35-$60/hour. Full-time 24-hour home care in Canada costs from $10,000-$20,000 per month.
- Learn about available options for private home care services from Route65.ca – BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA).
Things You Can Do
- Understand that in-home care can require a great deal of coordination as well as financial support. The choice for aging in place or staying in your home if you have significant health care needs often requires support from family members, neighbours, care partners, and both private and public home care services.
- Review the list of items below to help guide your discussion and decision-making when exploring home care services:
- Steps to organizing home care (who may be involved, what roles can they take?).
- Calculating your home support hours (what services are needed and the time of day).
- Publicly supported care hours (how many hours can your health authority provide).
- Care by your care partners (what services and how many hours can your family or care partners provide).
- Exploring options for private services (who can explore and interview private agencies).
- Choosing private home care services (signing an agreement, ongoing coordination and budgeting).
- Monitoring and checking-in (daily connection with caregivers, following a personal care plan, ensuring safety).
- Purchasing home equipment and making modifications to your home (what is the financial plan to cover the costs).
- Create a budget and financial plan for private home care services, home care staff wages, mobility aids/devices, home care equipment, and home modifications, if needed.
Review the Mywell Health activity and tool called Coordinating Home Care Services with your family members and care partners. Use the Understanding My Financial Situation activity and the Financial Worksheets tool to learn about subsidies and tax credits you may be eligible for to help offset some costs.