support for families

Our Self Managed Care Services

Self-managed care is a program offered through Alberta Health Services (AHS). The program provides resources to directly pay for and manage personal care and home care support services.

The self-managed care agreement is a legal contract between AHS and the client or their legal representative. Agreements are signed for a one (1) year term.

Anyone living in Alberta with a healthcare card and living in a community setting is eligible and must:

• Have assessed unmet health care needs within AHS Provincial Home Care Service Guidelines.
• Have stable health and predictable care needs.
• Need ongoing personal care and home care support services (e.g., longer-term needs).
• Be willing and able to assume the responsibilities and risks associated with contracting services for their own or a loved one’s personal or home care support services (a legal representative may do this on behalf of a client).

What Services Are Provided?

Services are based on the home care assessment that is completed by the AHS case manager assigned to you (or your loved one).

These services can included:

• Personal care – including assistance with personal hygiene, dressing, toileting, mobilization and transferring, eating, oral care and medication management.
• Home support services – including assistance with preparing meals, homemaking and recreation activities.
• Respite care – includes day, evening or night care to give unpaid caregivers (generally family) a break from caregiving.

Self-managed care funds cannot be used for any other purposes. Professional services, such as nursing, social work or therapy services cannot be purchased with self-managed care funds but will be arranged by the home care case manager, if needed.

What Are the Expectations of Self-managed Care Recipients?

You, your loved one and/or their legal representative are responsible to:

• Recruit, interview, hire, train, supervise, schedule employees, direct the employees in the provision of care, evaluate employees’ performance, manage salary and payroll, and, when necessary, terminate the employees, as well as develop a back-up plan to ensure that care can be provided at short notice if the regular employee is unavailable.
• Each quarter you must complete and submit reports to AHS that confirm the self-managed care funds spent.
• Meet Canada Revenue Agency federal tax regulations (e.g., register for a business number; withhold income tax, Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance contributions from employees’ wages); as well as meet Alberta employment standards for all employees.
• Notify the Alberta Health Services home care case manager within 72 hours if there is any change in your loved one’s health status, care needs or living arrangements, such as hospitalization.
• Ensure the proper documentation is in place if the person responsible is your or your loved one’s legal representative (e.g., guardian under the Adult Guardianship and Trusteeship Act, agent under the Personal Directive Act, trustee under the Adult Guardianship and Trustee Act or attorney under the Powers of Attorney Act).

Who Can Be Hired?

• It is the responsibility of you, your loved one and/or their legal representative to ensure that each employee is legally allowed to work in Canada.
• Family, friends and informal caregivers are not allowed to be hired as paid care providers.
• You may also choose to hire a private home care agency.

Why Hire A Private Home Care Agency Like Coulee Family Services Versus Doing It On Your Own?

Self-managed care is a great way to be in control of the care of yourself or a loved one but the behind the scenes management of an employee or employees can be quite stressful and difficult to deal with.

• At Coulee Family Services, we can be responsible for all the behind-the-scenes management.
• We are a local southern Alberta agency that meets Alberta employment standards and the Canada Revenue Agency regulations.
• Coulee Family Services vigorously screens all employees, including a current police check, looking for only the best employees to care for you or your loved one.
• We listen to your needs and match the best caregiver to those needs.
• All employees are under the supervision of management.
• Through our award-winning software, visit notes are accessible to you and/or your loved ones after each visit, so you remain aware of what is happening in real time.
• Coulee Family Services is licensed, insured and carry Worker’s Compensation.