1. Contact the CLSC or current case worker
Contact the CLSC serving your loved one’s area or the person already responsible for the case. At the hospital, ask who coordinates the process.
- Describe daily difficulties, current services and the help the caregiver can still provide. Ask for an assessment of needs and support or accommodation options.
- Record your loved one’s wishes: location, language, proximity to family, routines and activities. Loss of autonomy does not automatically mean losing the ability to decide.
- Be clear if the caregiver is exhausted or can no longer provide certain care. Ask for respite and a support plan while waiting, as well as an evening or weekend contact.
For psychosocial guidance: 811, option 2. For caregiver support: Info-aidant, 1 855 852-7784. These services do not reserve accommodation places. In immediate danger, call 911.
2. Understand the different care settings
The setting depends on assessed needs and local availability. These distinctions do not replace the care team’s referral advice.
- RPA — private seniors’ residence: contact the residence; check certification, actual services and the lease. Complex needs require careful verification.
- RI / RTF — intermediate or family-type resource: referral is through the health network, based on needs and local resources. Ask which program and contribution rules apply.
- CHSLD — long-term care centre / seniors’ home: for significant support and care needs; public-network admission follows an assessment. Confirm the facility’s status and applicable fees.
- Alternative home: may accommodate adults with a physical or intellectual disability, or autism. Confirm eligibility and availability with the network.
For an adult under 65, specifically ask about options suited to their age and condition. Do not assume an RPA is suitable, or rule it out based on age alone.
3. Prepare questions for the social worker
Start with the answer that matters most in your situation. Confirm application, waiting and admission procedures locally.
- Which assessments remain, by whom and when? Which documents are actually required? Who submits the application and how do we confirm it is complete?
- How are urgency, changes in circumstances, caregiver limits and exhaustion considered? What support or respite can we request now?
- What preferences for a facility or area can we express? Are they guaranteed? What waiting-time estimate can you give for this case, and when should we follow up?
- Could temporary accommodation be offered? How would a later transfer to the preferred setting work?
- When a place is offered, what are the response and moving deadlines? What would refusing mean in our case? Confirm these points with the local service; do not assume a general rule.
4. Visit and check essential needs
Use the same questions at each visit. Ask for precise answers and written confirmation of promised services before comparing price and appearance.
- Which staff are actually present during the day, evening and night? How do residents get help at night, and which care requires an outside professional?
- Can you provide transfers, toileting assistance, mobility support and wheelchair access? What equipment is available?
- For swallowing difficulties, how are the clinical team’s instructions followed at meals? Who helps with eating? Have the team assess these needs rather than improvising instructions.
- Who manages medication and medical follow-up? What happens if needs increase or exceed the setting’s services? How would relocation be arranged?
- What daily choices does the resident retain? How are activities adapted to age, language and interests? Who informs the family, and when is the care plan reviewed?
- How can we contact the users’ or residents’ committee and access the complaints process? Observe respect, responses to requests and accessibility; a visit is not a guarantee.
5. Gather documents and clarify the budget
This is a suggested family file, not a universal list of mandatory documents. Gather what is available without delaying first contact. Keep sensitive information outside PASSARA and share it only with the relevant people.
- Identification, health insurance card and contact details for your loved one, family contact and professionals; a recent pharmacy medication list, allergies and available assessments.
- A summary of daily assistance, equipment, dated incidents and caregiver limits; your loved one’s routines, preferences and communication methods.
- Relevant representation documents, if any: confirm their scope before signing or deciding for your loved one. Income, benefits, assets and family obligations only for the requested financial assessment.
- Public institution: consult the RAMQ about contributions and requesting a reduction based on ability to pay. Maximums are indexed annually; check current amounts at the source. For an RI, use RI-specific rules and the calculator, not CHSLD rates.
- RPA: obtain rent, individual service prices and extras, with the mandatory lease schedule itemizing services. Check tax assistance with Revenu Québec without assuming it applies.
- Compare total costs: rent or contribution, additional care, transportation, medication, phone and personal expenses, minus confirmed assistance. Check notices and documents for the current lease with the Administrative Housing Tribunal; do not assume a move automatically ends it.
6. Prepare the move and follow-up
When a place is offered, record deadlines and clarify any unconfirmed needs before responding.
- Confirm the admission contact, arrival date, local list of documents and belongings, and suitable transportation. Have relevant professionals transmit clinical information.
- Check medication and equipment on arrival. Prepare labelled clothing, a few permitted reassuring objects and a short note about routines. Confirm what the setting provides.
- Arrange address changes, lease matters and applicable financial steps. Identify the main contact and agree on a first care-plan follow-up.
- Record adjustment difficulties or missing services and discuss them with the team. Share visits and tasks among family members; the caregiver may still need support after the move.