By Huseyin Unver · Senior Life Navigator · Published November 3, 2026 · Information checked November 3, 2026

How to Get Home Care in Ontario: Ontario Health atHome Referral Guide for Families

At the 2021 Census, 19.0% of Canadians (about 7.0 million people) were aged 65 or older, and 861,000 were 85 or older. In Ontario, 18.5% of the population was 65 or older. As more families support an older relative at home, knowing where to start matters.

How home care works in Ontario: what Ontario Health atHome says

This summary is based on the organization’s own pages, in our own words.

• Who home care is for. People who need health care or personal support at home, for example after a hospital stay, an illness or an injury, or while living with a complex or chronic condition.
• Who can start the process. Anyone can make a referral with the person’s consent: the person themselves, a family member, a friend, a neighbour, a caregiver, a family doctor or another health professional.
• Where to call. The information and referral line is 1-833-515-1234. The Waterloo Wellington page also lists a toll-free number, 1-888-883-3313, and TTY 711.
• What a care coordinator does. Once someone is assessed as eligible, a care coordinator works with them to decide what care and supports are needed, builds an individualized care plan around their needs and goals, and helps connect them with community supports such as meal delivery and transportation.

How to prepare for the first home care conversation (our practical tips)

These six ideas are our own suggestions, not official guidance. They help many families have a clearer first conversation.

1. Daily life, not only diagnoses. Write down what has become harder: bathing, stairs, cooking, getting to appointments, managing medications.
2. A few recent examples. A fall, a near fall, a missed meal, a confusing bill.
3. Who helps today. Family, neighbours, paid help, and how much time they can realistically give.
4. What matters most to the person. What do they want to keep doing, and what worries them most?
5. A list of questions. What services may be possible, how often, and who to call if things change.
6. Someone to be there. If the person agrees, a family member or trusted friend can listen and take notes.

Help for families in Waterloo Region and Guelph

We are a non-medical senior care coordination service in Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge and Guelph. We do not replace the care coordinator, and we are not part of Ontario Health atHome. What we can do is help a family get organized before the first conversation, go along to an appointment if the person wishes, and follow up on the practical steps afterward. We do not give medical or legal advice. The decision is always yours.

Sources

All sources were accessed on November 3, 2026.

1. Ontario Health atHome, Home Care (who home care is for, care coordinators).
2. Ontario Health atHome, Making a Referral (who can refer, phone number).
3. Ontario Health atHome, Waterloo Wellington area (regional contact numbers).
4. Statistics Canada, The Daily, April 27, 2022 (2021 Census, population aged 65 and older).

This article summarizes information published by the sources above, in our own words. Services and phone numbers can change, so please confirm with Ontario Health atHome. It is general information, not medical or legal advice.

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