What is a Community Care Access Centre (CCAC)?

Community Care Access Centres (CCACs) connect people with care, at home and in their communities:

• They can help people stay in their own home longer by providing care in their home (e.g., meal preparation, assistance with bathing and dressing, physiotherapy) and by coordinating care in the community, including specialized support services.
• They can provide people with information about their options for care in the community if it becomes too difficult for them to live independently at home. A CCAC Case Manager (also referred to as a “Care Coordinator”) will help people with these options and assess their specific needs and provide more information.
  

Where does the data come from?

The data for home care reporting was provided by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI). See About the Site for more information.

What does this year’s information tell us?

The home care website information shows differences in quality indicators between different CCACs.  Although we know the general direction for most indicators (e.g. fewer falls is desirable), at this time, we do not know what the desired or target level should be.  Currently, we are examining which home care providers in Canada or around the world have the best results. This will help us identify reasonable targets to strive for in the future.  Until we identify these targets and benchmarks; however, we recommend that users of this site look at the current level of quality being reported as a baseline for future comparisons, and do not use the information to pass judgement on the quality of care at this time.

How are CCACs funded?

Ontario’s fourteen Community Access Care Centres are funded by the by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through the Local Health Integration Networks. All their services are covered by OHIP.

Is there a high demand for home care services?

When surveyed, 88% of Ontarians said they prefer to receive needed care at home and the majority of them are happy with the care they receive. In 2008-2009, 26,591,264 visits/hours of care were delivered (source OHFS).

What are the benefits of home care?

Home-based care can improve care and quality of life for people who may otherwise be hospitalized or placed in a long-term care home. Recent evidence also suggests home care is less expensive than other health services (e.g. hospitalization, long-term care home placement).

What are some of the most commonly provided home care services?

In 2008-2009, 26,591,264 visits/hours of care were delivered (source OHFS).

• 70% of care delivered was personal support/homemaking
• Nursing represented approximately 26%
• Therapies represented 4%
• Occupational Therapy – 1.4%
• Physiotherapy – 1.8%
• Dietetics – 0.2%
• Social Work – 0.3%
• Speech – 0.2%
  

How do I arrange home care for myself or my family member/loved one?

Contact your local CCAC. The CCAC will assess eligibility for home care and if eligible, they will determine  a customized care plan. CCACs can assist clients who are not eligible for home care services by providing information and referral to other community services.

What is the Beers list?

The list of drugs elderly people should not take is called the Beers list, after Dr. Mark Beers, who drew up the original version. A University of Toronto study found almost half the Beers list drugs available in the United States are not covered in Ontario, so they’re less likely to be prescribed here. For a list of drugs on the Beers list, click here.