Home Support
Home support services support independence, health, and wellness in your own home as long as possible.
What to expect
Home support is care at home to help you remain independent and enhance quality of life. Our services supplement how you care for yourself, in addition to supports provided by your family, friends, community, or other available services.
Our services are personal support services provided by community health workers (CHWs) to clients who require assistance with daily living activities such as:
- Bathing, dressing and toileting
- Helping you move around or get in and out of bed safely
- Heating and serving meals
- Providing a break for your caregiver
- Helping you take your medication
Examples of services that home support does not provide include:
- Extensive cleaning and cooking
- Banking, handling your money, and financial transactions
- Errands, personal shopping, and driving to appointments
- Yard work, home maintenance
- Companionship, child care, and pet care
- Services that involve heavy lifting or climbing
There may be other programs or community organizations that are able to assist you with these tasks. HealthLink BC provides listings for health services across the province. For help searching the directory, call 8-1-1 to speak with a health service navigator.
Contact us
Home and community care access lines
The first step is to contact us. We will help you determine eligibility, prepare for an assessment, and develop your care plan.
- Bella Bella: (250) 957-2314
- Bella Coola: (250) 799-5311
- Powell River: (604) 485-3310
- Sunshine Coast (Gibsons, Sechelt): (604) 741-0726
- Sea to Sky (Squamish, Whistler, Pemberton): (604) 892-2293
- North Shore (North Vancouver, West Vancouver): (604) 986-7111, fax: (604) 983-6839
- Richmond: (604) 675-3644, fax: (604) 278-4713
- Vancouver: (604) 263-7377, fax: (604) 267-3419
Share your feedback
We are committed to supporting your independence, health, and wellness by delivering VCH home support services. Your feedback is highly valued. If you have questions or concerns about your care, staff boundaries or conduct, please talk about it with the person who cared for you or that person’s supervisor or manager. It is best to talk about your concerns when and where they happen.
If you are unsatisfied with how your concerns were handled, contact Patient Care Quality Office (PCQO).
Frequently asked questions
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Is home support right for me?
Home support services are suitable if you have been assessed as requiring personal assistance and/or respite for a caregiver through a clinical assessment.
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Is there a cost for home support services?
Although the government subsidizes home support, you may need to pay for some of the cost. This is calculated based on your income and is guided by Ministry of Health policy. Your situation can be reviewed if the cost of service results in severe financial hardship.
For information on how the cost is calculated, visit the BC Gov home support webpage.
If your health condition is due to an illness or injury for which a third party (e.g., ICBC, WorkSafe BC) is responsible, you will need to contact that third party about services offered.
For more information, talk to your VCH clinician.
Resources
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Home support pamphlet
Regional information on what is home support and how to get access.
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Home support client handbook
Regional information on what is home support and how to get access.
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Related services
The Flexible Adaptable Home Support Team (FAHST)
FAHST provides Home Support services to vulnerable clients who may require more flexibility and consistency in their care. Home Support workers trained in trauma-informed care, cultural safety and harm reduction make up the team and work with the support of licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and others.