As someone that’s taking care of aging parents or senior loved ones in Toronto, you’ve most likely heard about personal support workers, also commonly known as PSW.

But what exactly does a PSW do? How do they help? And how do you know when it’s the right time to hire one? These are some of the questions other searchers like you are asking.

And in this Toronto focused guide, I’ll be explaining the role of a PSW, the services they provide, how home care personal support workers are different from health care PSW and how you’ll know when it is right to choose the right one for your family.

Who Is a Personal Support Worker (PSW)?

A Personal Support Worker (PSW) is a trained professional that assists seniors and individuals with daily activities so they can live safely, comfortably, and independently in their own homes.

In Ontario and Canada generally, PSWs are a key part of the healthcare system. They work in different areas including:

• Private homes
• Long term care facilities
• Retirement homes
• Hospitals and medical facilities
• Community care centers

PSWs are especially essential in cities like Toronto, where aging adults are increasingly choosing to age in place rather than getting moved into public care facilities.

Why PSWs Are Essential for Toronto Seniors

Over the years, Toronto has experienced one of the fastest-growing senior populations in Ontario. And the fact that many families are having to juggle full time work, child care, personal life and care giving responsibilities, has created an urgent need for trustworthy and trained support.

PSWs can fill this gap by providing:

• Hands-on personal care
• Companionship
• Emotional support
• Household assistance
• Mobility and transportation help

Personal support workers also play a critical role in reducing caregiver burnout, providing kitchen support and general assistance within and outside the home.

What Exactly Does a PSW Do?

A persona support worker does a whole lot of things, but oftentimes their roles and responsibilities are dependent on the needs of the specific family, area of coverage for the PSW company and other factors. I’ll be listing below some of the most common PSW tasks:

• Personal Care Assistance

This is the core of PSW work. It involves a handful of responsibilities that revolves around helping seniors. This often includes responsibilities like; Bathing and showering, Dressing and grooming, Toileting and incontinence care, Oral hygiene, Hair brushing and shaving, Changing bedding, assistance during personal-care routines etc.

Personal home care for elders can be overwhelming families to provide, especially children caring for parents while juggling work and other personal activities which makes the services of PSWs invaluable to families.

• Mobility Assistance & Walking Support

PSWs provide mobility support for clients with mobility challenges. This support extends to services like balance support for seniors at risk of falls, support with getting in and out of the bed, safe walking, moving around the residence with mobility aids etc.

• Medication Reminders

Generally, PSWs do not administer medication but they can help with providing reminders, getting elders prepped for medical appointments, tracking medication schedules, monitoring for side effects etc.

This support can go a long way in preventing errors while ensuring that medications are taken as prescribed.

• Meal Preparation & Nutrition Support

Meal preparation can be tasking for seniors especially those with mobility and other challenges, making the help of PSWs very essential in providing healthy and timely meals for seniors.

Personal support workers can provide nutrition and meal prep support to seniors in different ways, including; Meal preparation, Grocery shopping assistance, diet monitoring and hydration among others.

• Housekeeping & Home Support

Elderly people deserve to live in a dignified, comfortable and safe homes. Also, considering that a safe clutter free home is essential to preventing slips and falls, it is crucial to have in place support that can ensure the house is well kept and safe.

In this regard, a PSWs have commonly helped with Light cleaning, laundry, tidying living spaces and other areas, dishwashing and cleaning, bed making etc.

• Companionship & Social Support

Like every other person, our older loved ones deserve companionship and support but sometimes, we can get caught up with far too many things to actually give them the companionship that can make life more comfortable for them.

But companionship is also one of the most underrated roles of PSWs. They offer; friendly conversation, emotional encouragement, cognitive engagement, games and puzzles, walks and outing and other activities that will keep seniors engaged at home.

In a city like Toronto where loneliness can be an issue especially for seniors, PSWs can fill in the gap, reducing isolation and getting seniors to feel loved and cared for.

• Safety Monitoring & Risk Prevention

PSWs are trained professionals. In most organizations, they are trained to recognize early signs of falls or near falls, balance or changes in mobility, poor nutrition, anxiety or depression, household dangers etc.

If you have them around as part of your in-home care plan for your loved ones, they can spot these issues if they arise, enabling early intervention or preventing emergencies.

• Transportation & Errands Support

Depending on the services offered by the in-home care agency, PSWs can assist with transportation support services like, outing and errand support, accompaniment to medical appointments, grocery shopping, medical pickups, attending community or social events.

Where Do PSWs Work in Toronto?

Generally, PSWs work in different settings, but in home care is increasingly popular because families prefer one-on-one support and continuity of care right from home.

Common PSW workplaces include:

The following are some of the common work places you’ll find personal support workers;

• Private homes
• Long-term care (LTC) homes
• Hospitals
• Retirement homes
• Assisted living facilities
• Community clinics

Out of these options, private in-home PSWs which we currently offer to clients has been considered very flexible and easily to be tailor made based on client preferences.

PSW Qualifications in Ontario

Typically, in Ontario, a PSW will have some certain qualifications which should make up a part of what to consider before choosing a PSW agency. This includes;

• A recognized PSW certificate (from a college or accredited program)
• First aid & CPR training
• Vulnerable sector police checks
• Immunization records
• Background checks

For us at True Affinity Care, we take steps to screen, supervise and match our Care Providers and PSWs with client thoroughly.

Signs Your Loved One May Need a PSW

Does your loved one need a PSW? Sometimes you may not really be sure but here are some of the tell-tale signs that can help you to decide if it’s time to hire a care provider;

• Increased forgetfulness
• Mobility challenges
• Difficulty bathing or dressing
• Poor nutrition or loss of appetite
• Falls or near-falls
• Unclean or cluttered living spaces
• Missed medication doses
• Loneliness or social withdrawal
• Challenges managing Toronto winter conditions

Where you notice more than 2-3 of these signs, it might just be the right time to consider support.

How PSWs Help Toronto Families Specifically

Toronto’s landscape creates unique challenges that has moved families to consider PSWs:

• Busy transit and crowded sidewalks
• Icy winter conditions
• Smaller apartment spaces
• Long commutes for family caregivers
• Long wait times for government-funded home care

Working with PSWs help families navigate all of these by providing consistent, reliable, hands-on support for your loved ones, with or without your availability.

How to Choose the Right PSW in Toronto

While hiring an in-home caregiver, there are certain things you have to look out for in the potential agency. Things like: Look for an agency or caregiver who offers:

• Proper certification
• Transparent and realistic pricing
• Flexible scheduling
• Compatibility Matching
• Home safety assessments
• Clear communication
• Backup coverage
• Understanding of the local area

How True Affinity Care Support Seniors in Toronto

As a proud Toronto founded Care Agency, we have certified and professional care providers that provide a range of PSWs services, including:

At True Affinity Care, our goal is simple: to help Toronto seniors live safely, comfortably and confidently at home.

Final Words

The role of a personal support worker lies in providing support to individuals who needs assistance with daily living due to age, health conditions, disabilities etc. but oftentimes, a personal support worker can make all the difference for seniors looking to age at home in Toronto, while being surrounded by their families and loved ones.

And whether it is housekeeping, personal care assistance, transportation support or companionship, our care providers are ready to provide tailored support for your loved ones. Reach out to us for a free assessment here.