How to Navigate Home and Community Care in BC

Home and community care is BC's public system for helping people stay safe at home, in the community, and in care settings when home is no longer enough.

It is run through the regional health authorities: Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, Island Health, Interior Health, and Northern Health. Services can include home support, community nursing, adult day programs, respite, assisted living, and long-term care.

You do not pick most public services off a shelf. You enter through an assessment, then a case manager helps decide what fits.

You can ask your regional health authority's Home and Community Care office for an assessment, or a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or social worker can refer.

If your parent is in hospital and will need help at home, ask the hospital team to arrange the referral before discharge. If your parent is already home, call the health authority intake line and explain what has changed.

To be eligible for publicly subsidized home and community care, a person generally must be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or temporary resident permit holder, and have lived in BC for at least three months. Specific services are decided through the assessment.

A case manager is the main contact who assesses needs, explains options, and coordinates the care plan.

The case manager may be a nurse or social worker. They look at health, safety, mobility, cognition, daily tasks, family support, caregiver strain, and what is already in place.

For the assessment, describe a bad day, not a good one. Bring medications, doctors, recent falls, hospital visits, and the caregiver's view of what is becoming too much.

Home support usually means workers coming to the home to help with personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, mobility, and daily routines.

What you pay is based on income. BC's policy includes important exemptions, including no home support client rate for people receiving listed income benefits, and a $300 monthly cap when the client or spouse has earned income. The number that matters is the rate your case manager gives for your situation.

For the formula and examples, read our BC home support co-payments guide.

Public and private care often work side by side.

Private home care is hired directly and paid by the family. It can help with evenings, weekends, companion care, light housekeeping, rides, or extra hours beyond what the health authority assesses. A practical planning range is $35–$75 an hour, depending on the agency and care type.

Private care can also bridge a wait. The average wait for a publicly funded long-term care bed is 287 days, and even faster services can take time to arrange. Planning around the wait is usually safer than being surprised by it.

Ask questions that turn the assessment into an action plan.

• Which services are we eligible for, and when could they start?
• What will our income-based cost be?
• Who is our case manager and how do we reach them if things change?
• What is not covered that we may need to arrange privately?
• How do we ask for reassessment if needs get worse?
• What should we do while waiting for a service or care placement?

A calm next step is to compare help at home and community support services by city so you know what can fill the gaps.

In a life-threatening emergency, call 911. For 24/7 nurse-assessed health advice in BC, call 8-1-1.

How do I start home and community care in BC?

Call your regional health authority's Home and Community Care office to ask for an assessment, or ask a health professional to refer.

What does a case manager do?

A case manager assesses needs, explains services and costs, builds the care plan, and adjusts it as needs change.

How much does home support cost?

Home support is income-based. Some people pay nothing, earned-income situations may be capped, and hardship reductions may be available.

Can I use private home care and public home support at the same time?

Yes. Many families use assessed public support and private hours together.