Assisted Living Program
When illness or disability increases your dependency on others for support, it can often lead to questions about independent living and whether or not you can still manage living in your own home.
Perhaps you have been using homecare services offered through the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) or your local community support services agency, but recent changes in your health mean those services are no longer sufficient to support your needs. Perhaps you’ve had the support of a family member or friend, but they’re not always available at times in the day when you most need their support. That’s where the new Assisted Living Services can help.
What are Assisted Living Services?
Assisted Living Services are publicly funded, community-based health care services that provide eligible seniors with the personal support and services you need to allow you to continue living on your own for as long as possible. There is no cost to you for the services provided.
Services are offered through approved Community Support Service agencies within the Champlain region. Each agency is dedicated to providing the same high quality, level and range of services. Within designated geographic serving areas, regardless of whether you live in a house, an apartment, a condominium, on your own or with an informal caregiver, Assisted Living Services can help bring peace of mind to you and your family. Assisted Living Services can deliver personal support services where and when you most need them – anytime – day, evening or overnight on a schedule or unscheduled 24/7 on-call basis.
What services are provided?
Assisted Living Services provide non-medical services that include:
- Help with everyday activities (see list below)
- Safety and reassurance checks (via phone or in person)
- 24 hour urgent response
Assisted Living Services focus on every day activities that you can no longer do or find challenging to do on your own such as:
- washing/bathing
- mouth care
- hair care
- preventive skin care
- transferring / positioning / turning
- dressing / undressing
- help with eating(cueing, set up, meal prep)
- toileting or incontinence care
- reminders to take medications
- range of motion
- exercising
- escorting to medical appointments
- light dusting, sweeping, vacuuming
- mopping floors
- washing dishes/countertops
- making light meals
- bed making and laundry
- cleaning and disinfecting bathrooms
- security checks
- emergency response call-help service
Assisted Living Service clients can receive daily security checks either in person or by phone to make sure you are okay. Electronic emergency response system is provided for clients, giving you 24-hour access to Assisted Living Services’ staff in the event of an urgent situation.
The Assisted Living Service staff work together with you to determine the best mix of services to meet your needs, and then pre-schedule the services as appropriate at the times of day when you most need them. In addition, they are available to come to your home at any hour within a 24 hour period of time, offering on-call services seven days a week, 365 days a year.
How do I know if I can get Assisted Living Services?
Your Hospital Discharge Planner or Community Care Access Center (CCAC) case manager will work with you and your family to determine whether you are eligible for Assisted Living Services. These services are currently available to individuals, 65 years of age or older who:
- live in their own private home, or within a residential setting such as an apartment building or senior citizens’ residence (retirement home settings are not eligible) within the designated serving area of an Assisted Living Service agency.
- demonstrate a need for daily access to personal support and/or attendant services throughout a 24 hour period (may or may not require homemaking services)
- are able to direct their own care or have a substitute decision-maker or a live-in caregiver to direct care
- are able to communicate their needs (with or without aides)
- are medically stable (medical/professional needs can be met by CCAC, family physician or other community providers)
- pose no risk to themselves or others
- initially, clients that are currently waitlisted with Long-term-care homes are eligible for Assisted Living Services however, new client referrals to Assisted Living Services are not eligible to simultaneously apply to Assisted Living Service and initiate an application to Long-term-care homes
How can I find out more about Assisted Living Services?
Contact the RVH Assisted Living Program Coordinator, 613-432-4851, ext. 826; Fax: 613-432-8649 OR
holmesm@renfrewhosp.com