Provincial guide · British Columbia

Planning for more care

B.C. home and community care is delivered through health authorities. Assisted living is often private pay with lighter care than subsidized long-term care. Concern reporting uses designated agencies, not a single mandatory hotline for all citizens.

Province

Available now in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

What kind of help are you exploring?

Select everything that sounds relevant. British Columbia delivers home and community care through regional health authorities, assisted living is a distinct registered setting, and long-term care is a separate subsidized pathway. This tool offers orientation only; it does not determine eligibility.

Help with meals, bathing, dressing, or medicationDay-to-day personal care or reminders that may be hard to manage alone or with current help at home.
Support following an illness or hospital stayRecovery, therapy, or short-term help after a hospital discharge or serious illness.
Supervision because of memory loss or confusionWandering risk, forgetting meals or medication, or needing watchful support for dementia or cognitive change.
A safer living setting with some independenceMore support than at home, but not necessarily 24-hour nursing, for example when stairs, isolation, or falls are a concern.
Nursing care available throughout the day and nightOngoing skilled nursing, complex medical needs, or care that cannot be met safely with periodic visits.
Relief or respite for a family caregiverA break for an unpaid family member or friend who provides most of the day-to-day support.
Help because the current arrangement is no longer safeThe person cannot be supported safely where they live now, even with more home help.
An immediate abuse, neglect, wandering, or safety concernUrgent harm, suspected abuse or neglect, unsafe wandering, or a situation that feels dangerous right now.

Your selections help orient planning. A health authority case manager assessment determines which subsidized services or long-term care placement steps may apply.

Suggested next actions in British Columbia

Choose a starting point linked to official B.C. resources. MyEligible does not schedule assessments or submit health authority forms.

Explore home and community care

Purpose: Learn how B.C. health authorities coordinate nursing, rehab, home support, and respite after assessment.
When to use: When visiting support at home could meet daily needs, after hospital discharge, or when a family caregiver needs respite.
What to have ready: Health authority region, medication list, hospital discharge summary if recent, and helper contact details.

Find your B.C. health authority
Official B.C. home and community care page with regional health authority contacts and how to request an assessment.
Find your B.C. health authority
Link verified 2026-08-03

Open the British Columbia caregiver guide

Compare assisted living options

Purpose: Understand registered assisted living: housing with scheduled assistance, distinct from LTC.
When to use: When exploring a safer setting with meals and daily help but not 24-hour nursing.
What to have ready: Questions about monthly fees, care packages, and what happens if needs increase.

B.C. assisted living
Registered assisted living residences, services, and private-pay costs.
B.C. assisted living
Link verified 2026-08-03

Learn about long-term care access

Purpose: Review how subsidized LTC is accessed, including assessment and regional waitlist processes.
When to use: When 24-hour nursing may be required and home care or assisted living may not be safe enough.
What to have ready: Summary of medical needs, current living situation, and informal support available.

B.C. long-term care services
Subsidized long-term care eligibility, fees, and health authority waitlists.
B.C. long-term care services
Link verified 2026-08-03

Report abuse or neglect (designated agencies)

Purpose: Learn how designated agencies under the Adult Guardianship Act investigate and refer when a vulnerable adult is abused, neglected, or self-neglecting and cannot seek help independently.
When to use: When abuse, neglect, or self-neglect is suspected. Call 911 first if immediate danger. Financial abuse may involve the B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee. MyEligible does not investigate or report on your behalf.
What to have ready: Description of the concern, setting (home, facility), and whether emergency services were already contacted.

B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
Overview of designated agencies and when they may investigate under the Adult Guardianship Act.
B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
Link verified 2026-08-03
B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect
Reporting financial abuse and protecting vulnerable adults in B.C.
B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect
Link verified 2026-08-03

Review seniors benefits and tax credits

Purpose: Explore benefits that may offset care costs (orientation only).
When to use: When planning finances alongside care options, especially private assisted living fees.
What to have ready: Approximate income range and whether the person receives OAS/GIS or provincial credits.

Explore seniors benefits

A five-step planning journey in British Columbia

Step 1
Understand needs and safety
Clarify daily care needs, home safety, and whether any concern is urgent before comparing settings.
- List tasks that are difficult: meals, bathing, medication, mobility, and supervision for memory loss.
- Note whether needs changed after a hospital stay or are gradually increasing.
- Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.
- B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
  Overview of designated agencies and when they may investigate under the Adult Guardianship Act.
  B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
  Link verified 2026-08-03
Step 2
Compare home care, assisted living, and LTC
B.C. uses different settings with different care limits, costs, and assessors. Compare before assuming one fits.
- Regional health authorities coordinate public home and community care in B.C. A case manager assesses daily needs to determine what nursing, rehabilitation, or home support may be available.
  Find your B.C. health authority
  What happens next: After intake, a case manager may ask about daily activities, mobility, safety, and informal support at home.
- Assisted living suits hospitality and daily activity help, not 24-hour nursing.
- LTC is for continuous nursing needs, with a separate regional waitlist.
- Progression is not always linear; needs can change after a single assessment.
- B.C. assisted living
  Registered assisted living residences, services, and private-pay costs.
  B.C. assisted living
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- B.C. long-term care services
  Subsidized long-term care eligibility, fees, and health authority waitlists.
  B.C. long-term care services
  Link verified 2026-08-03
Step 3
Prepare for a health authority assessment
Subsidized home care and LTC both require official health authority assessments. Gather information to support the conversation.
- Bring medication lists, recent hospital records, and details about family or paid helpers.
- Contact your regional health authority to request a home and community care assessment.
  Find your B.C. health authority
  What happens next: A case manager may schedule an assessment and discuss home support, respite, adult day programs, and equipment.
- Case managers assess function, informal support, and caregiver burnout.
- Assessment does not guarantee specific hours or immediate LTC placement.
Step 4
Understand costs and benefits
Costs differ between publicly funded home care, private assisted living fees, and LTC daily client rates.
- Home care professional services are publicly funded when approved; hours are not unlimited.
- Assisted living is mostly private pay. Compare monthly fees and service packages.
- LTC uses an income-based daily client rate published on official B.C. pages.
- Federal and provincial benefits for seniors and caregivers may help. See MyEligible seniors benefits guide.
- B.C. assisted living
  Registered assisted living residences, services, and private-pay costs.
  B.C. assisted living
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- B.C. long-term care services
  Subsidized long-term care eligibility, fees, and health authority waitlists.
  B.C. long-term care services
  Link verified 2026-08-03
Step 5
Apply, wait, and transition
Service start dates and LTC placement depend on assessment outcomes, regional capacity, and waitlist priority.
- Home care begins after assessment approval, not automatically on first contact.
- LTC waitlists are managed regionally with priority criteria.
- Confirm transition plans if assisted living care needs increase beyond what the residence can provide.
- Hospital discharge may include short-term rehab. Ask what happens when short-term care ends.
- Find your B.C. health authority
  Official B.C. home and community care page with regional health authority contacts and how to request an assessment.
  Find your B.C. health authority
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- B.C. long-term care services
  Subsidized long-term care eligibility, fees, and health authority waitlists.
  B.C. long-term care services
  Link verified 2026-08-03

B.C. care settings, a continuum, not a ladder

B.C. separates home and community care, registered assisted living, and subsidized long-term care. People may add home support, move to assisted living, or need LTC, progression is not always linear.

Progression is not always linear. Some people remain at home with increasing support; others move from assisted living to LTC when medical needs grow. Compare registration status, daily client rates, and who assesses before choosing a direction.

Home and community care

Health authority case managers coordinate nursing, rehabilitation, home support, and respite after assessment.

Who it may suit: People who can stay at home with visiting professionals, short-term post-hospital rehab, or periodic personal support.
Typical services: Nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, home support, adult day programs, and caregiver respite.
Funding: Publicly funded when approved based on clinical need, informal support available, and health authority resources.
Who assesses: Health authority case managers assess function, safety, and caregiver capacity.
How to start: Contact your regional health authority or review B.C. government's home and community care pages to request an assessment.
Common misunderstanding: Approved hours reflect assessed need, home support is not unlimited and may change over time.

Find your B.C. health authority
Official B.C. home and community care page with regional health authority contacts and how to request an assessment.
Find your B.C. health authority
Link verified 2026-08-03

Assisted living

Registered residences providing housing, meals, and scheduled assistance, distinct from subsidized long-term care.

Who it may suit: People who need hospitality services and help with daily activities but do not require 24-hour nursing.
Typical services: Housing, meals, housekeeping, medication management assistance, and social activities.
Funding: Mostly private pay unless the person qualifies for other subsidies; higher needs may require LTC instead.
Who assesses: Health authority assesses whether assisted living is appropriate; residences conduct their own intake.
How to start: Review B.C. assisted living information, compare residences, and discuss options with a health authority case manager.
Common misunderstanding: Assisted living is not the same as subsidized LTC, different registration, costs, and care limits.

B.C. assisted living
Registered assisted living residences, services, and private-pay costs.
B.C. assisted living
Link verified 2026-08-03

Long-term care

Subsidized 24-hour care for people who cannot be supported safely at home or in assisted living.

Who it may suit: People who need continuous nursing and supervision for complex or declining health needs.
Typical services: 24-hour nursing, personal care, meals, activities, and secure dementia care in designated facilities.
Funding: Subsidized with a daily client rate based on income; nursing care is publicly funded.
Who assesses: Health authority case managers assess eligibility and manage regional waitlists.
How to start: Begin with a health authority assessment when LTC may be the appropriate setting.
Common misunderstanding: LTC waitlists are regional, assisted living admission does not replace the LTC waitlist process.

B.C. long-term care services
Subsidized long-term care eligibility, fees, and health authority waitlists.
B.C. long-term care services
Link verified 2026-08-03

Protection for vulnerable adults

Designated agencies may respond when an adult is abused, neglected, or self-neglecting and cannot seek help independently.

Who it may suit: Situations involving suspected abuse, neglect, or self-neglect, not a care placement pathway.
Typical services: Investigation and referral under the Adult Guardianship Act, not home care or housing placement.
Funding: Public protection services, separate from care funding applications.
Who assesses: Designated agencies (health authorities and others named in regulation) assess vulnerability and risk.
How to start: Contact your health authority designated responder or use B.C. government abuse and neglect resources.
Common misunderstanding: B.C. does not have a universal mandatory reporting law for all citizens, designated agencies act in defined circumstances.

B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
Overview of designated agencies and when they may investigate under the Adult Guardianship Act.
B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
Link verified 2026-08-03
B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect
Reporting financial abuse and protecting vulnerable adults in B.C.
B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect
Link verified 2026-08-03

Compare B.C. settings at a glance

Use this table for orientation only. Confirm registration, fees, and assessment steps on official B.C. pages.

Setting	Support level	Nursing	Funding	Assessment	Best contact	Official starting point
Home and community care	Visiting nursing, rehab, and home support based on assessed need	Periodic professional visits, not 24-hour onsite nursing	Publicly funded when approved; hours vary by need and region	Yes, health authority case manager assessment required	Regional health authority home and community care intake	Official starting point
Assisted living (registered)	Housing with meals and scheduled daily activity assistance	Limited nursing support, not 24-hour LTC nursing	Mostly private pay; subsidies may apply in defined cases	Health authority assessment for appropriateness; residence intake	Health authority case manager and B.C. assisted living information	Official starting point
Long-term care (subsidized)	24-hour nursing and personal care in a licensed facility	24-hour onsite nursing and supervision	Subsidized with income-based daily client rate	Yes, health authority assessment and waitlist	Health authority case manager for LTC assessment	Official starting point
Adult protection (designated agencies)	Investigation and referral, not a care setting	911 for immediate medical emergencies	N/A, separate from care placement	N/A, contact designated agency or PGT for financial abuse	Health authority designated responder or B.C. abuse resources	Official starting point

Support level: Visiting nursing, rehab, and home support based on assessed need
Nursing: Periodic professional visits, not 24-hour onsite nursing
Funding: Publicly funded when approved; hours vary by need and region
Assessment: Yes, health authority case manager assessment required
Best contact: Regional health authority home and community care intake

Find your B.C. health authority
Official B.C. home and community care page with regional health authority contacts and how to request an assessment.
Find your B.C. health authority
Link verified 2026-08-03

Home and community care

Health authority case managers coordinate nursing, rehabilitation, and home support after assessment.

B.C. home and community care covers professional services at home, adult day programs, and respite for unpaid caregivers. Eligibility depends on clinical need, informal support available, and health authority resources. Contact your health authority or use BC government's home care pages to start.

Case managers assess function, safety, and caregiver burnout before approving hours.
Feedback about publicly funded home care services goes through your regional health authority.
MyEligible links official pages only; it does not schedule assessments.

Find your B.C. health authority
Official B.C. home and community care page with regional health authority contacts and how to request an assessment.
Find your B.C. health authority
Link verified 2026-08-03

Assisted living

Registered supportive housing with hospitality services, usually private pay, distinct from LTC.

B.C. assisted living residences are registered with the province and provide housing, meals, and scheduled assistance with daily activities. They are not licensed long-term care facilities. Costs are mostly out of pocket unless the person also qualifies for other subsidies. Higher medical needs may require transition to long-term care.

Assisted living is different from subsidized long-term care beds and different waitlists.
Compare service packages, monthly fees, and what happens if care needs increase.
No B.C. mandatory reporting law applies to all visitors; see designated agency section for vulnerable adults.

B.C. assisted living
Registered assisted living residences, services, and private-pay costs.
B.C. assisted living
Link verified 2026-08-03

Long-term care

Subsidized 24-hour care for people who can no longer be supported safely at home or in assisted living.

Long-term care services in B.C. are accessed through health authorities after assessment. Users pay a daily copayment based on income. Concerns about care quality or safety in LTC are handled through the health authority and provincial complaint pathways described on official sites.

Waitlists and priority criteria are managed regionally, not by MyEligible.
Confirm whether the person is in assisted living or LTC before choosing a reporting path.
Official B.C. pages explain fees, contracts, and transfer between settings.

B.C. long-term care services
Subsidized long-term care eligibility, fees, and health authority waitlists.
B.C. long-term care services
Link verified 2026-08-03

Designated agency reporting

No general mandatory reporting law; designated agencies act when adults cannot seek help on their own.

British Columbia does not require every person to report suspected elder abuse. Under the Adult Guardianship Act, designated agencies (health authorities and other agencies named in regulation) may investigate when they believe an adult is abused or neglected and is unable to seek help because of physical restraint, handicap, illness, or other condition. Self-neglect may also be reviewed when the adult cannot understand the risk.

There is no province-wide mandatory reporting obligation for all neighbours, bank staff, or family members.
Contact your health authority designated responder or use BC government abuse and neglect pages for local numbers.
Financial abuse or misuse of funds may involve the Public Guardian and Trustee of B.C.

B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
Overview of designated agencies and when they may investigate under the Adult Guardianship Act.
B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources
Link verified 2026-08-03
B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect
Reporting financial abuse and protecting vulnerable adults in B.C.
B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect
Link verified 2026-08-03

Official sources

These pages are maintained by government agencies and regulators. MyEligible mirrors links for navigation only.

B.C. home and community care
Authority:
B.C. regional health authorities
Province:
British Columbia
Purpose:
Home and community care access, costs, and contacts.
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
B.C. adult abuse, neglect, and self-neglect
Authority:
Government of British Columbia
Province:
British Columbia
Purpose:
Adult abuse, neglect, and self-neglect help resources.
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Public Guardian and Trustee of B.C.: protecting vulnerable adults
Authority:
Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia
Province:
British Columbia
Purpose:
Financial abuse reporting and vulnerable adult protection.
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
B.C. assisted living
Authority:
B.C. regional health authorities
Province:
British Columbia
Purpose:
Registered assisted living information and costs.
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
B.C. long-term care services
Authority:
B.C. regional health authorities
Province:
British Columbia
Purpose:
Subsidized long-term care eligibility and fees.
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page

This guide helps you prepare and find the correct official pathway. It does not assess eligibility, make placement decisions, or replace advice from a health authority or care coordinator.

This is not an eligibility test

Last reviewed: August 2026

What kind of help are you exploring?

Suggested next actions in British Columbia

Explore home and community care

Find your B.C. health authority

Compare assisted living options

B.C. assisted living

Learn about long-term care access

B.C. long-term care services

Report abuse or neglect (designated agencies)

B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources

B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect

Review seniors benefits and tax credits

A five-step planning journey in British Columbia

Understand needs and safety

B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources

Compare home care, assisted living, and LTC

B.C. assisted living

B.C. long-term care services

Prepare for a health authority assessment

Understand costs and benefits

B.C. assisted living

B.C. long-term care services

Apply, wait, and transition

Find your B.C. health authority

B.C. long-term care services

B.C. care settings, a continuum, not a ladder

Home and community care

Find your B.C. health authority

Assisted living

B.C. assisted living

Long-term care

B.C. long-term care services

Protection for vulnerable adults

B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources

B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect

Compare B.C. settings at a glance

Find your B.C. health authority

Home and community care

Find your B.C. health authority

Assisted living

B.C. assisted living

Long-term care

B.C. long-term care services

Designated agency reporting

B.C. adult abuse and neglect resources

B.C. Public Guardian and Trustee: abuse and neglect

Official sources