Continuing Care
What is continuing care?
Alberta's continuing care system provides Albertans with the health, personal care and accommodation services they need to support their independence and quality of life. Source: Alberta Health Continuing Care
Home Care Program services include: assessment, case management, professional nursing, rehabilitation therapy, social work and personal care. Services are based on assessed unmet need for short term or long-term care, and include palliative or end-of-life care. Home care also provides assessments for applications to continuing care centres, designated assisted living, and facility respite care. Services are available for all ages with health-related problems that can be managed in a community setting.
Home Living
The primary housing option for persons who are able to live independently with minimal support services. Home living is the housing option for persons who choose to and who are able to maintain active, healthy, independent living while remaining in their home as long as possible. In order to support continued independent living, basic Home Care services may be provided and/or the individual can purchase services from another agency.
Supportive Living
A home-like setting where people can maintain control over their lives while also receiving the support they need. The buildings are specifically designed with common areas and features to allow individuals to "age in place". Building features include private space and a safe, secure and barrier-free environment. Supportive living promotes residents' independence and aging in place through the provision of services such as 24-hour monitoring, emergency response, security, meals, housekeeping and life-enrichment activities. Publicly-funded personal care and health services are provided to supportive living residents based on assessed unmet needs.
Designated Supportive Living Level 3
Assisted Living (SL3) option where AHS controls access to a specific number of beds according to a contractual agreement between AHS and the operator. Twenty-four hour on-site scheduled and unscheduled personal care and support services are provided by Health Care Aides. Professional health services including Registered Nurse services with 24 hour on-call availability, case management and other consultative services are provided through AHS.
Designated Supportive Living Level 4
Enhanced Assisted Living (SL4) option where AHS controls access to a specific number of beds according to a contractual agreement between AHS and the operator. Twenty-four hour on-site scheduled and unscheduled professional and personal care and support services are provided by Licensed Practical Nurses and Health Care Aides. Professional health services including Registered Nurse services with 24 hour on-call availability, case management and other consultative services are provided through AHS.
Designated Supportive Living Level 4 Dementia
Enhanced Assisted Living Dementia (SL4-D) option provides services for individuals with moderate dementia that will progress to later stages or other forms of cognitive impairment who require a secure therapeutic environment.
Supportive Living
A purpose-built congregate care option for individuals with complex, unpredictable medical needs who require 24 hour on-site Registered Nurse assessment and/or treatment. In addition, professional services may be provided by Licensed Practical Nurses and 24 hour on-site unscheduled and scheduled personal care and support are provided by Health Care Aides. Case management, Registered Nursing, Rehabilitation Therapy and other consultative services are provided on-site. Long-term care facilities include "nursing homes" under the Nursing Homes Act and "auxiliary hospitals" under the Hospitals Act.
For more information on the three streams of continuing care (home living, supportive living, and long term care) go to Alberta Health and Alberta Health Services
Why is Continuing Care so important?
Continuing care is not just about seniors. It also includes disabled non-seniors who require health care and personal care services on an on-going basis. Approximately 8% of the continuing care clients are less than 65 years of age.
In 2008 there were 14,500 seniors and persons with disabilities in Alberta living in long-term care facilities at any one time. Additionally, there were more patients in hospital beds awaiting transfer to long-term care beds. This number varied throughout the province.
​
Seniors (aged 65+) do make up the majority of the continuing care system and both the number of seniors and the percentage of seniors in the population are increasing. In 2009 there were 385,241 seniors in Alberta; in 2036 it is expected that there will be than a million seniors in Alberta. Seniors as a percentage of the population will increase from 10% to 21.6% during this time period. As the population ages, there will be greater need for continuing care services.
In December of 2008 the Alberta Government released the Continuing Care Strategy - Aging in the Right Place. The report identifies a strategy 'intended to provide new ways of delivering services, offering more choice to Albertans in their homes and communities'. The emphasis of the strategy is to provide more services in the home and the community and to decrease emphasis on facility-based programming.
​
In September of 2010 the Government of Alberta released A Profile of Alberta Seniors. This document highlights some additional demographic characteristics of seniors in Alberta.
In December 2017, the Alberta Government released the Alberta Dementia Strategy and Action Plan. This document identifies the strategies that the government hopes will "result in a society that is better prepared to take steps to reduce the risk of dementia and support fellow Albertans living with dementia now and in the years to come".
Accessing Continuing Care in Alberta
We are frequently asked "How do I get my loved one home care/supportive living/long term care?" Alberta Health Services accesses individuals to determine if they need care and, if they do, what level of care is necessary.
​
To access an Alberta Health Services Case Manager and to arrange for an assessment, contact the Health Link at 811.
Continuing Care Community Consultations
We are frequently asked "How do I get my loved one home care/supportive living/long term care?" Alberta Health Services accesses individuals to determine if they need care and, if they do, what level of care is necessary.
​
To access an Alberta Health Services Case Manager and to arrange for an assessment, contact the Health Link at 811.