Resources for physicians

What are Continuing Care Services?

Continuing Care Services include Home Care, long-term care, Health Equipment Loan Program (HELP), Caregiver Benefit, Home Oxygen Services, Personal Alert, Self Managed Care Program, Supportive Care Program, Long Term Care Specialized Equipment Program, Adult Protection Services and Protection for Persons in Care.

Learn more about Continuing Care

Télécharger Que sont les soins continus? en format PDF

How can my patients receive Continuing Care?

There is a toll-free number to call to learn about all Continuing Care Services. The number is 1-800-225-7225.

Is my patient ready for a nursing home?

Many people wonder if they’re ready for nursing home care. An assessment by a Care Coordinator will help determine your patient’s ability to care for himself/herself. Nursing homes are not always the answer. There are other options available that can help a patient stay in his/her home and in his/her community. A Care Coordinator will discuss those options with patients.

My patient may need a nursing home in a few years. Should he/ she apply now and get on the wait list?

No. Only those people who are ready to move into a long-term care facility now should apply.

I think my patient is ready to live in a nursing home now. How do we arrange for this move?

The first step is to call Continuing Care at 1-800-225-7225 but remember, people can only move into a licensed residential care or nursing home if they have been assessed as needing that level of care. Other options, such as Home Care, may meet their needs and should be explored first.

Does my patient need the consent of a “Substitute Decision Maker” before making an application for long-term placement?

If your patient is unable to make decisions on his/her own, then a Substitute Decision Maker must be designated to make decisions on behalf of the person regarding personal and medical care.

What happens after my patient has been deemed ready for a long-term care facility?

Once your patient has been assessed by a Care Coordinator and deemed ready for a long-term care facility, he/she will be placed on a wait list according to the date their assessment was completed.

Can relatives or spouses be placed in the same long-term care facility?

As long as a long-term care facility can meet your patient’s level of care needs, every effort will be made to place them in the same facility as their spouse or family member.

I’m concerned about the daily- fee the hospital is charging my patient. Is this charge necessary?

Due to the critical need for Acute Care beds, the First Available Bed Policy is strictly enforced. While individuals are waiting in hospital for long-term care placement, the Nova Scotia Health Authority has the right to charge patients a daily fee from the time they are “medically discharged” until they leave for the long-term care facility. Please check with the Social Worker or Discharge Planner assigned to your patient for more information on the daily fee policy.

If a person in hospital refuses the first available bed, he/she is removed from the long-term care wait list and may be discharged with an alternate care plan. Until discharged, the Hospitals Act allows the hospital to charge these individuals a daily fee.