Community Support services help you to maintain your safety and independence while living at home. Services are delivered either in your home or in different locations around your community. Organizations that provide these services can be either non-profit corporations or private companies.

There are a wide variety of community support services which may be available in your area.

• Security
• Transportation
• Meal services
• Wheels-to-Meals, Diners Club or Congregate Dining
• Caregiver Respite
• Caregiver Support Groups and Counselling
• Volunteer Hospice
• Foot Care
• Home Help
• Social and recreational services
• Home maintenance and repair
• Supportive Housing
• Arranging for these services

Security checks involve a volunteer contacting you on a regular basis by phone or in person. Emergency Response System technologies are offered by commercial retailers (for a fee) which may enhance your security. Friendly visiting can help you if you are living alone or isolated. A volunteer can regularly visit you at home and help you with activities such as shopping, banking, or escorting you to and from appointments.

Many community-based provider organizations provide affordable, reliable, accessible and escorted transportation to essential appointments and activities. Providers such as service clubs (e.g. Rotary, Lion's Clubs, Legions) religious groups, or other charitable agencies can help you to get to medical appointments or programs. It may be a volunteer's car, a community vehicle, or a taxi, depending on your needs and the service availability in your area. There is a consumer fee for this service to cover costs of your transportation (e.g. $4 to $6 per trip). Subsidies may be available.

Your public transit provider may provide door-to-door or wheelchair accessible public transportation, if you qualify (usually for health reasons) for this type of service. The consumer pays a set fare for this service.

Meals are delivered to your home, or arrangements can be made for you to enjoy a meal with others in the community. Meals can be delivered once a day for up to seven days a week, depending on your needs and the service availability in your area. Volunteers delivering the meals also provide social contact and an informal check on your health and safety.

These organizations provide transportation from your home to a dining hall to join others for a nutritious meal. There is a consumer fee for this service to cover costs of food and its preparation (e.g. $4 to $8 per meal) and/or for your transportation to congregate dining. Subsidies may be available.

There are various ways to help the regular caregiver, who is often a family member, to have a break or do some things for themselves. These services are called respite care services, and there are three ways that they can be provided: In-home respite, Adult day programs, and short-stay respite.

This service brings someone to your own home to provide help with needed services (e.g. personal care) and to allow a regular family caregiver to take a break.

If you are eligible for services co-ordinated by the CCAC, in-home respite is paid for by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Otherwise, these services may be available from various providers, in which case there is likely to be a consumer fee for these services.

These programs provide social and other therapeutic activities at a location outside your home. Programs usually include planned recreation and physical activities, meals, transportation to the program and some personal care. There can be a consumer fee for this service to cover the meals and transportation costs (approximately $15 to $50 per day). Subsidies may be available.

The temporary care provided in a long-term care home under "caregiver respite" is considered a "short stay" and is subject to an accommodation rate which is different from the regular (i.e. long-stay) home accommodation rate. There is a consumer fee for this service. For more information on "short stay" costs, see the Long-Term Care Homes page.

This support can help to meet a caregivers' social and emotional needs. It is provided for caregivers and family members either in a group or in individual sessions.

A health care professional, such as a psychologist, social worker or a nurse, can listen to your concerns and provide emotional support and advice. Your friends, family, and members of your religious community may also be able to provide you with informal support. There may be a consumer fee for this service. Subsidies may be available.

Education and Training services can assist the caregiver or family members to provide the care for a particular person.

Caregiver education groups each may have a different focus (e.g., educational or emotional support) and different types of participants. Look for a group that makes you feel comfortable and meets your needs for information and support. There may be a consumer fee for this service depending upon the policy of the sponsoring agency.

Hospice volunteers can provide emotional support and physical help, to support individuals who require palliative care. An individual assessment is completed to determine the specific needs of the individual and/or their caregiver. Volunteers visit to support the individual and/or their caregiver, and social support is provided.

Foot care services for seniors can involve assistance with your trimming toenails, monitoring the condition of your feet and/or bathing and massaging your feet. These services are available depending on your needs and the extent of foot care services in your community. There may be a consumer fee for this service depending upon the policy of the sponsoring agency.

Similar to Homemaking Services, these services help you maintain a safe and comfortable home. Home Help assists you with routine household activities including menu planning and meal preparation, shopping, light housecleaning and laundry, paying bills or banking.

These services consist of learning and recreational activities for seniors that encourage community involvement and intergenerational contact. Often referred to as, "Older Adult Centres" these organizations serve a range of people including, those who are very healthy to those needing many services to remain living independently in the community. Seniors are directly involved in operating the Older Adult Centre, such as serving on the board of directors, advising on program planning, and serving as volunteers.

For heavy home maintenance tasks such as yard maintenance, snow shovelling, washing windows, or one-time repair jobs such as plumbing or electrical work, there are agencies and or commercial retailers that can help to co-ordinate such services for you. The consumer usually pays the worker or company directly and a community agency may help to arrange or "broker" such services if you are frail or physically disabled.

Supportive housing provides on-site personal care and support services within particular apartment buildings. Since this option would require a person to move or re-locate to obtain the services, please go to the Supportive Housing section of this site for full detail.

Community Care Access Centres (CCACs) can help you with defining your needs and situation, determining your eligibility for government-funded services, locating providers and applying for care. The CCAC can also provide information about the availability of financial subsidies for particular service options.

The process for arranging care is different for each of the services. In some cases you will need to contact the agency or provider directly and in others you will need to go through the CCAC. Some services are government funded, others are not. Contact your local Community Care Access Centre to find out the process for each of the service options and whether you are eligible for the government-funded services. Eligibility is based on a number of different factors including your needs and circumstances.

While the extent of CCAC involvement in arranging care can vary with each option, they can always connect you to the local service providers and answer questions during the steps in the process of arranging care.

The CCAC determines your eligibility.

The CCAC will co-ordinate your application and select the provider.

You can apply directly to a provider that you select.
(The CCAC can assist you with finding a provider.)
See the Finding a Provider page.

Please refer to the Resources Section for a listing of service providers.

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