Somewhere in Kingston today, an adult child is sitting at the kitchen table with hospital discharge papers, a phone number for a care coordinator, and a growing list of questions.
Does Mum qualify for publicly funded home care? How many hours will she receive? Who will help her in the evenings? What happens when I have to return to work? Can we afford additional private care?
These are questions many families face when a loved one begins needing assistance at home.
But here is something important every family should know: you do not necessarily have to choose between publicly funded home care and private home care. You can use both.
For families across Kingston, Amherstview, Napanee, Gananoque, and surrounding Eastern Ontario communities, combining publicly funded services with private home care can provide additional flexibility, continuity, and reassurance.
At TrueHearts Compassionate Care, we believe families deserve to understand their options before making important care decisions.
Let’s explain how both systems work, what each provides, and how they can complement one another.
Understanding Ontario Health atHome: Your Publicly Funded Care Option
Ontario Health atHome is the provincial organization responsible for coordinating publicly funded home and community care services for eligible Ontario residents.
Previously known as Home and Community Care Support Services, the organization helps individuals access appropriate care at home and in the community.
For example, if your loved one is preparing to leave Kingston General Hospital, Hotel Dieu Hospital, or a Providence Care facility, their healthcare team may involve an Ontario Health atHome care coordinator in planning their transition.
A care coordinator assesses the individual’s needs, determines eligibility, and helps arrange appropriate services.
What publicly funded home care may include:
- Nursing care and other approved clinical services.
- Personal support with bathing, dressing, and daily activities.
- Physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
- Speech-language therapy, social work, and nutrition counselling where appropriate.
- Certain medical supplies, equipment, and specialized services.
These services are based on individual assessments and eligibility requirements. Approved services are generally publicly funded, although some equipment or related services may involve fees.
For many Kingston families, this support makes an important difference in helping a loved one remain at home.
Where Challenges Can Arise
Although Ontario Health atHome provides valuable services, families may discover that the care approved does not cover every aspect of their loved one’s daily routine.
For example:
Care hours may not cover every need. A person may receive assistance with bathing and dressing but still require help preparing meals, getting ready for bed, or moving safely around the house.
Scheduling may not always match family routines. Publicly funded visits are arranged according to assessed needs and service availability. Families may have limited flexibility when requesting particular times or caregivers.
Some services may take time to arrange. Start dates vary according to urgency, eligibility, and provider availability. Families should confirm when approved services are expected to begin rather than assume support will be available immediately.
Additional household support may be needed. Companionship, routine housekeeping, transportation, and other non-clinical services may not be included in an individual’s funded care plan.
These challenges do not mean the public system has failed. They reflect the reality that publicly funded care is designed around assessed needs and available services, rather than every preference or household responsibility.
And for families in rural Frontenac, Lennox and Addington, or Leeds and Grenville, distance and transportation can add another layer of difficulty.
This is where private home care can provide additional support.
Where Private Home Care Fits In
At TrueHearts Compassionate Care, we believe home care should be personal, compassionate, and centred on the individual receiving it.
We understand that every household is different.
Some families need a caregiver for a few hours each week. Others require assistance following surgery, support for a loved one living with dementia, or someone to provide respite while a family caregiver takes a break.
Unlike publicly funded care, which is arranged according to eligibility and assessed needs, private home care allows families to purchase additional services based on their preferences, care requirements, and budget.
How TrueHearts Can Help
Flexible Care Arrangements
Families can discuss support during mornings, evenings, weekends, or overnight periods, depending on their needs and caregiver availability.
Personalized Caregiver Matching
We recognize that inviting someone into your home requires trust. Our goal is to match clients with caregivers who understand their care needs, preferences, personalities, and routines.
Assistance With Everyday Living
Our caregivers can support bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, light housekeeping, mobility, and other daily activities.
Companionship and Emotional Support
For someone living alone, especially an older adult whose children live outside Kingston, regular companionship can provide comfort and meaningful social interaction.
Dementia and Cognitive Support
We provide compassionate assistance for individuals experiencing memory loss or cognitive changes, with attention to familiar routines, dignity, and safety.
Respite Care
We support family caregivers who need time to rest, attend appointments, work, or manage other responsibilities.
Post-Hospital and Nursing Support
We assist clients recovering from hospitalization, surgery, or illness. Where nursing services are required, qualified nursing professionals can provide appropriate care within their professional scope.
The important point is that private care does not have to replace publicly funded care. It can complement the services already in place.
The Combined Approach: What This Could Look Like for a Kingston Family
Imagine a Kingston resident returning home after hip surgery.
Her daughter works full-time and lives across town. Although she wants to help, she cannot be present throughout the day.
Ontario Health atHome has assessed her mother and approved certain personal support services.
The family decides to arrange additional private care through TrueHearts.
Here is an example of how their care plan could work.
8:00 a.m. — Publicly Funded Home Care
An assigned personal support worker arrives for an approved morning visit to assist with bathing, dressing, and other activities identified in the care plan.
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. — TrueHearts Private Home Care
A TrueHearts caregiver provides companionship, prepares lunch, assists with safe mobility, and supports the client’s daily routine.
If transportation is part of the agreed service arrangement, the caregiver may also accompany her to a follow-up appointment.
Evening — Additional Private Support
The family arranges evening assistance on selected days when the daughter cannot be present.
The caregiver helps with the evening routine and provides appropriate personal support.
Weekend — Family Caregiver Respite
On Saturday, TrueHearts provides several hours of care so the daughter can attend to her own household responsibilities and rest.
This is an illustrative schedule, not a standard Ontario Health atHome care package. Actual publicly funded visits and private services will depend on individual circumstances.
The advantage is that both services can work toward the same goal: helping someone remain safely and comfortably at home.
How to Combine Public and Private Home Care Without Paying for Unnecessary Services
One concern we frequently hear from families is the cost of additional care.
That concern is understandable.
Private home care is an out-of-pocket expense for many households, and families want to know they are making responsible financial decisions.
Our advice is to begin by understanding what support is already available.
Step 1: Request an Ontario Health atHome Assessment
If your loved one needs support, contact Ontario Health atHome or speak with the hospital discharge team.
You do not necessarily need to wait for a hospital admission before requesting an assessment.
Step 2: Understand the Approved Care Plan
Ask which services have been approved, how frequently they will be provided, and when they are expected to begin.
Step 3: Identify the Remaining Needs
Consider what happens outside the funded visits.
Does your loved one need help preparing dinner? Are they safe alone overnight? Who will take them to appointments? Does the family caregiver need a regular break?
Step 4: Arrange Private Care Around Those Needs
Rather than paying privately for services already covered, families can explore additional assistance for specific times or activities.
Step 5: Review the Arrangement Regularly
Care needs to change.
Someone recovering from surgery may require more assistance initially and gradually become independent. Another person living with a progressive condition may need increasing support.
A good care plan should be reviewed as circumstances change.
Let’s Build a Care Plan That Works for Your Family
You do not have to navigate Ontario’s home care system alone.
Whether your loved one is preparing for hospital discharge, already receiving publicly funded care, or beginning to need more assistance at home, understanding your options is an important first step.
At TrueHearts Compassionate Care, we are committed to helping families explore personalized home care arrangements that complement the support they already receive.
Serving Kingston and surrounding Eastern Ontario communities.
Contact TrueHearts Compassionate Care
Phone: 613-305-8184
Website: www.trueheartscare.ca
Reach out to discuss your family’s care needs and available service options.
For information about publicly funded home care, contact Ontario Health atHome at 1-833-515-1234.
Because everyone deserves genuine care — whether publicly funded, privately arranged, or both working together.
TrueHearts Compassionate Care — Care That Comes From the Heart.