Home Care Services

Home care services offer a range of professional and personalized support in your home and in local clinics depending on your needs.

From nursing to assistance with daily activities, these services improve quality of life, promote independence, and help with recovery.

We also offer other community-based programs, which you can access on the Community Health Services web page and Additional Support pages.

Clinical Services.

(Such as nursing services, nutrition, and social work)

These services take place in your home or in local clinics. Use the drop-down menu to learn more. 

Case Management

Case Managers work with you, your family or caregivers and your healthcare provides to help you determine:

1. What services best meet your goals, needs and situation
2. How your family and community can best support you to meet your needs
3. What services are available
4. How long you need these services
5. Costs, if applicable

They will:

• Work with you to develop a care plan
• Consult with other healthcare professionals to ensure your needs are met
• Arrange and coordinate services
• Assist you with your transitions through care
• Review and make changes as your goals and care needs change

Case Managers can also work with you to ensure smooth transitions between hospital and home, assisted living, or long-term care.
 

Home Care Nursing

If you need acute, chronic, or palliative support, we can help with community nursing services. 

A home care nurse (a Registered Nurse or Licensed Practical Nurse) will provide care on a non-emergency basis to help with services such as administering medications and changing dressings. 

These services may be provided at a nursing clinic at your local Home Health Office (sometimes called an ambulatory clinic), or in your home.

Clinic services include:

• Skin and wound care
• End-of-life/palliative care
• Medication management
• Cardiac health
• Post-surgical care
• Post-hospital care
• Pain management
• Intravenous care
• Chronic disease management for conditions such as COPD, diabetes, and asthma
• Ostomy care

Social Work

Community Social Workers provide services to support your safety and well-being when experiencing healthcare challenges. They can connect you to community resources to help maximize your independence and well-being.
 
They focus on short term interventions including: 

• Advance Care Planning
• Adjusting to illness
• Finances and financial assistance
• Housing issues impacted by a medical condition 
• Caregiver support
• Suspected adult abuse and neglect
• Palliative care/bereavement
• Confusion/dementia behaviour management
• Advocacy

Dieticians

If you receive care in your home, Community Health Services Dieticians can help with complex nutritional health needs, such as:

• Malnutrition
• Swallowing disorders
• Tube feedings
• Barriers to accessing food 
• Dementia
• Mental health
• Chronic health conditions
• Post surgical care
• Palliative care

Please note that a referral is not required for those living in Victoria, but is required for other areas of the Island Health region.

For more information, visit our Nutrition Service's web pages.

If you are an adult with a developmental disability, Health Services for Community Living dietitians can help support your health, independence and participation in the community. Visit the Health Services for Community Living web pages for more information. 

Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy

Physiotherapists and Occupational Therapists work with you to restore, improve, or maintain your physical independence and safety.

You may be referred to a Physiotherapist (PT) or Occupational Therapist (OT) if you:

• Have a physical disability
• Are recovering from surgery or a stay in hospital
• Need rehabilitation or therapy to support your independence and safety at home

Community Rehabilitation Services help you:

• Improve muscle strength, balance, and coordination 
• Develop approaches to self-manage pain
• Maintain independence at home for activities of daily living and self-care
• Consider strategies to make your home more accessible and safe

Community therapists can offer clinical assessments including:

• Mobility assessments, prescribe and support the use of equipment and adaptations in the home
• Falls screening and assessment, recommend falls risk reduction interventions
   

Respiratory Services

Community Respiratory Services is a program that supports individuals with respiratory disease to manage their lung health from the comfort of their own home. 

The program aims to achieve various goals, including:

• Educating patients on how to manage symptoms at home
• Providing resources for managing breathing difficulties 
• Teaching proper use of respiratory medicine
• Providing skills and techniques to improve endurance to perform daily activities
• Recognizing signs of flare-ups
• Developing plans to manage any potential illnesses

Community Respiratory Services focus on individuals who are not able to manage their respiratory disease and symptoms at home and who have: 

• COPD 
• Asthma 
• Interstitial Lung Disease 
• Neuromuscular Disease 
• Sleep disordered breathing
• A tracheostomy

Eligibility and Accessing Services

Call our Community Access Line to learn about what services are available in your area and how to access them.

Phones are answered seven days a week, 365 days of the year.

South Island: 250-388-2273 / 1-888-533-2273
Centre Island: 250-739-5749 / 1-877-734-4101
North Island: 250-331-8570 / 1-866-928-4988

Visit our Accessing Community Health Services webpage to learn more.

Cost

These services are provided at no cost.

Please note: Care at home can involve other costs. You must pay for your medicines and any dressing supplies. You may also need to rent or buy equipment such as walkers, bath seats, wheelchairs, or special cushions for wheelchairs. Sometimes the Red Cross has these available to borrow for a short period of time.

Read our Accessing Community Health Services webpage to learn more about costs and eligibility.

Home Support Services

These services take place in your home. Use the drop-down menu to learn more. 

Case Management

Case Managers perform assessments to help you and your family:

• Identify your care needs
• Understand your care options and connect you with the appropriate services 
• Move to more supportive care when required
• Change your care plan when needed

Case Managers can also work with you to ensure smooth transitions between hospital and home, assisted living, or residential care.

In-Home Support Worker Services

Home support is care provided in the home for people who need extra help because they:

• Are ill or recovering from illness or surgery
• Have physical limitations
• Need assistance with personal care tasks 
• Need caregiver respite (short-term break from care)
• Need end-of-life care

Home support services provide assistance with:

• Daily living activities at home such as bathing, dressing, and getting ready for bed
• Medication administration and other care needs
• Support for your caregivers

Examples of home support assistance: 

• Getting dressed, groomed, and ready for the day
• Bathing, showering, and using the toilet or commode
• Heating and serving a simple meal
• Getting ready for bed
• Administering your blister-packed medications

Home support does NOT include help with general tasks such as:

• Grocery shopping,
• House cleaning or /house keeping, 
• Child or /pet care, 
• Driving to appointments or transportation
• Activities that require heavy lifting or climbing.
• Banking or bill payments 
• Services to for other family members
   

You can find services like this in your community by searching sites such as: HealthLinkBC or Seniors Serving Seniors.

Home Support Brochure.

Additional Resource:
Home Support - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
 

Choice for Supports in Independent Living (CSIL)

Choice in Supports for Independent Living (CSIL) provides funds to eligible clients to purchase and manage their own home support services. 
To qualify for CSIL funding you must:

• Be 19 years of age or older
• Be able to direct and manage the CSIL contract  duties or have someone else to do this for you.
• Be able to direct all aspects of your care, or have someone else to do this for you
• Be medically and functionally stable
• Require daily personal assistance
• Be approved for Home Support services

You must complete an orientation before you sign the CSIL agreement.

Access to Available Funding

Your Case Manager will work with you to determine the amount of service you can receive based on your personal care needs. Funding is based on the current hourly CSIL rate and the number of personal care hours you need.

These funds cover the costs of managing your home supports (such as wages, advertising, bookkeeping, etc.). 

Your Responsibilities

You will need to sign an agreement that outlines what you’re required to do, including how to report the use of funds. 

You, or a person who makes decisions for you, are responsible for managing and coordinating your home support services. This includes hiring, training, disciplining and, if necessary, firing your own caregiver(s). 

You are the employer. You must follow Canada Revenue Agency, WorkSafeBC, and Employment Standards regulations. 

You must submit regular financial reports to show how you have spent the funds. 

For more information, including costs, and eligibility, talk to your Case Manager. If you do not have a Case Manager, please call the Community Health Services Access Line and they will help you.

Eligibility and Accessing Services

A Community Health Services clinician can help you determine if home support is the best option for your care needs. If home support is required, the clinician will work with you to create a personal care plan and adjust it as needed. If home support does not meet your needs, the clinician will help you explore other support services available in your area. 

If you do not have a Community Health Services clinician or Case Manager, please call the Community Health Services Access Line and they will help you.

Cost

Home support is a government subsidized service. Community Health Services will do a financial assessment with you to determine the cost. To receive home support, you need to share your financial information as a part of the assessment and agree to pay the calculated rate.

The daily rate is based on your income (and the income of your spouse, if applicable). Your daily rate is calculated by multiplying your “remaining annual income” (as defined in the Continuing Care Fees Regulation) by 0.00138889 (accurate as of May 2024). A client is not required to pay more than $300 for home support services in a month if the client, or the client's spouse, receives earned income.

You will not pay a daily charge for home support services if you receive any of the following:

• The guaranteed income supplement, the spouse's allowance or the survivor's allowance under the Old Age Security Act (Canada)
• Income assistance under the Employment and Assistance Act
• Disability assistance under the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities Act
• A war veteran's allowance under the War Veterans Allowance Act (Canada)

If needed, your Community Health Services clinician can help you explore alternative funding options.

Note: Care at home can involve other costs. You must pay for your medicines and any dressing supplies. In BC, you are also responsible for the cost of your own home safety equipment - such as walkers, bath seats, or wheelchairs... 

If you experience financial hardship and are not able to afford to rent or purchase equipment, please speak with your Case Manager for support. 

Read our Accessing Community Health Services webpage to learn more about costs and potential funding options.

Additional Resource: 
Care Options and Costs - Province of British Columbia (gov.bc.ca)
 

Resources

Indigenous Health

Visit our Indigenous Health Services web pages, Indigenous Health Topics web pages, and Indigenous Health Resources for support and information.

2SLGBTQIA+ Community

Access our 2SLGBTQIA+ Community Resources web page and the Gender Diverse & 2SLGBTQIA+ Health Services web page for local care and support.

English as a Foreign Language

Patients coming to an Island Health location can get interpreting services on-demand in the language they need during their appointment or visit. The service is also available to patients attending virtual care appointments. Learn more by visiting our Interpreting Services web page.

Printable Materials

Community Health Services Brochure

Home Support Services Brochure

Let's Get You Home Brochure

Working Together Booklet

Please note: Services and programs vary between communities. We will make every effort to meet your individual care needs with the local resources available.