Family-Managed Home Care
Through the Family-Managed Home Care program, eligible patients or their substitute decision-makers, receive funding to purchase home care services or employ care providers. This offers greater flexibility and choice as those approved for Family-Managed Home Care choose their provider, determine how and when the care plan is delivered and handle all related administrative tasks including managing providers, funding and reporting requirements.
Patients must first have an assessment completed to determine their needs, meet the general and specific eligibility requirements for traditional home care and have a plan of service developed by Ontario Health atHome.
Family-Managed Home Care is designed for eligible patients in the following groups:
- Children with complex medical needs
- Adults with acquired brain injuries
- Eligible home-schooled children
- Patients in extraordinary circumstances, as assessed by Ontario Health atHome
To be considered for the extraordinary circumstances group, a patient needs to meet the general eligibility criteria for the program and have stable care needs that cannot be met through traditional care services. When making a decision on if a patient’s situation is an extraordinary circumstance, all of the following factors are considered:
- The nature, frequency and intensity of care required
- Unique scheduling issues
- Language or communication barriers
- Cultural considerations
- Lack of Ontario Health atHome contracted service providers
- Rural or remote location of care
Substitute decision-makers are also assessed to determine whether they meet the eligibility requirements to take on the required responsibilities under the program, including managing and coordinating the patient’s care employment requirements, providers, as well as managing and reporting on funding to Ontario Health atHome.
Ontario Health atHome patients or their substitute decision-makers can speak to their care coordinator for more information about Family-Managed Home Care.
