I get home or community care and I’m being abused. What can I do?
Ontario’s Patient Bill of Rights covers the care services you get in your home or from community organizations.
The Government of Ontario pays for home and community care services. And Health Service Providers (HSPs) and Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) provide or arrange these services.
The services can include:
- professional services, such as nursing, physiotherapy, or social work
- help with daily activities, such as taking a bath, eating, or getting dressed
- homemaking services, such as house cleaning, laundry, banking, shopping, or preparing meals
- community support services, including meal services
Right not to be abused
The Bill of Rights says you should not be abused when you get home and community care services.
You can complain that an HSP or OHT, or one of their staff members, employees, or contractors:
- abused you,
- neglected you, or
- gave you care in a way that was not proper or was incompetent.
Right not to be punished
The Bill of Rights also says that no one is allowed take any action against you because you complain about a service.
This means that if you complain, no one is allowed to:
- punish you,
- refuse to give you care services, or
- take away your care services.
This is true whether you make your complaint to the police, your care provider, or anyone else.
Get legal help
There may be other steps you can take if a home or community care provider abuses you. You should get legal advice. Step 5 has more information.
