726 Quebec Patients Await Long-Term Care: Why Post-Hospital Care at Home Matters
Hundreds of Quebec patients who no longer require hospitalization are still occupying hospital beds while waiting for long-term-care placements.
New Santé Québec data reported in September 2026 shows that 726 hospitalized patients were waiting for a CHSLD or other long-term-care placement as of August 3. The number has increased from 568 patients in 2023–2024.
The issue is also affecting Greater Montreal, with reported cases at hospitals including Charles-Le Moyne Hospital and the Jewish General Hospital.
These patients cannot simply be sent home. According to the reporting, their medical conditions mean they cannot currently live safely at home while waiting for appropriate long-term care.
However, the situation highlights a broader challenge: what happens after a hospital stay when a patient is medically ready to leave but still needs support?
For patients who can safely return home, appropriate post-hospital care can provide an important bridge between hospitalization and independent living.
Why Are Quebec Patients Waiting for Long-Term Care?
Hospitals are designed primarily to diagnose and treat acute medical conditions. They are not intended to provide permanent residential care.
Problems arise when a patient no longer requires hospital treatment but cannot safely return home.
Some patients may have significant loss of autonomy, complex medical needs, cognitive impairment or mobility limitations requiring a CHSLD or another specialized residential environment.
When an appropriate placement is unavailable, the patient may remain in hospital.
This affects both patients and the healthcare system. Seniors remain in an environment that was not designed to be their permanent home, while hospital beds remain unavailable for other patients who require acute care.
Quebec’s Growing Post-Hospital Care Challenge
Not every patient leaving hospital requires long-term care.
Many patients are medically cleared to return home but still face a difficult transition.
After hospitalization, a person may temporarily have trouble walking, bathing, preparing meals, managing medications or attending follow-up appointments. Surgical patients may require wound care or monitoring, while older adults may need additional assistance as they regain their strength.
This period between hospitalization and returning to normal daily life is where post-hospital care can become particularly valuable.
Appropriate support may help eligible patients recover safely at home while giving family members additional assistance during the transition.
Can Home Support Reduce Pressure on Hospitals?
Post-hospital home care cannot replace a CHSLD for someone who requires institutional long-term care.
It would therefore be incorrect to suggest that the 726 Quebec patients currently waiting for long-term-care placements could simply return home with private care.
But the broader issue demonstrates why Quebec needs a complete continuum of care.
For patients who can safely return home, timely public home support, family assistance and private post-hospital care may help make the transition from hospital to home easier.
Earlier support may also help families address declining independence before difficulties escalate into a crisis.
The objective should not be to keep every patient at home. It should be to ensure that each person receives the right level of care in the right setting.
What Public Home Support Is Available in Quebec?
Quebec provides publicly funded home-support services to eligible residents experiencing loss of autonomy or requiring assistance after illness or hospitalization.
Families can contact their local CLSC to request an assessment.
Depending on the person’s needs and eligibility, public home support may include nursing, personal assistance, rehabilitation, psychosocial services and other forms of support.
Quebec also uses the Allocation autonomie à domicile (AAD), formerly known as the chèque emploi-service, to help eligible individuals receive approved home-support assistance following an assessment.
For families preparing for a patient’s return home, discussing available services with the hospital discharge team and local CLSC can be an important first step.
Where Does Private Post-Hospital Care Fit?
Public and private care do not necessarily need to be treated as alternatives.
A patient may receive publicly funded services while the family arranges additional private support when more assistance, scheduling flexibility or specialized services are required.
A+ Solutions Home Health Care provides post-hospital home care and private healthcare services across Montreal, the West Island, Laval, Longueuil and surrounding Greater Montreal communities.
Depending on the patient’s condition and care plan, support may include the following.
Personal Support After a Hospital Stay
Returning home can be challenging when a patient is still weak or has reduced mobility.
A caregiver may assist with personal hygiene, dressing, mobility, meal-related routines and other activities of daily living.
Temporary support can be particularly useful for older adults whose family members cannot provide continuous assistance during recovery.
Private Nursing at Home
Some patients require clinical services after returning home.
Depending on the patient’s needs, private nursing at home may include wound care, injections, medication-related support, catheter or ostomy care, chronic-disease monitoring and nursing assessments.
Receiving appropriate nursing services at home can also reduce the need for some patients with mobility limitations to travel for certain types of follow-up care.
Post-Operative and Recovery Support
Recovery does not end when a patient leaves the hospital.
After surgery, patients may require wound monitoring, assistance with daily activities, medication-related support or other services identified in their discharge plan.
Appropriate post-hospital care in Montreal can supplement the patient’s existing healthcare plan while recovery continues at home.
Home care should only be used when discharge home has been determined to be safe and the services are appropriate for the patient’s condition.
Mobile Blood Tests and Foot Care
Follow-up healthcare can also be difficult for patients who temporarily or permanently have limited mobility.
A+ Solutions offers blood tests at home, allowing appropriate blood samples to be collected at the patient’s residence and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Mobile foot care can similarly provide appropriate foot-care services without requiring the patient to travel to a clinic.
These mobile services can form part of a broader home healthcare plan when appropriate.
When Should Families Arrange Post-Hospital Care?
Planning should ideally begin before the patient returns home.
Families should understand the discharge instructions and determine whether the patient will need additional assistance.
Questions to consider include:
- Can the patient walk and transfer safely?
- Will help be needed with bathing or dressing?
- Can medications be managed safely?
- Is wound care required?
- Are follow-up blood tests or other services needed?
- Is someone available to prepare meals and assist with daily routines?
- Can family members realistically provide the required level of care?
If the answer to several of these questions is no, additional home support may be worth discussing with the patient’s healthcare team.
Supporting Family Caregivers After Hospitalization
Family members often become the primary source of support when someone leaves hospital.
They may provide transportation, meals, personal assistance, medication reminders and supervision while also managing their own work and family responsibilities.
Professional post-hospital home care can supplement that support.
A caregiver can assist with everyday needs, while a qualified nurse can provide appropriate clinical services.
The goal is not to replace family involvement but to create a stronger support system around the recovering patient.
The Right Care, in the Right Setting, at the Right Time
The 726 Quebec patients currently waiting in hospitals for long-term-care placements illustrate the importance of having different levels of care available.
Some patients need a CHSLD or specialized residential care.
Others can safely return home but require temporary or ongoing assistance.
For those patients, appropriate post-hospital care can help bridge the transition between hospital treatment and recovery at home.
Public healthcare services, family caregivers and private home healthcare can each play a role.
The key is determining what level of support is safe and appropriate for each individual.
Post-Hospital Care in Greater Montreal
A+ Solutions Home Health Care provides private post-hospital care in Montreal, the West Island, Laval, Longueuil and surrounding Greater Montreal communities.
Our services include:
- private nursing care;
- post-operative care;
- wound care;
- senior and personal support;
- medication-related assistance;
- mobile blood testing;
- mobile foot care.
If you or a family member is preparing to return home after hospitalization, discuss the discharge plan with the hospital healthcare team and contact your CLSC to understand what public services may be available.
When additional private support is appropriate, A+ Solutions Home Health Care can help you explore post-hospital care options based on the patient’s individual needs. Contact us now!
Frequently Asked Questions About Post-Hospital Care
What is post-hospital care?
Post-hospital care refers to assistance or healthcare services provided after a patient leaves hospital. Depending on the person’s needs, it can include personal support, private nursing, wound care, medication-related assistance and help with daily activities during recovery.
Can a senior receive post-hospital care at home?
Yes, when the patient has been medically cleared to return home and home care is appropriate for their condition. The required level of support should be determined based on the discharge plan and individual needs.
Can private post-hospital care replace a CHSLD?
Not always. Patients with significant loss of autonomy or complex medical needs may require institutional long-term care. Private home care is intended for people whose needs can be safely managed at home.
Can CLSC services and private home care be used together?
Yes. Depending on the patient’s circumstances, publicly funded home-support services can be supplemented with private care when additional assistance or flexibility is required.
What private nursing services are available after hospital discharge?
Depending on the patient’s care plan, private nursing may include wound care, injections, medication-related support, catheter or ostomy care, clinical monitoring and nursing assessments.
