Home care services are a vital part of Canada’s health-care system, and are a major benefit for seniors who wish to live with dignity in their own homes. Yet the system faces challenges, particularly as it struggles to meet the increasing needs of an aging population.
One of the biggest challenges is the shortage of trained caregivers. Currently, more than 343,000 Quebecers receive home care services from their local CLSCs (centres locaux de services communautaires) — and many others are on a waiting list for the service.
As a result, some regional agencies have tried to cut costs by outsourcing the work to private contractors. According to the Quebec Council for the Protection of Patients, contract workers now deliver a third of all home care services in the province. But the workers are often paid below minimum wage, leading to high turnover and a lack of continuity in care.
Rosalyn Williams-Ness is a Montreal resident with cerebral palsy who says her life would be very difficult without the home care she receives from her local CLSC. But she complains that the workers can’t always be trusted to show up, or to know what she needs help with.
To help overcome this challenge, Equinoxe offers a new solution: a digital booking platform that allows you to book home care services directly on a Caregiver’s calendar. Payments are made through a credit card and held in escrow until the booking is complete. Caregivers also use the app to digitally check-in when they arrive at the client’s home and to check-out when they leave so that both parties can track the progress of each session. montreal home care service
