Home care

Canadians are looking beyond traditional medicine for health care and are exploring new ways of caring for people in the community—particularly home care. The term 'home care' actually refers to a collection of services that allow Canadians, especially seniors and people with a chronic illness or disability, to remain in their homes, thus preventing or delaying the use of long-term institutional care.

In 2001, older Canadians were less likely to live in nursing homes or other long-term care facilities. The proportion of those aged 75 and over living in such institutions fell to 14% in 2001, down from 17% in 1981.

Though private care services do exist, home care services are usually delivered by publicly funded programs. Home care expenditures are rising along with the public’s demand for assistance in caring for people at home: funding for home care increased to $2.5 billion in 2000/01, up from just $205 million in 1980/81.

A growing trend among families is to care for elderly family members at home or in the elder’s home.