Alberta invests $81M for in-home care services

Alberta is pledging $81 million for in-home care.

Those funds are expected to pay for one million more hours of care in 2022-2023, in addition to new contracting methods that will allow home care clients to continue living in their own homes.

The government says it’s part of the $750 million allocated toward home care services in its 2022 budget.

“We need to keep people living as independently as possible, for as long as possible, and that means more home care… Giving people the right care at home also helps reduce the demands on hospitals and continuing care facilities,” said Jason Copping, minister of health.

As part of this investment, Alberta Health Services is seeking out new approaches for delivering home care including identifying options to improve client outcomes, enhancing health system integration and coordination, increasing access to specialized services, and filling gaps in service delivery, according to the province.

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Alberta says there were more than 132,000 home care clients in the province last year.

The province currently offers home care services through AHS staff, nonprofit and for-profit contracted service providers, and private providers who are hired directly by the clients.

“Acknowledging the role of informal care providers, usually family members is an important consideration to reimagine home care,” said George Andrews, the CEO of the Alzheimer Society of Alberta and Northwest Territories.

“As we move to new models of home care, we must ensure appropriate, client-focused care and services are accessible and support both caregivers and people with dementia to delay the eventuality of institutional care.”