Choosing Home Care in Ontario: 8 Things Families Should Know

From caregiver qualifications to dementia support, here’s what to consider when choosing a home care company for an aging parent.

Finding home care for an aging parent can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re balancing work, children and your own responsibilities.

Not all home care companies operate the same way. Understanding the differences can help you find the right support for your loved one.

To help families make informed decisions, we spoke with Bethel McMaster, RN, Director of Intake & Business Development, and Yasmeen Hasan, Director of Human Resources, at INTEGRAcare, a Canadian home care company with more than 35 years of experience.

Here are eight things families should know before choosing home care in Ontario.

1. Don’t Wait for a Crisis to Explore Home Care

Many families only start looking for home care after a parent has experienced a fall, been hospitalized or begun struggling with everyday activities.

Bethel’s advice is to start exploring options before there’s a crisis.

Planning ahead gives families time to understand what’s available and make decisions without the pressure of an emergency.

Bethel encourages families to consider:

• Your parent’s needs: What activities are becoming difficult?
• Their preferences: What do they want to continue doing independently?
• Family support: How much assistance can family members realistically provide?
• Future needs: What might change over the coming months or years?

For Sandwich Generation caregivers, this is especially important. Supporting an aging parent while raising children and managing work can become increasingly demanding.

Home care can help older adults maintain their independence while reducing the responsibilities placed on family caregivers.

Key Takeaway: Start exploring home care before it’s urgently needed. Understanding your options early can make future decisions easier.

2. Home Care Is About More Than Bathing and Dressing

Personal support workers (PSWs) can help with a wide range of everyday activities.

Depending on someone’s needs, that might include:

• Personal care: Bathing, dressing and grooming
• Meals: Food preparation and assistance with eating
• Household tasks: Light cleaning, laundry and changing bed linens
• Companionship: Conversation, walks and social activities
• Appointments: Accompaniment to medical visits
• Mobility: Appropriate assistance and encouragement with prescribed exercises

But home care isn’t necessarily about having someone take over these activities.

Bethel describes INTEGRAcare’s approach as supported independence, helping people continue doing as much as they safely can themselves.

For example, someone might still be able to shower independently but feel more comfortable with a caregiver nearby. Another person might benefit from having ingredients prepared so they can continue making their own meals.

INTEGRAcare has a four-hour minimum shift, allowing caregivers time to provide a combination of personal care, household assistance and companionship.

Key Takeaway: Ask what caregivers can accomplish during a visit and how services can be personalized to support your parent’s independence.

3. People Living With Dementia May Be Able to Remain at Home

Familiar surroundings and established routines can be particularly important for people living with dementia.

Bethel explains that knowing where things are, recognizing familiar spaces and following daily routines may help reduce confusion or distress.

However, whether someone can safely remain at home depends on their individual needs.

Bethel recommends a comprehensive assessment to better understand:

• Physical and cognitive abilities
• Safety concerns in the home
• The amount of supervision required
• Available family support
• Personal preferences and routines

Some people may need occasional assistance, while others require daily or around-the-clock care.

Specialized Dementia Training Matters

Yasmeen emphasizes that supporting someone living with dementia requires more than general caregiving experience.

Caregivers need to understand how dementia can affect communication, behaviour and responses to care.

INTEGRAcare provides specialized dementia education through the Alzheimer Society of Toronto and develops individualized care plans that account for each person’s needs and preferences.

Key Takeaway: Ask whether caregivers receive dementia-specific training and how the company adjusts care as your loved one’s needs change.

4. Fall Prevention Involves More Than Removing Tripping Hazards

Falls are a major concern for families supporting older adults at home.

While removing loose rugs or installing grab bars may help, Bethel highlights the importance of considering both the person’s health and their living environment.

Personal factors that may increase fall risk include:

• Vision or hearing difficulties
• Health conditions affecting balance
• Medication-related effects
• Reduced sensation in the feet
• Mobility limitations

Environmental concerns may include:

• Stairs and uneven walkways
• Loose rugs or clutter
• Poorly arranged furniture
• Difficult routes between the bedroom and bathroom
• Inadequate mobility supports

Who Should Assess Fall Risks?

An occupational therapist (OT) is particularly well suited to assess how someone functions in their home environment and recommend changes to improve safety and independence.

An OT may recommend modifications, assistive equipment or strategies to make everyday activities safer.

Home care providers can play a supporting role by helping clients follow appropriate recommendations and providing assistance with daily activities.

Bethel’s examples are a useful reminder that fall prevention should consider the whole person, not just obvious hazards around the home.

Key Takeaway: If you’re concerned about falls, consider requesting an assessment from an occupational therapist. Home care services can help support your loved one’s daily safety and independence alongside professional recommendations.

5. Caregiver Screening and Training Should Go Beyond a Diploma

When hiring a home care company, it’s important to understand how caregivers are selected and prepared.

Yasmeen emphasizes that caregiver screening involves more than verifying a PSW diploma.

Families should ask about:

• Vulnerable sector checks: Police screening appropriate for roles involving vulnerable people
• References: Verification of previous work experience and suitability
• Qualifications: Confirmation of relevant education and credentials
• First aid and CPR: Whether caregivers hold appropriate, current training
• Ongoing education: Additional training after someone is hired

At INTEGRAcare, Yasmeen oversees a hiring process that includes reviewing qualifications, references and vulnerable sector checks.

The company also provides onboarding through classroom instruction, practical scenarios and online learning.

Caregivers receive ongoing education through resources including Nevvon and specialized dementia training.

What About Quality Standards?

Yasmeen also highlights INTEGRAcare’s ISO 9001:2015 certification, which relates to the company’s quality management systems.

Certification involves external assessments and ongoing reviews of organizational processes. While it doesn’t guarantee individual care outcomes, it demonstrates that the company maintains a formally assessed quality management system.

Key Takeaway: Ask how a company screens caregivers, what ongoing training it provides and how it monitors service quality.

6. Caregivers Need Support, Too

A PSW may be the only healthcare worker physically present during a home care visit.

But what happens if they need guidance or encounter a concern?

Yasmeen emphasizes that caregivers need access to professional support, even when they’re working independently in someone’s home.

At INTEGRAcare, caregivers have access to registered nursing support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Each client is also assigned a dedicated nurse care manager who helps oversee their care.

Why Individualized Care Plans Matter

Care needs can change over time.

Someone who initially needs companionship and meal preparation may eventually require assistance with bathing, dressing or mobility.

Bethel explains that INTEGRAcare develops individualized care plans following a nursing assessment and reviews them through regular visits, at least every six weeks.

This helps the care team adjust services as someone’s circumstances change.

Key Takeaway: Ask who supervises caregivers, whether nursing support is available after hours and how frequently care plans are reviewed.

7. Caregiver Consistency Can Make a Big Difference

Having familiar caregivers can make home care more comfortable, particularly when someone needs personal assistance or is living with dementia.

But caregiver matching involves more than scheduling.

Bethel explains that INTEGRAcare considers factors such as:

• Language preferences
• Caregiving experience
• Personality and shared interests
• Specific care requirements
• Personal preferences

For clients requiring 24-hour support, INTEGRAcare may arrange a consistent team of four to six caregivers.

It’s also important to understand what happens when a regular caregiver is unavailable or the match isn’t working.

Key Takeaway: Ask how caregivers are matched, how many different caregivers your parent can expect and how the company handles absences or requests for a different caregiver.

8. Public and Family Funded Home Care Can Work Together

Ontario families don’t necessarily have to choose between publicly funded and family funded home care.

Ontario Health atHome coordinates publicly funded home care for eligible individuals. Depending on assessed needs, services may include nursing, personal support and other healthcare services.

However, publicly funded care may not cover all the support a family wants or needs.

For example, someone might receive publicly funded personal support but need additional help with meals, companionship or supervision.

Families can purchase additional services through a family funded home care company.

Bethel explains that, with the family’s consent, INTEGRAcare can coordinate with Ontario Health atHome care coordinators and hospital discharge planners to support continuity of care.

Can Family Funded Home Care Be Exempt From HST?

Bethel also highlights a potential financial benefit that families may not know about.

Private home care services may qualify for an HST exemption when someone is also receiving qualifying publicly funded home care.

Specific eligibility requirements apply, including conditions relating to the services received.

Families should confirm whether the exemption applies to their circumstances.

Key Takeaway: Explore publicly funded services through Ontario Health atHome and consider family funded care for additional support. Ask family funded providers whether an HST exemption may apply.

About INTEGRAcare

INTEGRAcare is a Canadian home healthcare company with more than 35 years of experience providing personalized care to older adults and families.

Its approach combines caregiver screening and training, nursing oversight, individualized care plans and caregiver matching.

The company provides services in Toronto, Mississauga, Burlington, Oakville, and Ottawa.

Meet Bethel McMaster and Yasmeen Hasan

Bethel McMaster, RN, Director of Intake & Business Development, began her journey into nursing as a teenager helping care for her grandfather, who had gastric cancer.

Before he passed away, he thanked her for being his nurse. That experience helped inspire her career supporting people in their homes and communities.

Yasmeen Hasan, Director of Human Resources, has nearly 20 years of HR experience, much of it in healthcare. She oversees important aspects of INTEGRAcare’s caregiver recruitment, screening, training and support.

Both bring different perspectives to a shared goal: helping people receive appropriate, personalized care in the place they call home.

And home care isn’t just about healthcare, personal care, and household tasks.

INTEGRAcare also helps clients continue enjoying activities that matter to them, whether it’s a trip to the museum, an outing to the theatre, or visit a friend for lunch.

Learn more about INTEGRAcare.

Compare Home Care Companies in Ontario With Elderado

Choosing home care for an aging parent is an important decision, and you don’t need to make it without understanding your options.

Different companies offer different services, caregiver training, nursing oversight, scheduling policies and approaches to personalized care.

Elderado is a free website built by caregivers, for caregivers.

You can search, filter and compare home care companies serving your area, explore their services and contact providers directly.

Use the questions in this article to guide your conversations and find support that fits your family’s needs.

Find and Compare Home Care Companies on Elderado

Thank you to Bethel McMaster and Yasmeen Hasan of INTEGRAcare for contributing their expertise to this resource for Ontario families.