What to Do While You're on the Long-Term Care Waitlist in BC

Once your family member is assessed and placed on the publicly funded long-term care waitlist in BC, the provincial average wait is 287 days. That's roughly 9 months. For some facilities and some regions, it's longer. For others, you might get a call in weeks.

The uncertainty is hard. But the wait period doesn't have to be passive. Most families who navigate it well do three things:

• They set up formal care at home — through the health authority and/or private agencies — as soon as possible
• They look into day programs and respite to give the family caregiver regular breaks
• They stay in active contact with their health authority case manager so they're ready when a bed opens

This post walks through each of those areas. If you've just found out about the wait and you're not sure where to start, the section on home care while you wait is the most time-sensitive place to begin.

Home care — whether through the health authority or private — is the most important thing to arrange during the LTC wait. It keeps your family member safer at home and reduces the physical and emotional load on whoever is doing most of the caregiving.

Subsidized home care through your health authority

If your family member was just assessed for long-term care, they may already have access to publicly funded home care through their health authority. If not, ask your case manager explicitly — the assessment for LTC and the assessment for home support are separate processes.

Subsidized home care typically covers personal care help (bathing, dressing), light housekeeping, and in some cases nursing visits. Hours are limited and based on assessed need. Wait times for home care also exist — contact your regional health authority as soon as possible to get the process started.

Private home care agencies

Private home care agencies can typically start within a few days of your first call. You don't need a health authority referral. They can provide personal care, companionship, light housekeeping, and medication reminders — and in some cases, nursing and rehabilitation.

Typical rates in BC range from $35 to $75 per hour, depending on the level of care and the agency. Live-in arrangements are also available, usually at a flat daily rate. Private care is not subsidized, but it bridges the gap while you wait for publicly funded support to start — or supplements it.

Many families use a combination: subsidized home care for the hours they qualify for, and private care for additional coverage. You can see local home care agencies in your area — including hours, services, and contact information — at carecompare.ca/find-services.

Adult Day Programs (sometimes called Community Adult Day Centres) offer structured programming during the day, typically 2–5 days a week. For someone with dementia, mobility challenges, or social isolation, these programs provide meaningful activity, meals, and supervised care in a group setting.

For the family caregiver, day programs provide a predictable break — a few hours several times a week when you know your family member is safe, engaged, and cared for.

How to access them: Ask your health authority case manager. Publicly funded day programs are assessed through the health authority and there may be a wait. Some communities also have privately funded programs that operate on a fee-for-service basis and may have shorter wait times.

What to expect: Programs vary, but typically include social activities, therapeutic programming, meals, and personal care assistance. Transportation is sometimes available through the program or can be arranged separately — your case manager can advise.

Respite care gives family caregivers a planned break of days or weeks, while their family member receives care in a facility setting. It's different from day programs — instead of day-time visits, your family member stays overnight in a care facility while you rest, travel, or handle other responsibilities.

In BC, publicly funded respite care is available through health authorities for eligible individuals. A limited number of funded respite days are available each year. Contact your case manager to ask specifically about respite options — it's often underused because families don't know to ask.

Private respite care is also available through some long-term care facilities and assisted living communities. Costs and availability vary. Some families use a short private respite stay to experience a facility they're considering on the LTC waitlist — this can be a useful way to evaluate whether a particular home is the right fit.

Being on the LTC waitlist isn't passive — there are things you need to do to maintain your position and be ready when a bed becomes available.

• Stay in contact with your case manager. Notify them of any significant change in your family member's condition. A health status change can affect waitlist priority. An unreachable family is a problem when a bed opens.
• Keep your contact information current. Placement offers are made by phone. If you miss the call and can't be reached, the offer may go to the next person on the list.
• Understand your facility preferences. You can be on waitlists for multiple facilities simultaneously — most families choose 3–5. Broader preferences mean more chances of an earlier placement.
• Know the rules around declining offers. If you decline a placement offer, you may remain on the list, but repeated declines can affect your position. Each health authority has its own policy. Ask your case manager exactly how this works — before a call comes in, not after.
• Review your preferences periodically. If your family member's needs change, or if a facility you initially listed no longer feels right, talk to your case manager about updating your preferences.

Long-term care costs in BC are subsidized and income-tested — you'll pay a portion of your income rather than the full cost of care. But the private home care, day programs, and respite care that fill the gap during the wait are mostly out-of-pocket expenses.

A few things worth looking into now:

• Review your family member's income and assets. Long-term care rates are set at 80% of after-tax income, with a minimum and a maximum. Running the numbers now removes the financial surprise later.
• Check whether any private insurance applies. Some long-term care insurance policies cover the wait period as well as the placement itself. Review the policy carefully — coverage terms vary widely.
• Ask about the Medical Expense Tax Credit. Private home care and adult day program costs may qualify as medical expenses for tax purposes. Keep receipts.
• Talk to an elder law lawyer or financial planner if assets are significant. Power of attorney, representation agreements, and asset planning are easier to address before a crisis than during one.

For a broader look at how to pay for care in BC, see How to Pay for Senior Care in BC.

The person doing most of the caregiving during the wait is often invisible in these conversations. If that's you, or someone in your family, be honest about how sustainable the current arrangement is.

Caregiver burnout is real, and it often builds slowly — weeks of disrupted sleep, cancelled plans, and emotional strain before anyone acknowledges that something needs to change.

A few things that help:

• Use the respite options above. They exist for exactly this situation.
• Connect with other caregivers. The BC Caregiver Support Line is available to anyone providing unpaid care. It's free and confidential — call 1-877-520-3267.
• Talk to your case manager about caregiver support programs. Some health authorities offer structured caregiver support, including education programs and group sessions.
• Give yourself permission to not be the only solution. Arranging paid home care or a day program is not failing — it's sustainable planning.

If you've just found out about the waitlist and you're not sure where to start, here's a practical order:

1. Call your health authority case manager. Ask specifically about home care hours, day program eligibility, and respite options. Ask what happens if you decline a placement offer.
2. Research private home care options in your area. Even if you don't arrange it immediately, knowing who's available and what they cost gives you options when you need them. Search local home care agencies on CareCompare — you can see their services, ratings, and contact information.
3. Update your facility preferences if needed. If you're open to more facilities than you originally listed, tell your case manager. Broader preferences can mean a shorter wait.
4. Talk to your family about the financial picture. Run the numbers on what long-term care will cost, and what bridge care will cost in the meantime.

For more on how the LTC system works and how to navigate the placement process itself, read How to Get Into Long-Term Care in BC.