Introduction

For many older people, ageing in place is enabled by a frequently complex system of support comprised of relatives, paid or formal caregivers, neighbours and friends (Sims-Gould and Martin-Matthews, 2007). The receipt of adequate and appropriate homecare is one component of the formal service sector that contributes to the likelihood of older rural residents remaining in their homes and communities.

Homecare is an expanding sector of healthcare delivery in many countries around the world (Hall and Coyte, 2001; McClimont and Grove, 2004; Broese van Groenou et al, 2006). Overall population ageing, combined with a strong desire to ‘age in place’, creates an increased likelihood that many older people will use homecare. The increased likelihood for use of homecare also exists within many rural and remote areas around the world, particularly in the absence of local hospitals or other acute/post-acute care options. This chapter examines the experiences of home support workers and older clients in the delivery and receipt of home support services in rural Canada.

The receipt of appropriate home support services enables many older people to remain in their homes and communities as they grow older. In rural areas, home support services are particularly important in that they can often prevent or delay the relocation of an older person to an urban centre where hospitals, acute and post-acute care are more readily available. While there is a growing body of knowledge on homecare, few studies have examined home support in the rural context (Williams and Cutchin, 2002; Canadian Homecare Association, 2006).