1. Find out if you qualify
To qualify for free personal care services in your home, you must need help with some activities of daily living. Activities of daily living are things like getting out of bed, bathing, dressing, using the toilet, eating a nutritious diet, and walking.
You may qualify for a weekly visit or several visits a week. The government sets limits on how many hours of care you can have each month.
You may also qualify for other care, like health care, for shorter time periods. This might include changing bandages, physiotherapy after surgery, or help taking medications. You may get these care services at home or at a clinic in your community.
To find out if you qualify for services, contact Ontario Health atHome. They'll ask for your health card number. Someone else, like a family member, can also make the call for you.
To find the Ontario Health atHome branch in your area, use the Find Your Local Branch feature at the top of their website. Or call 310-2222 (no area code). For TTY service, see the instructions on their Contact page.
A care coordinator from Ontario Health atHome will ask you about:
- your health conditions
- your home and living situation
- whether family and friends are helping you
- what you're able to do for yourself
- what kind of help you need