Seniors Homecare

This is one of the sectors set to see rapid growth.

According to the Canadian Homecare Association, more than 600,000 Canadians of age 65 and over received homecare in 2007, and this is a 51 percent increase over the figure in 1997.

And over the next twenty years, the ratio of Canadians older than 65 will rise from one in ten to one in four.

And as health and retirement costs rise, many families will decide to keep their ageing parents at home for as long as possible and hire home healthcare companies to provide the needed healthcare. This reduces the cost of having their parents live in assisted living centres. Besides, this will also give the seniors an opportunity live in a known environment.

And all levels of government in Canada provide help for those in need.

However, it is impossible to meet the every need of a senior in-homecare. Here is where private companies come in.

Cdn$20b

And one employment agency predicts that up to 20 billion Canadian dollars will be spent over the next 10-15 years in seniors homecare.

One Canadian newspaper, the Calgary Herald, recently quoted some private homecare companies as saying their businesses have been booming, with some seeing an increase of more than 20 percent.

What is Homecare?

Definitions vary, but generally it refers to a variety of programs offered in the community to help people remain in their own homes, help reduce hospital admissions, and allow earlier discharge from hospitals.

Home care is appropriate if you need professional service from registered nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social workers, or if you need personal care provided by home health aides. (courtesy:elderwise.ca)