Connecting Nova Scotians to Continuing Care

One phone number now connects seniors and families across Nova Scotia to home-care services, placement into nursing homes and homes for the aged and adult protection workers. The former Home Care Nova Scotia toll-free number, 1-800-225-7225, is now providing single-entry access to vital services for seniors in this province.

"It's in place: the one toll-free number to call for home care, nursing home care and adult protection services," said Jamie Muir, Minister of Health. "Staff across the province have been trained to do care and financial assessments using the same policies and procedures so that no matter where you live, you'll receive simple access to service in the same way."

Mr. Muir said that for the public, the toll-free number means two advantages: a convenient way to get help for people needing ongoing care and one consistent contact instead of several.

For staff, he said, we're working with a streamlined and efficient way of doing assessments and placements. Some more work is being done internally to finalize consistent policies for the districts and for each kind of long-term care facility.

"The work yet to be done is basically fine-tuning the navigation for staff working behind the scenes," said Mr. Muir.

That work is based on the lessons learned in the demonstration projects in the Cape Breton and Guysborough Antigonish Strait district health authorities.

The minister congratulated continuing care staff from across the province who worked intensively from September 2001 until January 2002 to develop the model for implementation.

Monitoring the Single Entry Access process will take place over the next two years.