Long-Term Care Homes

Long-term care homes provide secure and supervised health services for people when living at home with care is no longer possible. The CCAC staff can help you to find out about the long-term care homes in your area, we co-ordinate the application process.

• Services provided in long-term care homes
• Short-term care
• Types of homes
• Applying for placement
• Admissions / Choosing a Home
• Eligibility / Costs
• Government Funding and Monitoring

Services provided in long-term care homes include:

• Nursing and personal care
• Regular and emergency medical care by the on-call physician
• Treatment and medication administration
• Assistance with activities of daily living
• 24-hour supervision
• Room and board, including laundry services (special diets are also accommodated)
• Pastoral services
• Social and recreational programs

Short-term care is also available in a long-term care home. This care is designed to support individuals during recovery from an illness or to provide a respite break for a family caregiver. This might be an option if:

• the primary caregiver is planning a vacation
• the primary caregiver needs a well-deserved rest
• a person needs a short recovery period following an illness or surgery before returning home (also called convalescent care)

Admission to the short-stay program is through your Community Care Access Centre. The maximum length of stay is 30 days at a time, up to three times a year (90 days).

The care provided is the same as that provided for long stay residents, with the opportunity to take part in activities and share in all aspects of the daily routines. To be eligible for this program, you must intend to return home at the end of your stay.

Types of homes

Long-term care homes are owned and operated by various organizations:

• Nursing homes are usually operated by private corporations.
• Municipal homes for the aged are owned by municipal councils. Many municipalities are required to build a home for the aged in their area, either on their own or in partnership with a neighbouring municipality.
• Charitable homes are usually owned by non-profit corporations, such as faith, community, ethnic or cultural groups.

Applying for placement

Making the decision about when to seek long-term care is difficult. When you think it is time to apply to a long-term care home, contact the CCAC in the community where you, or your family member, lives or is hospitalized.

A Case Manager or Placement Co-ordinator will:

• Provide information about long-term care homes
• Provide information on financial assistance if required
• Carry out a needs assessment and determine your eligibility
• Coordinate the application process
• Provide information on alternatives to long-term care homes such as supportive/assistive housing, retirement homes and senior's apartments
• Empower you or your decision-makers with the information to make an informed decision on a long-term care home that suits your needs and interests
• Place you, if necessary, on the waiting lists, of the long-term care homes you select
• Offer you a bed in a chosen long-term care home when one becomes available

Admissions

Application for admission into a provincially regulated long-term care home can only be made through a Community Care Access Centre. Your local CCAC will arrange for a Case Manager/Placement Co-ordinator to come to your home or the hospital to assess your health-care needs and determine if you are eligible for a long-term care home.

CCAC staff will answer your questions and help with the application form. We will co-ordinate the necessary assessments to determine your eligibility for long-term care and give you the information you need to make this important decision. We can also provide you with assistance in accessing community support services that may help you manage until admission is arranged.

Choosing a Home

Ideally you and/or a designate, someone you trust, should tour a number of homes prior to making a final decision. It can help answer many questions.

Phone and make an appointment to tour the home to ensure there is someone to show you around and that they have set aside the time to answer your questions.

Eligibility

In order to qualify to move to a long-term care home, a person must:

• Be 18 years of age or older
• Possess a valid Ontario Health Card
• Have health care needs that cannot be met with any combination of caregiving or community-based services in the home
• Have health care needs that can be met in a long-term care home

If you are deemed ineligible and you feel that you are eligible, you have the legal right to appeal the assessment of ineligibility. If you choose to start the appeal process, your Case Manager at the CCAC in your area can give you the appropriate phone numbers and contact names. (See also the “Rights Information Sheet” in the Placement Application Form.)

Costs

The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care pays for the care you receive, but you must pay for the accommodation costs, as shown below. The accommodation rates are adjusted periodically by the Ministry and are standard across Ontario.

LONG STAY

SHORT STAY

(Rates effective July 1, 2008 – subject to change)

Long-term care homes cannot refuse admission to eligible individuals based solely on their inability to pay for accommodation.

If you do not have enough income to pay for the basic room, the government can help you through a subsidy that will bring the cost down to a level you can pay. The subsidy is not available to people requesting semi-private or private rooms.

If you wish to apply for a subsidy, you must provide your Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (formerly Revenue Canada), which provides proof of your annual income. You receive a Notice of Assessment each year after filing your income tax return. If you cannot find your Notice of Assessment, you can call the Canada Revenue Agency at 1-800-959-8281 and you will be sent the information you need.

Applying for a subsidy requires you to disclose only your annual yearly income. It does not include the value of your assets.

If a large portion of your pension income will be going towards payment for the home and leaving your spouse with little or no income, call the Income Security Programs at 1-800-277-9914 for further information.


Government Funding and Monitoring

Long-term care homes are funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and are governed by legislated standards. A Ministry staff member conducts an annual review of each home to ensure that the provincial standards are being met. Long Term Care Homes are required to post and/or make available the “Review Summary Report” to families, and to current and prospective residents. Ask to see the most recent Facility Review Summary Report or visit the MOHLTC website to view this report.

June 30, 2008