As you explore your options, you may be wondering -- what's right for me? How do I decide what kind of care I need? Which options will best allow me to live my life with the most independence possible?

Some people choose to use a combination of home and community support services to stay in their own home for as long as possible. Others choose to move to a place that offers certain types of care and social supports that come with living with other seniors.

• Needs
• Preferences
• Support Network
• Eligibility
• Availability
• Finances
• Timing

Your need for support is one of the most important factors in determining the option that is right for you. Different types of home and community support services and residential settings offer different levels and types of care.

Each care option has advantages and disadvantages. What one person considers an advantage; another might consider a disadvantage. Understanding your personal preferences is a key part of the decision making process.

For many people, their family and friends can be an important source of support. Depending on the circumstances, you may be able to meet some or all of your needs with the help of family and friends. Often, people mix the help from people they know with help from service providers or agencies.

To ensure that publicly-funded and other types of resources are directed to those who need them the most, there is a process of determining your eligibility that usually means the individuals with higher or more urgent needs are given priority. The government sets eligibility criteria for services provided by CCACs to establish who the service is designed to serve, and how priority decisions are made. Eligibility criteria for other types of services are either set by the government, or by the provider organization. You can find out about your eligibility by talking to your local CCAC or individual provider organizations directly.

Some services have a minimum standard of availability throughout the province. Other services are only available in a particular area or region and will vary if your community is within a city versus a rural area. Another aspect of availability is the length of the waiting list. If there are long waiting times, the service or setting is less readily available; however, all efforts are made to help those in need.

For most people, their financial situation is an important factor. There are a number of ways to make the costs more affordable. Many people find that sharing costs across a combination of family, community, government and privately-funded services is a cost-effective strategy.

Do you know whether you have to make decisions in the next 6 months, 3 months, or few weeks? The level of urgency or the timeframe for making decisions will affect the time available to research the options and arrange for care. If you only have a few weeks to make a decision, then you will need to move quickly towards arranging your care, and if necessary, selecting a provider.

© Queen's Printer for Ontario, 2002  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimers  |   Last Modified :