TYPICAL POPULATION: Clients may range from persons who are largely independent and require only meals, housekeeping services and 24-hour monitoring for safety and security, to those with high health needs that require 24-hour health and personal care services, but do not require 24-hour monitoring by a registered nurse.  Some projects may provide services for dementia clients in the early and middle stage of progression of the disease or persons with other cognitive or physical disabilities.

Housing Operator's Responsibility to arrange or provide:

Meals

• Full meal service available (minimum three meals per day, plus snacks)
• Special diets may be available (e.g., nutritional supplements, diabetic diets, liquid diets) in facilities targeting higher need clients (e.g. DAL)

Housekeeping

• Weekly
• Additional services as required (e.g., sanitization)
• Hygiene and control of infections

Linen and Towel Laundry

• Weekly linen and towel exchange
• Additional services as required
• Personal laundry option

Life Enrichment

• Regular activities

Safety and Security

• Trained and appropriate staff on site 24 hours/day
• Regular and intermittent monitoring of residents
• Personal response system (e.g. call bell, LifeCall)

Transportation

• Unscheduled service available at client's expense

Referral/Assistance

• Guidance/advocacy/advisory
• Referral to health professionals
• Coordination and provision of space for health professionals
• Medication assistance

Regional Health Authority's Responsibility to Provide:

Personal Care

• Provision of personal care based on assessed need.
• Assistance with activities of daily living based on assessed need.
• May be provided through a community-based home care program or through a contract with the Housing Operator.

Health Care

• Case management for publicly funded services.
• Care by a suitably qualified, certified or trained staff or regulated professional staff based on resident’s assessed need.  Depending on the level of the supportive living facility care may be provided by community based home care staff (Level 2) or staff who may be available on-site on a 24 hour basis (Level 3 or 4). 
• Medication administration based on assessed needs.
• Therapy services available based on assessed needs.

Definitions:

Meals means breakfast, lunch, and dinner approved by a dietician in accordance with the Canada Food Guide. Dinner means a hot meal (excluding breakfast) that can be served either around noon or in the late afternoon or early evening.

Housekeeping means the regular cleaning of residents' rooms and common areas that includes vacuuming and dusting; kitchen, dining room and bathroom cleaning and disinfecting.

Linen and Towel Laundry means the regular laundering of linens and towels, either owned by the facility, tenant or a laundry service, for the exclusive use of the residents. Linens include bed sheets and pillowcases. Towels include bath towels, hand towels and face cloths.

Life Enrichment means regular activities or services that enhance the physical, emotional, social, spiritual, intellectual and cultural preferences and needs of the residents.

Medication Administration means a Registered Nursed/Licensed Practical Nurse has the responsibility to ensure the resident receives his/her medication. It is understood that the resident has the right to refuse the medications.

Medication Assistance means the resident recognizes the need to take medication and consents to assistance provided with his/her prescribed medication regime.

Safety and Security means at least one trained and appropriate staff member working on site and on duty 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Trained and appropriate means a Licensed Nurse Practitioner or a Personal Care Attendant trained in the use of emergency and security equipment. On-site means in a building or in close proximity to several buildings. Some forms of electronic monitoring which achieve equivalent results may be considered as 24 hour monitoring.

Transportation means unscheduled service to attend to medical and dental appointments, shopping, banking, etc.

Referral/Assistance means services provided by the housing operator on behalf of the resident, such as referral to health professions, medication assistance, assistance with forms, etc.

Personal Care means the provision of a range of services that includes assistance with eating, dressing, bathing, toileting, getting in and out of bed, portering, and medication assistance, etc.

Health Care means services that are generally delivered by health care professionals such as physicians, registered nurses and therapists. This may include health monitoring, medication administration, changing of dressings, etc.