Continuing Care Home
Continuing care homes are licensed settings that receive public funding to provide residents with nursing, personal care, life enrichment activities and other support services. All continuing care homes provide 24-hour publicly funded health and personal care support on-site.
Continuing care homes are licenced as either a type A (formerly long-term care, nursing home or auxiliary hospital), type B (formerly designated supportive living) or type C (publicly funded hospice spaces or setting).
Type A
Type A continuing care homes are for people with complex medical needs who are unable to remain safely at home, in a supportive living accommodation, or a lower level of continuing care home.
Type B
Type B continuing care homes are for people with various levels of medical needs who are unable to remain safely in supportive living accommodations or in their homes.
Type C
Type C continuing care homes are settings where operators are contracted to provide publicly-funded hospice care to people who require specialized end-of-life care. Type C homes are now governed by the continuing care legislation.
Non-compliant or Contravention
During an inspection, the accommodation failed to meet the legislated requirements as per the Act, Regulations and applicable standards.
Findings
Historical term used during a Quality Monitoring Visit where Alberta Health Services identified areas to be addressed.
Long Term Care Accommodation
This is a historical term based on previous legislation and regulations. Long-term-care accommodations are now classified as Continuing Care Home – type A.
Operator
The company, individual or partnership responsible for the operation of the continuing care home and/or supportive living accommodation and compliance to the legislated requirements.
Rectified
The Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services has determined the accommodation is now in compliance to the Act, Regulations and/or standard.
Supportive Living
This is a historical term based on previous legislation and regulations. Formerly, this definition included designated supportive living facilities which are sites that hold an agreement with the regional health authority to receive public funding for health and personal care services. Designated supportive living is now classified as a Continuing Care Home – Type B. Please see the updated terminology for supportive living accommodation and continuing care home for more information.
Supportive Living Accommodation
This is the new term for a supportive living accommodation under the Continuing Care Act, where operators provide supportive living services.
Supportive living accommodations serve the needs of a wide range of individuals and vary by size, appearance and types of services provided.
All supportive living accommodations must be licensed, comply with the Accommodation Standards – Supportive Living and meet the following criteria:
- the supportive living accommodation is home to 4 or more adults who are not related to the operator
- the accommodation is intended for permanent or long-term residency
- the operator provides services related to safety, security or personal welfare
- provides any meal or nourishment services, housekeeping or accommodation services deemed required by the residents to remain as independent as possible
Visit Type
The Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services regularly inspects continuing care homes and supportive living accommodations. Below is a list of visit types.
| Visit Type | Definition |
|---|---|
| CCHSS Audit | Audits are conducted by the Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services to determine compliance to the legislated Continuing Care Health Service Standards (CCHSS). Publicly funded Continuing Care Homes (type A and B) and type 1 and type 2 home and community care providers are visited to assess client/resident safety and the quality of care in accordance with the CCHSS. These audits may include follow-up activity to previously identified non-compliances. Visits conducted prior to April 1, 2024 may have been completed by either the Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services or Alberta Health Services. |
| CMOH Inspection | This visit type is retired. These visits were completed by the Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services to assesses compliance to previous COVID-19 Chief Medical Officer of Health Orders, under the Public Health Act. These inspections may have included follow-up activity to previously identified non-compliances. |
| Consultation | The Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services provides information related to the Accommodation Standards – Continuing Care Homes and/or Accommodation Standards – Supportive Living Accommodations. Compliance with the standards/requirements is not assessed during this visit. |
| Complaint Investigation | Investigation of an allegation that the continuing care home or supportive living operator was not operating in compliance with the Continuing Care Act, regulations or standards by the Ministry of Assisted Living and Social Services. The investigation is intended to determine validity of the allegation. Non-compliances will be issued if a complaint is confirmed. Follow up will ensure that corrective action is taken. Visits conducted prior to April 1, 2024 may have assessed compliance to the Resident and Family Councils Act or the Chief Medical Officer of Health Orders. |
| Inspection | An inspection visit completed at an accommodation or home and community care office to review compliance to part or all of the Continuing Care Act, Regulations or standards. These inspections may include follow up activity to previously identified non-compliances. |
| Quality Monitoring Visit | This visit type is retired. These visits were completed by Alberta Health Services to assess that operators were continuing to deliver quality and safe care by observing staffing levels; quality of clinical care and follow up to care; infection prevention and control practices; outbreak management; and adherence to Chief Medical Officer of Health Order guidelines. These visits may have included follow-up activity to previously identified findings. |
Resources
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Find information about a supportive living accommodation or a continuing care home
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Frequently asked questions regarding this website
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Considerations when choosing a supportive living accommodation or continuing care home
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Accommodation information, forms and publications
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Find out more about continuing care in Alberta
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Contact Continuing Care