As we age, the desire to maintain independence and control over our lives, especially our healthcare, becomes increasingly important. Managing your own healthcare journey ensures that your unique needs are met with the best possible care, tailored specifically to you.
With the Alberta Health Self-Managed Care Program, seniors gain the empowering opportunity to decide who provides their home care services and what those services entail, offering a significant step towards personalized and self-directed care. This program shifts the decision-making power, allowing individuals to take the reins of their healthcare and significantly enhance their quality of life within the comfort of their own homes.
What is the Alberta Health Self-Managed Care Program?
The Alberta Health Self-Managed Care Program, offered by Alberta Health Services (AHS), is a unique healthcare initiative that provides eligible individuals with funding to manage their personal care needs directly. This funding empowers you to choose and manage a range of essential services, including personal care assistance, home support services, and respite care, giving you greater autonomy over your care plan.
Eligibility for Self-Managed Care in Alberta
To be eligible for the Alberta Health Self-Managed Care Program, individuals must meet specific criteria to ensure the program is appropriate for their needs and circumstances. Eligibility requirements include:
- Residency in Alberta and possession of a valid Alberta healthcare card.
- Living in a private community setting, rather than in a nursing home or long-term care facility.
- Maintaining stable health with predictable care needs that can be consistently managed.
- Requiring ongoing personal and home care support services to maintain independence and well-being.
- Demonstrating willingness and capability to assume the responsibilities associated with managing care services, such as contracting with and potentially employing caregivers.
How You Can Use Your Self-Managed Care Funds
Self-managed care funds are specifically designated to cover essential personal care, home support services, and respite care, ensuring that the funding directly contributes to your well-being and independence at home. These eligible services encompass a range of supports, including:
- Personal care assistance: This crucial support includes help with daily living activities such as:
- Maintaining personal hygiene, including bathing and grooming
- Toileting and bathroom assistance
- Support with mobilization and movement
- Assistance with eating and meal consumption
- Medication management and reminders
- Home support services: These services focus on maintaining a comfortable and safe home environment and include assistance with:
- Preparing nutritious meals
- Light housekeeping tasks
- Companionship and social interaction
- Respite care: This vital service provides temporary relief for primary caregivers, offering assistance during the day or night to give family members or personal support workers a necessary break, promoting their well-being and preventing burnout.
It’s important to note that self-managed care funds are intended for personal and home support and cannot be used for professional support services like therapy, massages, or social work.
How to Access Self-Managed Care Services
If you are already receiving home care services through Alberta Health Services, accessing the Self-Managed Care Program can be initiated by speaking with your existing case manager. Your case manager can guide you through the process of transitioning to a self-managed care agreement, providing support and information to ensure a smooth and seamless integration into this program. They will assist you in navigating the funding process and help tailor a personalized care plan that aligns with your individual needs and preferences.
For individuals not currently receiving care through an AHS case manager, initiating the process is still straightforward. You can self-refer to the program or have a third-party provider refer you by contacting the home care intake line at 403-943-1920. This phone line serves as your starting point to access the Alberta Health Self-Managed Care Program and begin your journey toward self-directed home care.
How Your Coverage Amount is Determined
The specific amount of coverage provided through the Self-Managed Care Program is determined through a comprehensive assessment of your individual needs and required support services. This assessment is conducted by your AHS case manager, who will work with you to understand your current situation and care requirements. Based on this evaluation, a funding amount will be allocated to meet your ongoing personal care needs.
These funds can be utilized in a way that best suits your preferences. You have the option to use the funds to directly pay caregivers you hire independently. Alternatively, you can use the funding as a subsidy to engage a private home care company, such as Ohana Care. Choosing a reputable company like Ohana Care can be particularly beneficial, as the funding will often cover a significant portion, often more than half, of the hourly cost of personal care services, making quality home care more accessible and affordable.
Benefits of Choosing Self-Care Managed Funding
Opting for self-managed care funding offers a range of significant benefits, empowering you to have greater control and flexibility over your home care arrangements:
- Greater Control and Choice: You gain significant control over who provides your care and when services are delivered, ensuring a better fit with your personal preferences and schedule. For instance, when partnering with Ohana Care, we handle the complexities of screening and hiring caregivers, providing you with qualified and vetted professionals without the burden of the hiring process.
- Reliable Caregiver Support: In situations where a caregiver is ill or requires time off, private companies like Ohana Care can provide alternate caregivers, ensuring continuity of care and preventing disruptions. Ohana Care further supports caregivers with a team of nurses who can provide guidance and assistance in the community, enhancing the quality and reliability of care.
- Extended Independence at Home: Self-managed care facilitates aging in place, allowing you to remain in the familiar and comfortable environment of your own home for longer. With the appropriate in-home care support services, such as those offered by Ohana Care, you can maintain your independence and safety at home.
- Detailed Service Records and Simplified Administration: Private care providers, like Ohana Care, maintain meticulous records of all services provided. This includes detailed invoicing, which can be provided daily, weekly, or monthly for your convenience. Furthermore, Ohana Care can furnish yearly statements for tax purposes and for reporting back to Alberta Health Services, simplifying administrative tasks and providing clear documentation of care services.
Additional Relevant Information About the AHS Self-Managed Care Program
There are several additional important aspects of the Alberta Health Self-Managed Care Program to keep in mind:
- Legal Agreement: The self-managed care agreement is a formal legal contract established between Alberta Health Services and you or your legal representative, outlining the terms and conditions of the program.
- Annual Term: Agreements are typically signed for a one-year term, providing a defined period for the care plan and funding.
- Annual Reassessment: Following the one-year term, or if there are changes in your health status, your home care case manager will conduct a reassessment of your needs to determine the specifics of your new funding agreement, ensuring the plan remains aligned with your evolving requirements.
- Reporting Health Changes: It is crucial to promptly contact your case manager within 72 hours if there are any changes in your health status, allowing for timely adjustments to your care plan as needed.
- Legal Caregiver Status: You or your legal representative are responsible for ensuring that any private home care team or caregiver you engage is legally authorized to work in Canada.
- Family Member Employment Restrictions: It is important to note that family members and informal caregivers are not eligible to be hired as paid care providers under the Self-Managed Care Program.
Use Your Self-Managed Home Care Funds With Ohana Care
Smiling senior woman receiving home care assistance from a caregiver, illustrating the Alberta Health Self-Managed Care Program benefits through personalized care at home.
Taking control of your healthcare, managing funds, and finding a caregiver who perfectly aligns with your personal needs can initially seem like a significant undertaking.
However, Ohana Care simplifies this choice.
You can effectively utilize your self-managed care funds for comprehensive in-home care and respite care services delivered by Ohana Care’s compassionate and skilled team of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs).
When you choose to use your self-managed care funds with Ohana Care, you not only gain access to high-quality home care services but also benefit from our commitment to providing a caregiver you can trust. This eliminates the time-consuming and often stressful process of independently interviewing and searching for suitable caregivers.
Furthermore, we provide detailed service records, significantly simplifying your reporting responsibilities to AHS.
By selecting Ohana Care as your home care partner, you can fully leverage the advantages of self-managed care funding while gaining the support of a reliable and experienced team dedicated to your healthcare journey.
Contact us today to discover more about how we can assist you in utilizing your self-managed care funding for our exceptional in-home care services.
