CCAC Ontario: Community Care Access Centres (2023)

Older Ontarians who need health care and home care services can get information and help from the province's 14 Community Care Access Centers (CCACs). Since 2007, the Department of Health and Long-Term Care has operated these centers to serve as points of contact, information houses, assessment services, referral sources and care coordinators for qualified residents who need health care, in-home assistance or a safer place to live. Because CCACs offer so many services, and because many of them are offered free or at a discount to qualifying seniors, it's worth taking a few minutes to understand all that your local CCAC has to offer.

Who is eligible for CCAC services?

In general, anyone covered by the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) is entitled to Local Health Integration Network (LHIN) services from their local CCAC. There are more specific health-related eligibility requirements for long-term care, home care, Indigenous care programs and rehabilitation services paid for by CCAC. Residents are entitled to covered services offered within their CCAC area, and programs are tailored to best meet the needs of each community.

Regional centers and referral process

It's thereCCACueachareas of the provincial local health integration network:

• Erie St. Clair, serving Chatham-Kent, Essex and Lambton counties

• Southwest, serving Bruce, Elgin, Gray (northern), Huron, London-Middlesex, Norfolk, Oxford and Perth counties

• Waterloo Wellington, serving the City of Guelph, Gray County (South), Waterloo Region and Wellington County

• Hamilton Niagara Haldimand Brant, serving Brant and Haldimand Counties, the Borough of Niagara and the City of Hamilton

• Central West, serving Dufferin County and all or part of the Peel Regional Municipality communities of Brampton, Bolton-Caledon, Etobicoke, Malton and Woodbridge

• Mississauga Halton, serving the municipality of Halton, the southeastern part of Peel (including Mississauga) and the southwestern edge of Toronto

• Toronto Central, serving Toronto, East York and parts of Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough

• Central, a large area north of Toronto serving the regions of Central York, South Simcoe and Northern York, South East York, South West York, North York Central, North York East, North York West and the Chippewas of Georgina Island First Nation

• Middle East, serving Scarborough County; counties Durham, Haliburton and Peterborough; much of the county of Northumberland; and the City of Kawartha Lakes

• Southeast, serving the counties of Frontenac, Hastings, Lanark, Leeds and Grenville, Lennox and Addington, Northumberland (South East) and Prince Edward

• Champlain, including Renfrew County and the Ottawa-Carleton region

• North Simcoe Muskoka, serving Muskoka County and the Simcoe County cities of Barrie, Collingwood, Midland, Orillia and Penetanguishene

• northeast, serving the counties of Algoma, Cochrane, Manitoulin, Nipissing, Sudbury and Timiskaming as well as the city of Parry Sound

• northwest, serving Kenora, Rainy River and Thunder Bay counties, including Thunder Bay City

Referrals can be made by individuals, their family members and friends, and health care providers. To start the process for yourself or a loved one, call the main CCAC number (310-2222 (display, other)., no area code) and you will be automatically connected to your local center. There, a care coordinator will confirm your right to care, assess your care needs and help you create a care plan.

What services do CCAC provide?

CCACs help residents obtain health and home care services paid for by the provincial health insurance plan; they can also refer you to other local nonprofit and private organizations that provide home care, assisted living, and other services. The first service you will receive isassessmentto find out what is needed, what is your general condition, what help is already being provided at home and the urgency of your situation.

If you needhome care, services include personal care for assistance with dressing and grooming, nursing and nutritional counseling, social work services, medical equipment and supplies, and rehabilitative care such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy.Specialized caregiver servicesincludepalliative care in hospiceat home andquick responsenurses who make home visits to help return home after a hospital stay.

CCAC can also refer you to other groups forcare in the communityservices including hot meal delivery, shared dining programs, housekeeping, transportation and errands, and friendly visits and checks. The center may also have information aboutshort-term respite for caregiversprogramin your area, cheapdaily programs for adults,maintenance programsfor elderly people who do not need qualified care, but can no longer safely live at home,subsidized housing with supportfor adults with physical and mental disabilities, ishort-term carein a long-term care home while your full-time caregiver takes time off while you recover from surgery or illness.

Information about retirement homes and placement in long-term care homes

Elderly people who no longer want to live at home and who do not need skilled care can decide to move toretirement home. Your local CCAC can help you decide if a retirement home is right for you, explain the licensing standards that retirement homes must meet, and give you information about nearby retirement communities. It is important to note that OHIP does not cover retirement home costs; they are private companies and residents pay from their own funds.

If you or someone you care about needs professional medical care and is having trouble staying at home safely,long-term care(LTC) may be the best option. Your care coordinator can help you decide if this is what you need, and if so, he or she can help you apply for long-term home care at any facility in Ontario. You can make a list of as many as 5 long-term homes and add you to their waiting lists, and if you need help at home while you wait to be placed, the Home Waiting Program can provide that help. Medical and nursing services provided in long-term care facilities are covered by insurance; accommodation and meals are the financial responsibility of the patient.

If you have questions about long-term care or any other CCAC service, please call the main number at310-2222 (display, other).talk to the care coordinator. You can also see a detailed list of all services available in your CCAC by selecting atHealth Services for Ontario.

If you would like FREE expert help choosing senior housing in Ontario, call us at(866) 592-8119talk to a local aged care adviser.