Publicly Funded Care Made Easier: Always Best Care’s Guidance for Calgary Families
Navigating publicly funded home care can feel daunting for families, but it doesn’t have to be! With the Client Directed Home Care Program, you now have the flexibility and control to choose your home care provider, ensuring your loved ones get the care they deserve.
At Always Best Care, we’re here to guide you through each step of the process, ensuring that getting the support you need is as easy and hassle-free as possible. Let’s take a look at how you can get started with Alberta Health Services (AHS) Home Care.
Table of Contents
How to Get Started With Alberta Health Services (AHS) Home Care
The journey to getting AHS home care starts with a simple call, and we’re here to help guide you through it every step of the way. Here’s a breakdown of the process:
Step 1: Call 811 to Begin the Process
The first step is easy—just call 811. This is where your journey to home care begins. A case manager will assess your needs and help you understand the services that could be available to you.
Whether you need personal care, help with activities of daily living, or other types of support, the AHS team will help determine what level of service is best for you. This initial step is crucial in creating a plan that suits your needs.
Step 2: Receive Your Personalized Care Plan
Once your needs are assessed, your case manager will provide you with a personalized care plan. This plan will outline the maximum number of hours of care you can receive each month, tailored to your unique requirements.
The care plan ensures that all your needs are considered, whether it’s help with personal care, housekeeping, or respite care for family caregivers. This plan gives you a clear idea of the services available and the support you’ll receive.
Step 3: Choose Your Preferred Care Provider
Here’s where the real flexibility comes in: You have the right to choose your care provider! Always Best Care is here to meet your need, whether you’re looking for transitional care, personal care, companionship, or more specialized services.
Unlike older models of home care, where the provider was assigned to you, the Client-Directed Home Care Program allows you to choose the provider that best fits your needs and preferences. At Always Best Care, we are committed to providing consistent, reliable, and compassionate care that aligns with your goals for aging at home.
Step 4: Work With Your Care Team to Adjust Your Plan
As your care needs evolve, so can your care plan. With Always Best Care, you’ll have a dedicated Care Manager who works closely with you and your loved ones to ensure the care plan remains flexible and responsive to any changes.
Whether you need to adjust the hours of care, add new services, or fine-tune the support you’re receiving, our team is always available to help. We’re here to ensure that your care plan adapts to your changing needs and continues supporting you as you need it.
Step 5: Enjoy Hassle-Free Direct Billing
One of the most convenient features of the Client Directed Home Care Program is direct billing to Alberta Blue Cross. Once your services are provided, your home care provider (that’s us!) directly invoices Blue Cross for the subsidy portion of the services covered by AHS. This means no paperwork or hassle for you. You get the care you need without the stress of billing complications, allowing you to focus on what matters most: your health and well-being.
Why Always Best Care Is Unique: Our Values-Driven Approach to Home Care
At Always Best Care, we believe our care is about much more than meeting basic needs. Our agency stands out because everything we do is guided by our core values: Compassion, Excellence, and Reliability. These values shape every decision, from how we screen our staff to the personalized care plans we develop for each client.
One of the things that sets us apart is our staff screening process. We carefully select caregivers who align with our values to ensure every client receives the highest-quality care possible. It’s not just about skills—it’s about attitude, empathy, and a genuine passion for helping others. When you trust us with your loved one’s care, you can rest assured that they’ll be treated with respect, dignity, and kindness every step of the way.
We also take a personalized approach to care planning, recognizing that no two clients are alike. It’s not just about physical needs—it’s about understanding who our clients are. That’s why we focus on the three key areas of care that are essential to creating a meaningful care plan:
- “Who I Am Now” – Understanding our clients’ current needs and preferences.
- “About My Past” – Recognizing the life experiences, values, and stories that shape each individual.
- “Social, Emotional, and Environmental Preferences” – Learning what makes our clients feel comfortable, happy, and at ease in their surroundings.
By truly understanding these aspects, we can create care plans that help our clients live with as much joy, comfort, and independence as possible. We don’t just focus on what needs to be done; we focus on who our clients are as people, helping them thrive in every way.
We understand that when families call us, they’re often looking for solutions to complex problems. Whether it’s issues with government-funded care, the demands of being an adult child caregiver, or helping a spouse who can no longer cope independently, we’re here to offer reliable, compassionate solutions. No matter the situation, our goal is to provide the understanding and support that families need to feel confident in their care decisions.
At Always Best Care, we’re committed to offering more than services—we offer peace of mind and solutions tailored to meet every family’s unique needs.
Take the Next Step in Your Home Care Journey With Always Best Care!
The Client Directed Home Care Program is designed to give families more flexibility, control, and choice regarding home care services.
With a strong partnership between AHS, Alberta Blue Cross, and qualified home care providers like Always Best Care, we make sure your loved ones get the personalized, reliable care they deserve. From the first call to the final direct billing, we are here to help you every step of the way.
Contact Always Best Care of Calgary NW at (403) 812-0778 to learn more and schedule your free consultation.
