Primary Care is your first point of contact with the health care system. Your care will be coordinated between multiple service providers to ensure we focus on better care for you and your family to stay healthy and prevent illness.
Benefits of Primary Care:
Consistent care from a health care provider that knows you and your health care needs
Reduced reliance on hospital and emergency department visits
Greater focus on promoting healthy living and disease prevention
Personal Health Information is accessible to care providers contributing to better and safer care
We have created an Information Handbook for Residents and Families to help you and your family transition into your new home. We are aware that this move is a big change and we hope this information will help to ease into this new chapter.
Welcome to your home… we look forward to creating new memories!
Your local home care office will be able to help you determine if a personal care home is the appropriate option for you or a loved one. You will be assigned a home care coordinator who will . conduct a thorough assessment and provide you with options for next steps.
Access a list of home care offices in Southern Health-Santé Sud region.
Application Process
If the appropriate next step is a personal care home, a home care coordinator will assist you with the application process and walk you through the panel review. You will be notified by letter once your application has been reviewed by the regional Long Term Care Panel. This letter will indicate if your application has been accepted or denied.
If your application is accepted you will be placed on a waitlist and provided with an interim care plan while you wait.
If your application is not accepted you will be contacted by a home care coordinator who will assist with you with a care plan or alternative care options.
Helping You Make Decisions
Helping You Make Decisions
A time may come when you are unable to look after your own affairs. It is recommended that you choose someone you trust to legally represent you.
Options include:
Legal representative for your financial matters Enduring Power of Attorney is an option that can be arranged through your lawyer and can only be done while you are mentally capable. Avoid potentially costly legal proceedings, act now.
Legal representative for health care (Health Care Proxy) You have the right to accept or refuse medical treatment. If you are mentally capable, The Health Care Directives Act allows you to express your wishes regarding the amount and type(s) of health care and treatment you wish to receive in the event that you are unable to speak or otherwise express your wishes. The Act also allows you to appoint someone to make medical decisions for you if you are not able to make them yourself. It is important that this person knows your wishes. Please talk to your health care provider or legal representative for more information about completing a directive that includes a health care proxy.
Substitute decision-maker This term is used to describe a person who is given responsibility to make decisions on another person’s behalf. Most often, this person is either a Power of Attorney, a Health Care Proxy or both.
Eligibility & Financials
Eligibility & Financials
In order to be eligible to reside in a Manitoba personal care home and to receive financial benefits towards monthly rent which includes meals, activities, personal care, care, and other services, you must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident as defined in The Immigration Act (Canada) who:
has been a resident of Manitoba for 30 years or more
has been a resident of Manitoba, left the province, and returned after an absence of less than 10 years, re-establishing yourself as a resident of Manitoba; or
has been a resident of another province or territory for five (5) consecutive years, and have moved to Manitoba and immediately established yourself as a resident of Manitoba
If you are not a Canadian citizen or do not meet either one of the above qualifications, then you must have been a resident of Manitoba for 24 consecutive months before receiving any financial benefits. In special circumstances, these residency requirements can be waived.
Fees
Once you move into the personal care home, you will be charged the daily fee based on your income, and as determined by Manitoba Health.
The same fee structure is applied to all personal care homes in Manitoba. To establish your daily fee, the health facility will require your Notice of Assessment from the previous taxation year. If you cannot find your “Notice of Assessment”, please contact the Canada Revenue Agency1-800-959-8281.
For more information regarding personal care home fees, please see the PCH Handbook.
Midwives care for women in low-risk pregnancies with consideration to priority populations for a segment of the clientele including (but not limited to) Indigenous people, newcomers, single parents, teens, individuals that are under served, to name a few.
Establishing trusting relationships with our ‘moms to be’ and their families and quality care is our focus. Registered with the College of Midwives of Manitoba, midwives in Southern Health-Santé Sud:
follow the expectant mother through her entire childbirth cycle, providing prenatal care, education and advice, attending the birth in the setting of the woman’s choice – either at home or in a hospital – and six weeks of postpartum follow up for mother and baby
are independent practitioners but will work collaboratively with your primary care provider if the need arises and for non-pregnancy related issues
practice in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, health units, community health centres, birth centres and homes (our current delivery sites are Boundary Trails Health Centre, Hôpital Ste-Anne Hospital, Portage District General Hospital and Bethesda Regional Health Centre)
are mandated to accept only low-risk pregnancies and will refer you to an alternative provider should the need arise during your pregnancy
If you would like to hear more about our midwifery services, please call 204-331-2167 (Winkler), 204-346-9480 (Steinbach), or email. If you are seeking midwifery care and are outside the Southern Health-Santé Sud region, please visit the College of Midwives of Manitoba and click on “Manitoba Midwives”.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Midwife?
A midwife is a specialist in normal childbirth, a skilled practitioner who assesses, monitors and provides care during your pregnancy, childbirth and the first 4-6 weeks postpartum. A midwife is dedicated to helping you and your family define and access your individual health choices in the childbearing year. Your pregnancy and birth is a normal state for healthy women and we promote normal birth without unnecessary or routine intervention. Your midwives are the primary caregivers for your pregnancy, birth and postpartum care. If you choose midwifery services, you will not see a physician during pregnancy unless an indication for consultation or transfer of care arises. If it does, we have excellent communication with the wide range of health care providers in the community to help serve you. Midwives provide continuity of care during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. We look forward to having you meet and get to know our small team of midwives.
Can I have a midwife if I’m planning a hospital birth?
Since midwives became part of the formal health care system, we have been able to obtain hospital privileges and can now attend births in the hospital. In Southern Health-Santé Sud, midwives are currently attending births at Boundary Trails Health Centre, Hôpital Ste-Anne Hospital, Portage District General Hospital and Bethesda Regional Health Centre. Midwives focus on improving the quality of your pregnancy experience, helping you stay as healthy as possible. The personal time, intensive prenatal care provided by midwives, with its emphasis on education, prevention and healthy living, will help you approach your birth feeling prepared and comfortable with your attendant. Your midwife will be with you through most of your active labour and brief hospital stay. You midwife will provide you with postpartum care, support, and resources.
I’m interested in having my baby at home, but some people say it’s not safe. Is it?
Studies and statistics from home birth practices and European countries where home birth continues to be a common option demonstrate that birth at home is a safe choice for healthy, low-risk mothers with skilled attendants. There are different risks to both hospital and home birth. We discuss and explore the factors that improve the safety of your chosen place of birth. The College of Midwives of Ontario, after carefully examining the evidence, has concluded that home is the location in which birth is most likely to remain normal. In fact, Registered Midwives are required to be skilled and competent to attend births in all settings, thereby protecting a woman’s right to choose birth at home. Footnotes: 1. I.R.C.M. Statement on Birth, June 1991, p.2; Canadian Medical Journal Study on Homebirth Safety.
Are midwives anti-hospital or technology?
No. Absolutely not. The best maternity care occurs when there is cooperation between midwives and obstetricians, whose specialized skills can be essential in high-risk situations. Although most normal births require little or no intervention, midwives are trained in emergency skills and carry emergency equipment such as oxygen and resuscitation equipment, and anti-hemorrhagic drugs to all births. Hospital back-up and emergency equipment are important to the safety of home birth. Registered midwives must practice in accordance with standards set by the College of Midwives of Manitoba. These standards include detailed guidelines about when to consult with or transfer care to a physician.
Can I afford midwifery care?
The full course of midwifery care, which includes prenatal, birth and postpartum care, is fully funded by Manitoba Health.
I am a midwifery client and have a question or concern – who do I call?
Please call your midwife at the telephone number you were provided. If they are not available, feel free to leave a voice mail message.
If your child experiences any of the following health conditions that require intervention while attending school and/or child care centre, they are eligible for Unified Referral Intake System (URIS) program. These include:
life-threatening allergy
asthma
seizure disorders
diabetes
cardiac conditions
bleeding disorders
steroid dependence
gastrostomy care
ostomy care
clean intermittent catheterization
pre-set oxygen
suctioning (oral or nasal)
The Unified Referral Intake System (URIS) is a program developed to support children who have designated health care needs when attending a school, licensed child care centre or other community program (e.g. respite).
Through URIS, a registered nurse will work with you, your child, physician, school and/or child care centre to develop individual health care and emergency health care plans as well as to train and monitor staff that care for your child while they attend school and/or child care centre. Care plans are reviewed annually to ensure they are up to date.
To apply, contact your school, child care centre or community program.
FASD Diagnostic Coordinators are regulated health care professionals who can help facilitate referrals and assessments for children from birth to the age of 18 living in the region. They may also assist with access to education and community resources following diagnosis.
Endocrine & Diabetes Clinics (Pediatric) Community Services Building, 685 William Avenue, Room FE307 Pediatric Endocrine Clinic 204-787-7435
Pediatric Endocrine Clinic provides specialized evidence based care, education, support, advocacy, and research for children with known or suspected endocrine disorders.
Diabetes Education Resource for Children and Adolescents (DER-CA) Pediatric Diabetes Clinic 204-787-3011
DER-CA provides specialized evidence-based care, education, support, advocacy, and research for children living with diabetes.
Trained health professionals work together as a team to provide support for children and youth with identified developmental concerns. To access services, parents, caregivers, doctors and other clinicians can send a referral to CTI. A parent’s legal or guardian consent is required as part of the referral process. CTI then reviews the referral and forwards it appropriately to ensure your child gets the right care by the right health care provider.
Your child’s therapy may be provided in a variety of settings, depending on the needs of your child and your family.
