Not all home care is created equal. Here's what actually matters.
Most home care in Calgary sends a caregiver to your door. HomeFree sends a physician-led medical team. That's not a small difference — it's an entirely different model of care.
Before you choose a provider, understand the four types of care available to your family — and what each one actually delivers. Because the decision you make now will shape your loved one's quality of life for years to come.
14 parents of physicians choose HomeFree for their own families. When doctors trust us with their own parents, that says everything.
What families tell us when they start comparing providers:
- Inconsistent caregivers who change every visit, making it impossible to build trust or continuity of care
- No physician involvement — caregivers are unsupported when medical questions arise or conditions change
- Limited scope of services that still leaves the family coordinating medications, appointments, and daily logistics
- Sticker shock from private agencies, with no guidance on government funding that could cover up to 75% of costs
- Feeling pressured toward facility placement when home-based care could be a better option with the right clinical support
The HomeFree difference
Returning home after recurrent hospital admissions
Getting out of hospital with 24-hour MSH™
Compare your options side by side
Medically-Supervised Homecare™ | Traditional Homecare and Franchises | Facility-Based Care | |
|---|---|---|---|
Remain at home with dignity | |||
Physician and nursing oversight | Varies | ||
Weekly clinical rounds | Varies | ||
Caregiver consistency | Varies | ||
Industry-leading caregiver wages and support | |||
Healthcare system integration (Alberta Netcare) | Varies | ||
“Whole home” solution | |||
Extended healthcare network of neurologists and other neuromuscular specialists | |||
Cost | $$ | $$ | $$-$$$$ |
Common questions when comparing providers
Yes. HomeFree is an approved CDHCI provider, which can cover up to 75% of costs. Our physician services are 100% covered by Alberta Health. We guide you through the entire funding application process.
To undergo our comprehensive onboarding, care plan and care team creation process, we recommend at least 3 weeks before initiating services. However, for urgent needs like hospital discharges or acute safety concerns, we can often expedite the process to initiate care within 24-48 hours. Please contact us right away if this is your situation.
Yes! HomeFree was born from our Medical Director’s frustration with the hospital system's inability to help patients get back home when only a modest amount of expert care is required to do so. Our care team will meet the patient in hospital (or facility) and coordinate directly with their care team to plan a safe discharge back home, while ensuring all ongoing medical issues are looked after.
No, at HomeFree, we do whatever it takes to ensure your family retains autonomy and dignity at this stage of life. We ask for 7 days notice to cancel or pause services so we can respect our caregivers as we reassign their work. When required, pauses or cancellations on even shorter notice are also accommodated due to medical emergencies.
Absolutely – it is one of our top priorities. Unlike traditional agencies, HomeFree focuses on building long-term relationships between clients and caregivers. Our Care Managers learn your household needs and orient new caregivers to your home, so you don’t have to. Our industry-leading wages, training, and support programs for caregivers make HomeFree the leading employer of top caregivers, meaning we attract and retain staff, and allowing us to keep consistent care teams in client homes.
We offer a compatibility guarantee. If the fit isn't right, we'll find a new caregiver immediately. HomeFree has a large team of caregivers with varying personalities, skillsets, and experiences, and we are confident we will find a perfect match for your loved one.
Yes, if your loved one speaks most comfortably in another language, we are almost always able to match a caregiver according to their native tongue.
While traditional homecare focuses on discrete tasks, we know that patients and families are burned out of the day-to-day tasks of running a household. These tasks differ from home-to-home, but we learn your needs to take burdensome chores off your plate. Examples include: groceries, dishes, laundry, cleaning the floors, organizing an office, transportation to appointments, assisting with exercises, and much more! We’ve taken clients on road trips to see families in other cities, helped them to renew their passports, and helped them to get to the salon for a new “do” – because we simply love doing whatever it takes to keep our clients thriving at home for life!
Yes, HomeFree provides care in many assisted-living and long-term care facilities. We will collaborate with the facility’s care team to ensure an optimal distribution of support and resources for your loved one. Depending on which facility they are in, however, their CDHCI (public funding) eligibility may vary.
Yes, our caregivers can drive your loved one to appointments, social activities, errands, or anywhere they need to go, helping them maintain independence and stay connected to their community. This can include using our cars (with a mileage fee), or yours (no mileage fee). We also assist patients in using public transportation or other specialized transport systems (Handibus, etc).
HomeFree’s care can be up to 75% funded by the Alberta Health CDHCI program, while all medically-necessary physician services are 100% covered. Starting out-of-pocket costs can be as low as $150 per week. Compared to the cost of even a shared bed at a public long-term care facility (over $2000/mo), HomeFree’s care is excellent value for both families and the health system.
The best decision starts with a conversation