Homes for Special Care: Understanding More About the Program — by BScN Rahim Charania
In Ontario, there are many healthcare options for individuals suffering from a variety of conditions, from sickness to mental health, with services on offer for the elderly in need of assistance with regular activities. Rahim Charania has worked in the healthcare industry for many years, working to assist in improving the quality of patient care.
One area in which care is provided in Ontario is with the Homes for Special Care Program. This program was created by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care back in 1964 to ensuring that patients with psychiatric issues can have permanent residential care services.
These services are provided to individuals who have received care from a Provincial Psychiatric Hospital and been discharged, but require supervision or help with daily living.
The goal of the program is to provide a community atmosphere for the patient instated of the need for institutional care. Homes that offer care in this regard must be licensed and funded via a special program. The Ontario Ministry of Health will set the standards of the facility and each home will be inspected on a regular basis by the Public Health Department, workers of the Homes for Special Care Program (HSC) and the Fire Department.
Privately Owned and Operated
The homes that are used within the HSC program are licenced, privately owned and operated. These homes must provide a staff 24/7 with healthy meals on offer, a safe environment, and supervision plus assistance when needed for daily activities of those living in the home. Qualified individuals are offered a home when they are no longer required to be hospitalized due to mental illness but need help with daily life activities.
An HSC facility must provide several service requirements including meals and laundry, management of medication and 24-hour supervision to some degree. The HSC home is responsible to provide and ensure toiletries, dental care, eyeglasses, clothing, transportation for medical needs and recreational activities, healthy meals that meet Canada’s Food Guide, ect.
Criteria for Admission
An individual must meet certain criteria if they are to be admitted into a Homes for Special Care. The individual must be diagnosed with a serious mental illness and be considered stable. The individual must be at least 18 years old or older and require a certain level of supervision on a 24/7 basis and that support is met in the home. The person must also agree to conditions regarding co-operative living. If the individual meets this criterion, then they can earn approval and be given the opportunity to live in HSC under the program guidelines.
The group living situation can be beneficial as individuals who are recovering from a serious mental illness often do not want to be alone or isolated. Support and encouragement from others can be highly motivating for the patient to continue with treatment and overcoming the mental issue.
Any patient with a mental illness or a family member of a patient can talk to a mental health care provider in Ontario to see if the HSC option is a good solution for assistance once institutional treatment is completed. People over the age of 65 may require retirement home or long term care homes as a option if the HSC home cannot provide the care standards safely. Several alzheimers facilities and specialized programs are available to provide a safe and supportive living environment to our seniors.
