Daily Living
Long-Term Care in PEI: Application, Wait Lists, and Choosing a Home
PEI's long-term care wait lists run from several weeks to several months, and the process starts with one phone call to your local Home Care office, not the nursing home itself. Here is the exact sequence.
1. It Starts With Home Care, Not the Nursing Home
You can't apply directly to a nursing home. The process begins with a standard health assessment through your local Home Care office, which determines whether you actually need a nursing level of care to meet your daily health requirements.
2. Who's Eligible for Admission
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Residency | Resident of PEI with a valid PEI Health Card |
| Immigration status | Canadian citizenship, or landed immigrant status (holding a visa entitling permanent residence) |
| Time in PEI | Present in PEI for 3 months or more |
| Age | Generally 65+, though under-65 applicants can be considered if assessed as needing nursing-level care with no reasonable alternative |
If you don't meet these criteria, exceptional-status admission can still be requested from the Director of Long-Term Care, it's a case-by-case exception, not a guaranteed path.
3. Choosing a Facility
Your Care Coordinator discusses options with you and your family, and you can list up to three preferred facilities. All three are given equal priority when a vacancy opens, so only list homes you're genuinely willing to move into.
4. Realistic Wait Times
Once approved, your name goes on the wait list based on your approval date, not your application date. Wait times range from several weeks to several months, sometimes longer, depending on how many people are ahead of you and how quickly a suitable vacancy opens at your chosen facilities.
5. What to Do If Your Situation Worsens on the Wait List
- Contact your Care Coordinator directly, they can potentially arrange additional Home Care visits or respite care to bridge the gap
- If you believe hospital-level care is needed, call your family doctor rather than waiting for a long-term care placement update
6. Home Care Office Contacts by Region
| Region | Facility / Contact |
|---|---|
| Charlottetown | Hillsborough Hospital, 902-368-4790 |
| Summerside | Wedgewood Manor, 902-888-8440 |
| O'Leary | O'Leary Community Hospital, 902-859-8730 |
| Montague | Riverview Manor, 902-838-0786 |
| Souris | Souris Hospital, 902-687-7096 |
7. Financial Assistance Is a Separate Application
Being approved for long-term care placement doesn't automatically come with financial help toward the cost. See the companion article on the Long-Term Care Subsidy Program for how the separate subsidy application works and what it actually covers.