Edmonton Home Care, when provided by Alberta Health Services, is free a health care service. It is available to anyone with a valid Alberta Health Care card. There is no age restrictions for Edmonton Home Care. Home Care can help many older adults keep independence in the home a little longer.
Nearly 20 years ago I was a Case Manager with what was called Capital Health at the time. I am still surprised how many families are not aware of the free services they have available to them. Home care can help those who live on their own, but it can also help spouses, where one is a caregiver, and needs their load lightened a little.
Alberta Health Services Home Care Edmonton Intake Phone Number 780-496-1300
How to Access Home Care in Edmonton
To access Edmonton Home Care through Alberta Health Services, simply call 780-496-1300. Anyone can refer someone to home care. When you call, please have – their name, their address and their personal health number. Date of birth is helpful if you have that. An intake coordinator will take this information and then the file will be assigned to a case manager who will often come out to do an initial assessment in 2-3 weeks in the home.
What Can Home Care Provide In Your Home
There is a variety of services that can be provided, but what you receive will be based on your needs at the time. Services can be short term, such as recovery from a surgery. Provided services can also be long term or on-going.
Examples of services that may be available through Home Care:
- assistance with bathing or being there for safety while a person bathes
- help getting dressed in morning and undressed in evening
- assistance with personal care
- warming up prepared meals
- light housekeeping or laundry assistance
- giving or reminding to take medications
- assessment for extra equipment in your home (grab bars, bath seats, walkers, etc)
- dressing changes for open sores or surgical incisions
- respite or rest services for a caregiver
- end of life palliative care
Who Provides the Care for Alberta Health Services Home Care
You will be assigned an Alberta Health Services Case Manager. Your Case Manager may have a background in nursing, social work or occupational therapy. Their role is to assess the services you need and assign an agency to provide your care. The agency will be provide care staff at the level required to meet your care needs, often a Health Care Aide. These staff will come at the set times to provide the services at no cost. They have all been security cleared.
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Limitations of Home Care
Alberta Health Services does have some service limitations. You may only qualify for one or two baths a week dependent and your health situation. You may also reach a maximum of daily care which is often 3-4 hours a day. So although Home Care can help the needs of many, it may not be the only service you rely on if you want to age-in-place. Making your home age-in-place ready means you can rely less on outside services as you’ll be able to manage independently for longer.
{Brochure} Home Care PDF
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Even if you don’t need assistance now – knowing where these resources exist and how they can help you, is key to aging well in your community.
