In 2010 at the young age of 55, I experienced a disabling stroke and at no fault of my own, forcing me into early retirement! Partial recovery has been very limited but I’m able to live at home with help of morning Personal Support Workers (PSWs) for bathing and dressing. I only need one hour of PSW service each morning and a near normal day is available for me in retirement!
Between May 18 and June 12 this year, I was hospitalized and recovering from Influenzas A and pneumonia—am fully recovered now!
Several days before being discharged home, I learned that my Homecare File (provision of In-home PSWs) with Ontario Health at Home (OHAH) had been closed and all because I was hospitalized for 14 days (standard OHAH Policy)! I had to sign up as a new client with OHAH to get my PSW services reinstated at home.
Challenge To Get PSW Back
Fortunately, I was able to get my previous PSW company to provide morning bathing and dressing! It’s been a real challenge to get my previous PSWs back who know my routine; still working on some scheduling gaps since June 12, 2026! My new caseworker with OHAH has been very helpful on the scheduling issues! I only need one hour of PSW service each morning and it’s most frustrating when the system can’t deliver!
In my opinion my former OHAH provincial caseworker should have visited me in hospital before my Homecare File was arbitrarily closed; I’m disabled from a stroke and experiencing Influenzas A and pneumonia does not eliminate my disabilities; where is the common sense in our Ontario Healthcare system?
Unfortunately, Ontario Health at Home has very rigid policies, not allowing for sensible judgement calls! I’m allowed to be away on vacation for 30 days and upon return my PSW schedule is fully reinstated! When a OHAH client is in hospital for 14 days their Homecare File is automatically closed and a new one must be established; not very efficient in my opinion!
Act of Discrimination
I’m disabled from a stroke and my Homecare File should never have been closed simply because of a temporary stay in hospital! One could easily argue that closing my Homecare File while in hospital was an act of discrimination by the province, against a disabled person! My provincial Homecare File should have been kept on, “Hold” until discharged from hospital!
I’ve written to OHAH and based upon my personal experience recommended that their policies related to Homecare File closures need major and urgent amendments.
I’ve recommended that the OHAH caseworker visit their client in hospital to determine if their Homecare needs have changed before being discharged home, but don’t close the File – just a common sense suggestion!
Some Aspects Only Gotten Worse
I’ve been a user of In-home Personal Support Workers (PSWs) services since 2010 and over the past 16 years some aspects have only gotten worse and not better in Durham Region! The Office Schedulers at PSW companies only understand “reactive” and not “proactive”. Not sure if it is a staffing or competence issue! If I had taken 16 years to solve a problem when working, I would have been fired!
The quality of care I receive from my regular PSWs is excellent (no complaints)! There’s no dignity when a Fill-in PSW once left me on the toilet, ran out of my washroom saying, “sorry, I have to run to my next client”. Good thing the phone was reachable so I could call my wife for help; my next call was going to be to 911 for paramedics!
Respect Individual Dignity
Not all PSWs are the same as believed by their employers! For some PSWs it’s simply a part-time job and for the majority they genuinely care about the wellbeing of their clients!
As Homecare clients we simply ask for a system that works, is reliable and respects individual dignity! Where failures occur, responsible people need to be held to account by being placed on probation and as a minimum!
By using Homecare services, Ontario is keeping thousands of patients out of hospitals and Long-Term Care Homes, saving millions of provincial tax dollars each year! Where possible many patients want to stay at home with their spouses and with familiar surroundings!
Note: The author is a retired, 71-year-old stroke survivor, user of provincial Homecare services (PSWs) since 2010.
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