Are you a senior or someone living with a disability? Do you have a chronic health condition? Do you need help with activities like getting dressed, bathing, managing your medication, light housekeeping, or assistance with mealtime?
If so, home support services may be able to meet your needs. The goal of home support services is to improve the wellbeing of individuals living at home. Home support services can also be a source of help to families and caregivers.
You can hire home support services to help for a short or a long period of time. Help is not based on a medical diagnosis, rather on your ability to complete daily activities. The type of help you need can range from needing someone to guide or supervise you completing a task safely, or someone completing the task for you.
If you need help with daily activities to remain in your home, home support services may be able to meet your needs.
Some examples of when you may benefit from home support services are:
- You want to remain in your home but need some extra help to do so safely.
- You are recovering from an injury, illness or surgery. Home support workers can work with you while you regain the ability to complete daily activities on your own,
- Your family member or caregiver works during the day, but you need help with bathing getting dressed, or getting your meals.
- You have dementia and you need supervision or guidance to complete tasks, or
- You are at risk of falls and need someone to help you with light housekeeping and getting a bath
Home support services can be arranged in 3 different ways:
Social Development’s Long Term Care or Disability Support Programs:
The Long Term Care or Disability Support program can help you assess, develop a plan, and coordinate the services that best meet your individual goals. The Disability Support Program is for adults between the ages of 19 and 64. The Long Term Care Program is for older adults, 65 years of age or older.
If eligible, you may qualify for financial help towards the cost of services. Learn how you may qualify and apply through the Disability Support Program, or the Long Term Care Program.
Hiring through a Home Support Agency:
You can contact a Home Support Agency in your area to arrange services:
- The Department of Social Development provides a list of home support agencies who have a contract with the department. These agencies must follow the Home Support Services Standards. You can also visit the New Brunswick Home Support Association website.
Request to meet with a representative to talk about what types of activities you need help with and for how long. Some agencies may visit you in your home to better understand how they may be able to support you.
Here are some examples of questions you can ask when hiring through a home support agency:
- What is the cost of service per hour?
- What is the availability of care providers (i.e., days, evenings, and weekends)?
- What payment expectations do they have (i.e., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)?
- What types of supports do they provide (i.e., transportation, medication management/administration, completing errands, etc.)?
- What types of supports do they NOT provide?
- What will happen when they are sick or need time off?
- What is their policy on cancelled shifts?
Hiring a private worker to provide support in the home:
You can hire someone you know (who is NOT an immediate family member). These individuals are self-employed. It would be up to you to determine if the training and qualifications of the person you hire meets your needs.
Here are some examples of questions you can ask when hiring a private support worker:
- What is the cost of service per hour?
- What is the availability of care providers (i.e., days, evenings, and weekends)?
- What payment expectations do they have (i.e., weekly, bi-weekly, monthly)?
- What types of supports do they provide (i.e., transportation, medication management/administration, completing errands, etc.)?
- What types of supports do they NOT provide?
- What will happen when they are sick or need time off?
- What is their policy on cancelled shifts?
- Do they have references they can provide you for related work experience?
- What are the training and qualifications you feel will meet your needs?
- Do they have a valid first aid and CPR certificate?
- Do they have a recent Criminal Record Check?
Each home support agency has their own process to apply. Some agencies may complete an assessment to better understand your needs.
Be prepared to answer questions such as these:
- What are your goals for home support services?
- Do you need help to walk safely?
- Do you need help with bathroom routines such as toileting or bathing?
- What kind of help do you need at mealtime?
- What kind of medications are you taking?
- How often do you think you need help?
- Do you have problems with your memory?
Human Services Careers
If you love helping people, a career in human services may be right for you. A new voluntary occupational certification has been created for human service counsellors and personal support workers - visit GetCertifiedNB.ca to learn more.
The demand is high for social workers, resident attendants, personal support workers, human service counsellors and more. Visit our careers page to learn how you can support New Brunswicker's of all ages live better, healthier lives.