Home care: the cornerstone of health renewal in Nova Scotia.

Abstract

Until recently, home care services in Nova Scotia lacked uniformity and were difficult to access. This changed dramatically last June when the province launched Home Care Nova Scotia, the linchpin in the province's plan for health renewal. The program provides chronic and home hospital care to Nova Scotians of all ages, with five additional categories of care planned for the future. Like the 400 other coordinated home care programs in Canada, Home Care Nova Scotia is one alternative to the inappropriate use of acute and long term care facilities. It is also a valued service in its own right within the continuum of health services.