CCAC – Community Healthcare in Ontario

Caregiving

Posted by Steve Jones

Tue, Sep 23, 2014

For more than 20 years, Community Care Access Centres (CACC) have been serving Ontario, connecting people who need health care with those who provide it. There are 14 CCACs currently in Ontario (although there were 43 when they started) and each is unique to the community it serves. Their common mission is to deliver a seamless experience through the health system for people in our diverse communities, providing equitable access, individualized care coordination and quality health care.

Finding the right office in the Toronto area can be confusing. Most of Toronto is covered by the Toronto Central CCAC however parts of Etobicoke fall into the Mississauga Halton Region, North York is covered by the Ontario Central CCAC and Scarborough is covered by the Central East Region. It is confusing but you can simply enter your home postal code here to find which office is responsible for your area.

The CCACs job is to help people live independently at home, apply for admission to day programs or supportive or assisted living, and apply to long-term care facilities. They learn your needs and then match you with the resources to fulfill them. Anyone can refer someone to them, and the majority of their clients (55%) are over the age of 65.

Some of the services they provide are:

  • Finding a family physician: maintaining a list of local doctors and nurse practitioners who are accepting new patients and will help you find a provider who matches your needs.
  • Care at home: helping those who need assistance in the home – the elderly, people with disabilities of any age, those who have just been released from the hospital or are recovering from illness or injury – find the care they need based on their individual circumstances.
  • Care in the community: coordinating non-medical assistance – meal delivery, help around the home, transportation, community dining and companionship.
  • Care at school: providing access in the school to students who need nursing care, occupational, physical or speech therapy, nutrition counseling or mental health and addiction services.
  • Supported living: coordinating alternative living arrangements when living at home is not an option. These services include adult day programs, assisted living residences, supportive housing for adults with physical or cognitive disabilities, retirement homes, short-stay care and long-term care homes.
  • Client and caregiver resources: offering thehealthline.ca with lots of informational links for health care options, health topics, and availability of services; also informational publications on a variety of topics.
  • Centralized Access to Senior Specialty Hospital Beds (CASS) Program: a single entry point referral and intake service for seniors needing beds at geriatric mental health facilities.

There is no charge for any service provided through the CCAC. As long as you have a valid Ontario Health Card you are eligible for their services.

This does not mean, however, that you will never need to pay for home care services. The demand for services is frequently greater than the resources available at the CCAC. Quality and caregivers can vary from day to day or case to case. It is common that the total amount of service hours offered does not fully satisfy a family’s requirements.

The majority of Qualicare clients in the Toronto region receive some form of CCAC assistance and then augment their CCAC with additional private services that are customised to their needs. Although Qualicare is a prequailified supplier of Home Care Services for the CCAC, we provide services primarily through private arrangements or private insurance plans rather than as a CCAC supplier. The more complex your needs, particularly if they require flexible scheduling or more hours, the greater chance you will need to supplement services outside of those offered by CCAC.

More questions?

Want to speak to a care expert about how to ensure the safety of your loved one during these uncertain times?


Let's connect you with the closest available Qualicare expert in your city to answer your questions.

The Qualicare Difference

Comprehensive care planning led by experienced Care Experts

"Qualicare changed everything. Mom loves her new companion, meanwhile Jack and I have peace of mind and more time to focus on the kids. "

Janette Aldermaine