In-home personal support · Toronto & GTA
Personal support workers who help your family stay at home
Certified PSWs for bathing, dressing, mobility, meals and companionship, with visit notes that keep your family informed.
- PSW-certified caregivers
- Vulnerable Sector checked
- First Aid & CPR current
- WSIB covered & insured
Our services
Home care services from certified personal support workers
Every visit follows a care plan built around your loved one's routines and goals.
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Personal care & hygiene
Bathing, grooming, dressing and toileting, with privacy and dignity.
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Mobility & fall safety
Safe transfers, walking support and a basic home safety walk-through.
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Meals & light housekeeping
Meals for special diets, laundry, tidying and grocery runs.
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Dementia & memory care
Calm routines and patient support from dementia-trained PSWs.
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Companionship & outings
Conversation, walks, hobbies and escorts to appointments.
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Respite & overnight care
A break for family caregivers, from a few hours to overnight.
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Hospital-to-home support
Extra support in the first weeks after a hospital stay.
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Palliative comfort care
Comfort and quiet presence at end of life, alongside the palliative team.
Not sure which services fit? A care coordinator will help you choose, free of charge.
Clear expectations
What does a personal support worker do?
A personal support worker (PSW) helps with daily living. PSWs are not nurses, so here is where the line sits.
A PSW helps with
- Bathing, dressing, grooming, mouth and skin care
- Toileting and continence care
- Transfers, walking and repositioning
- Meal preparation, feeding and fluid intake
- Medication reminders from a pharmacy blister pack
- Laundry and light housekeeping
- Companionship, supervision and safety
- Noticing and reporting changes in health or mood
We leave these to a nurse or doctor
- Wound care and dressing changes
- Injections and IV lines
- Catheter insertion and complex ostomy care
- Clinical assessments and diagnosis
- Prescribing or changing medication doses
Need nursing too? With your permission, we keep your doctor and any home care nurses informed.
We agree every task in writing before care starts.
How it works
Getting home care started
Most care starts within 48 to 72 hours, or within 24 hours after a hospital discharge.
Free consultation
Call or send the form. We learn about your loved one's needs and routines.
Written care plan
We visit the home, look for everyday safety risks and write down the tasks and visit times.
Matched PSW
We match a PSW by skills, language and personality, and introduce them whenever possible.
Ongoing check-ins
You get regular visit notes, and we review the plan as needs change.
Our standards
Every PSW is trained, screened and supported
What we check before anyone enters your home, and keep current after.
- PSW certificate
- Graduate of a recognized Ontario PSW program (college, career college or school board), or equivalent training.
- Background check
- Police Vulnerable Sector Check before starting, renewed periodically.
- First Aid & CPR
- Required for all caregivers and kept current.
- Ongoing training
- Dementia care, safe lifting and transfers, infection prevention and control, and palliative approaches to care.
- Oversight
- A care coordinator oversees each care plan. We encourage PSWs to register with the HSCPOA, Ontario's voluntary PSW oversight body.
- Coverage
- WSIB coverage and commercial general liability insurance.
Where we work
PSW care wherever home is
We care for people at home, and give extra one-on-one time in retirement homes and long-term care, following each home's policies.
- Private homes
- Condos & apartments
- Retirement homes
- Supportive housing
- Long-term care (private companion)
- Hospital bedside companion
Service area
Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area
Not on the list? Call and ask.
- Toronto
- Thornhill
- North York
- Scarborough
- Etobicoke
- Mississauga
- Brampton
- Vaughan
- Markham
- Richmond Hill
- Oakville
Paying for home care
If you qualify, Ontario Health atHome provides publicly funded personal support (310-2222, no area code), though hours are often limited. Many families add private hours on top. Some insurance plans and the Veterans Independence Program help with costs, depending on your plan and eligibility. We give a receipt for every visit.
Questions families ask
Frequently asked questions about PSW home care
What does a personal support worker do?
A PSW helps with daily living: bathing, dressing, toileting, eating, moving safely, meals, light housekeeping and companionship. They also watch for changes in health or mood and tell the family.
What is the difference between a PSW and a nurse?
A nurse (RN or RPN) is a regulated health professional who assesses health, gives injections, does wound care and gives medications. A PSW helps with daily living and personal care. A PSW does a clinical task only when a nurse or doctor has taught or delegated it for that client. Many clients have both.
How quickly can PSW care start?
Usually within 48 to 72 hours of a consultation, and often within 24 hours after a hospital discharge, depending on PSW availability.
Is there a minimum visit length?
Visits are usually at least 3 hours, so there is time to do things properly. Overnight and live-in care are planned separately.
Can home care be covered by funding or insurance?
If your loved one qualifies, Ontario Health atHome provides publicly funded personal support (310-2222, no area code). Some insurance plans and the Veterans Independence Program also help, depending on your plan and eligibility. We give a receipt for every visit, and many families combine public and private hours.
Can I have the same PSW each time?
We aim to give you a primary PSW and a small backup team who know the care plan, so faces stay familiar.
How much does private PSW home care cost?
It depends on the hours, the schedule (weekdays, nights or holidays) and the care needed. You get a written quote after the free consultation, before care begins.
Can a PSW give my parent their medication?
A PSW can give reminders and help with pills from a pharmacy blister pack. Injections, dosing and complex medications are nursing work, unless a nurse or doctor has taught or delegated a specific task for that client.
Do I need a doctor's referral for home care?
Not for private care. Just call or send the form. For publicly funded care, call Ontario Health atHome at 310-2222 (no area code) to ask for an assessment.
Do you provide overnight or live-in care?
Yes. Overnight shifts can be awake or asleep on site, and live-in care is planned separately. We agree in writing how often the PSW checks in and what to do in an emergency.
Can your PSWs care for someone living with dementia?
Yes. Our PSWs receive dementia care training, including calm routines and gentle ways to ease agitation or wandering. We try to keep the same small team so faces stay familiar.
Can you match a PSW who speaks our language?
Tell us your preferred language and any cultural or religious needs. We match on language, culture and personality whenever we can.
What happens if our regular PSW is sick or on vacation?
We arrange a backup PSW, ideally one who already knows the care plan, and tell you in advance whenever possible.
How will we know how the visit went?
Your PSW keeps short visit notes: care given, meals, mobility and anything to watch, like a change in appetite or mood.
Have a different question? Ask a care coordinator or call (647) 829-4553.
Contact us
Book a free care consultation
Tell us about your loved one. We aim to call back within one business day. If it's urgent, please call us.
Medical emergency? Call 911.
Careers
We're hiring personal support workers
Join a caring team serving families across Toronto and the GTA.
Send your resume to info@joyveracare.com with "PSW application" in the subject.
Accommodations are available on request for candidates with disabilities at every stage of hiring.
What you need
- PSW certificate from a recognized program
- Current First Aid and CPR
- Clear Police Vulnerable Sector Check
- Patience, reliability and a kind manner
What we offer
- Full-time, part-time and casual shifts
- Consistent clients, close to home where possible
- A care coordinator who supports you
- Ongoing training, including dementia care