Getting Started - How to Access Homecare

When its time to get started with homecare, you may not know where to start. Thankfully, its actually quite easy to access care in Alberta, as long as you know what to expect! I recommend reading through our previous blog about Homecare model choices if you don’t already know all the choices available to you in Alberta.

Call 811

 In Alberta you do not need to see a doctor to access homecare. All you need to do is pick up your phone and call 811 (Family and friends can do this on behalf of someone as well)

When you call 811 they will take your information and pass it through to a case manager at AHS. A case manager is a licensed professional (an RN, a Social Worker, or an Occupational Therapist) who’s role it is to assess the needs of those who request homecare, approve care, and careplan creation where needed.

Once they receive your request for care, they will call you to discuss your needs. If they feel you may qualify for care, they will arrange a date and time for them to come out into your home and complete an in home assessment (Sometimes known as a RAI assessment)

Complete a Home Assessment

Your case manager will come out to your home to complete an interview and safety assessment. Expect this to take anywhere from 2-3 hours. They will ask you what you need help with, and what type of help you already have available to you.

It may be helpful to have a list of tasks you need assistance with. We have a handy checklist here: Care Checklist

We recommend people be honest about their needs when being interviewed. Think about your bad days when you don’t have help. What do those days look like? What would be helpful to you for care? Keep in mind, AHS is unlikely to be able to approve home support visits, but more likely to be able to approve personal care needs or respite care. Your case manager will make a comprehensive list of all the care you need. They will then use an algorithm to calculate the total hours of care you are approved for.

After Approval

During your home assessment, you will need to speak with your case manager about what home care model you are interested in. If you choose the traditional model, your case manager will develop a careplan for you after your assessment and submit it to the agency contracted for your area. You will then receive a phone call from that agency to introduce themselves and tell you who will be coming to provide your care, and when.

Should you choose the Client Directed model, your case manager will provide you with a letter outlining the total monthly hours you have been approved for. You then can select an agency to provide that care from the approved homecare providers in your area (Handy search tool available here). Your chosen agency will come out into your home to develop a careplan with you and speak to you about what type of caregiver you are looking for. They will match you with a caregiver after finding the right fit for your home. Some agencies, like ember, allow you to have a meet and greet with your potential employee prior to commencing care.

With the self managed care model your case manager would provide you with a letter outlining your total monthly hours and rates of funding, and you could proceed with recruitment of your own staff.

Choices

Should you start any one model and decide it is not the right model for you, you can simply call your case manager and request to switch models at any time. No matter what model you choose, you should expect your case manager to re-visit you at least once per year for an annual re-assessment of your care needs.

Depending on the urgency of your needs, the time between calling 811 and having a caregiver at your doorstep can be anywhere between a week to a month and a half.

We recommend folks introduce homecare into their lives sooner rather than later if they are beginning to need some help. A good care provider will work with you to maintain your independence rather than doing everything for you. If you know someone struggling to accept help, know you are not alone. Many families find the transition into accepting help in their homes challenging. We can help!