Many older adults prefer to age independently at home. However, if they experience loss of autonomy — an inability to perform daily tasks such as cooking or bathing — due to a fall, stroke, illness, or other incident, independent living becomes challenging. When physical and/or cognitive issues prevent seniors or those with disabilities from functioning by themselves, the responsibility of long-term home care often falls on family, friends, and volunteers. It can be expensive, time-consuming, and complicated. If you need help paying for in-home caregivers who assist with long-term needs, the Chèque Emploi-Service and TheKey Montreal can assist. Both are valuable resources for ensuring that your loved one can remain at home in a comfortable, safe, and independent environment, and can provide family caregivers with peace of mind.
The Chèque Emploi-Service, also known as a Service Employment Paycheque Program, is a way to help underwrite the expense of private home care providers. It is part of Quebec’s Direct Allowance program — a home care financial assistance program provided by the government and managed through local community centers (Integrated Health and Social Services Center — CSSS/ CLSC). The program is designed to provide people in need with supplemental income to pay for part of their home care service.
Compelling Benefits of the Service Employment Paycheque Program
Over 15,000 people in Quebec have been assisted by the Chèque Emploi-Service to date, receiving financial aid to help pay for in-home care providers. Notable benefits of the program include:
● Affordability: Your loved one can receive the help they need at home at a greatly reduced cost.
● Flexibility: You can set up home care services that are adapted to your loved one’s needs and available for the hours that assistance is needed.
● Peace of Mind: Professional caregivers assume home care duties so family caregivers can avoid caregiver burnout and know that their loved one is being looked after.
How Does Financial Assistance for In-Home Care Work?
If your loved one is experiencing loss of autonomy and you would like assistance paying for their private home care, the process is as follows:
1) Visit your CLSC (local community service center) to determine if you are eligible for the Service Employment Paycheque program.
2) If you are eligible, the CLSC will assess your loved one’s needs and determine the number of hours of home care service required. The Quebec government will cover the cost of private home care up to $18-21 per hour.
3) Once your Direct Allowance Program and Chèque Emploi-Service are set up, TheKey can develop a customized care plan for your home, set up services, and find the right caregiver for your loved one.
TheKey can assist with every step of this process and ensure a smooth transition.
Benefits of Choosing TheKey
TheKey provides exceptional home care assistance services in Montreal. By choosing TheKey, you and your loved one can benefit from the following:
● Expertise. TheKey can help navigate the Chèque Emploi-Service process, and assist with all the administrative tasks associated with the program, making it easy to manage.
● Personalized care. After visiting your loved one’s home to conduct a free assessment of their needs, TheKey will work with you to create a personal care plan, in keeping with the allocated hours granted by your CLSC.
● Reliability. You are guaranteed a home care aide for each visit. This means that even if the registered caregiver is not available, TheKey will provide a replacement at no additional cost.
● Compassionate and skilled caregivers. Your loved one will be matched with a caregiver who has the necessary training and verification, and can accommodate their unique needs.
● Respite and personal care services. Your loved one will receive assistance with activities of daily living, such as maintaining personal hygiene, light housekeeping, meal preparation, and medication management.
Helpful Resources and Information for Family Caregivers
Caring for an older loved one at home can be physically and emotionally challenging. Thanks to years of experience, a record of quality service and expertise in home care for seniors, TheKey can help ease these burdens by providing a wide range of customized services, including guidance and support for the Chèque Emploi-Service.
Contact TheKey to connect with a team member for more information on how they can help.