Ontario Health atHome: how to get home care services
Ontario Health atHome (formerly the LHINs and Home and Community Care Support Services) arranges publicly funded home care across Ontario. There's no charge for care it approves.
By ParentCare Ontario Editorial, published by Otonabee Marketing. Facts checked October 28, 2026. General information, not tax, legal or medical advice.
How to get started
- Call Ontario Health atHome at 310-2222 (no area code needed), or ask the family doctor or hospital team for a referral. Anyone can call, including family.
- Get assessed. A care coordinator asks about health, daily activities, safety at home and family support, often during a home visit.
- Get a care plan. If eligible, the coordinator arranges services from local provider agencies and reviews the plan as needs change.
What home care can include
- Nursing (for example wound care, medications, injections)
- Personal support: bathing, dressing, toileting
- Occupational therapy and physiotherapy, including home safety assessments
- Social work and help finding community supports
- Respite to give family caregivers a break
- Referral to community services: meal delivery, adult day programs, transportation
The hours offered depend on assessed need and local availability; publicly funded home care is not usually around-the-clock.
When public home care isn't enough
- Private home care agencies can add hours. Families pay directly; some costs may count for tax credits. See funding to stay at home.
- Long-term care is the next step when 24-hour nursing care is needed. The same Ontario Health atHome care coordinator handles the application. Call 1-833-515-1234 or see Apply for long-term care (ontario.ca).
Contacts
- Ontario Health atHome: 310-2222, or 1-833-515-1234 for long-term care applications
- Health811 (24/7 health advice from a nurse): 811
Facts checked October 28, 2026. We take every amount from the official source and recheck each January and July. Always confirm with the program before you apply.