Understanding Private Home Care in Saskatchewan 

The first step to starting a private home care agency is understanding the industry landscape. It will help you decide how to market your business, how many caregivers to recruit and which services to prioritize. 

Access Issues in Rural Saskatchewan

One in three Saskatchewanians live in rural areas, data from the latest census shows. But for these people, accessing healthcare presents a major challenge.

Private home care services can play an important role in ensuring rural Saskatchewanians receive the home support and health care services they need. At the same time, accessing such remote areas presents major logistical challenges for agencies. 

If you decide to operate within the province’s rural communities, you’ll need to recruit and schedule your staff with location in mind. You may find you’re unable to meet many of your team in person on a regular basis, so you should invest in a good caregiver communication system.

Increased Care Needs Among Saskatchewan’s Indigenous Community

Saskatchewan has a significant First Nations, Inuit, Métis and other Aboriginal Peoples population. 17% of the province’s residents identify as Indigenous, a percentage that’s only higher in the three northern territories and Manitoba. 

But while Indigenous people represent almost one in five Saskatchewanians, they do not have the same access to quality care. They are more likely to live in rural, northern areas. And, when they are able to access health care, they are less likely to have a positive experience. This has severe ramifications for Indigenous health across the province.

According to the 2021 census, the average age of Saskatchewanians is 39.8. But among Indigenous peoples, it drops by more than a decade to just 29.6 years old. 

Although this can be explained in part by a higher birth rate, it’s also due to higher mortality rates. Indigenous life expectancy is growing, but so is the gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians’ life expectancy.

Due to on-going and generational barriers in the health system, Indigenous people in Saskatchewan are more likely to have poorer health. They are also more likely to live with chronic conditions, be HIV-positive, suffer from tuberculosis and engage in substance abuse. This can lead to significantly greater care needs in older age. 

Indigenous Private Home Care Necessitates a Different Approach

As you start your private home care agency, you can expect to work with Indigenous clients and caregivers. This is true even if you base your business in the southern urban areas, such as Regina or Saskatoon.

But when providing private home care services to Saskatchewan’s Indigenous population, you may find you need additional training, more time and greater cultural sensitivity to build trust. 

The Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Indigenous Health Working Group reported that Indigenous communities wanted to see their care providers “adopting a holistic approach; recognizing traditional medicines and practices; more respectful care; and enhanced and culturally responsive services.”

Some steps you can take to achieve this include careful recruitment, providing cultural sensitivity training for your staff and ensuring your Indigenous clients have a say over their home care. 

By setting up a portal such as ShiftCare Connect, you can allow your clients to choose their caregivers, express care preferences and request additional services. This can go a long way to providing respectful care.

Creating Your Saskatchewanian Private Home Care Business’ Legal and Financial Structure 

Before you start advertising care services, you need to register your private home care business with the government.

1. Choose Your Home Care Business Structure 

When starting your private home care business, you have to decide whether to operate as a sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation or co-operative. This affects your tax obligations, personal liability and more, so it’s worth consulting with a lawyer or accountant.

2. Register Your Private Home Care Business 

Create a Corporate Registry Application Account to simplify the registration process.

3. Apply for Licences and Permits 

The online database BizPaL will tell you which permits are required in your municipality.

4. Create a Saskatchewan eTax Services (SETS) Account 

You’ll need a SETS account to pay taxes, including PST.

5. Subscribe to the Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB)

Once you’ve hired staff, signing up for WCB coverage is obligatory.

Building Your Private Home Care Team

Your caregivers will be essential to your agency’s success, so recruitment should be a strategic priority. Our list of essential caregiver interview questions will help you identify the right candidates. But, that’s only the first step to building your team. 

Make sure to also provide adequate training and implement retention strategies. Use the ShiftCare job board to give your caregivers greater control over their work hours and boost their job satisfaction.

Professional Help and Resources for Saskatchewan’s Private Home Care Businesses

Professional help can support you in starting and growing your private home care business venture. Our in-depth guide to launching a Canadian home care business shares national associations and resources, but in this article, we’ll stay focused on Saskatchewan.

Saskatchewan Association of Health Organizations (SAHO)

SAHO provides advice and consultation on labour conditions, as well as resources to support worker recruitment and retention.

SK Startup Institute

SK Startup Institute helps Saskatchewanian business owners launch their companies with business advice, research reports and online guides.

Saskatchewan Indigenous Enterprise Foundation (SIEF)

SIEF works with Indigenous and First Nations companies to provide business advice, grants and loans. They also have an Indigenous Women Entrepreneur (IWE) Program.

Women Entrepreneurs of Saskatchewan (WESK)

Through WESK, you can gain access to business advice and resources, financing and an online business database.

Community Futures Saskatchewan

Community Futures supports rural companies with business coaching and loans.

Is home care covered in Saskatchewan?

The Saskatchewan Health Authority provides some free public home health care services, such as physiotherapy and nursing. However, the authority charges a fee for home care services including personal care, respite, meals and cleaning.

Do I need to register my business in Saskatchewan?

You’ll need to register your private home care business with the Corporate Registry, SETS and the Saskatchewan WCB.

Final Thoughts on Starting Your Saskatchewanian Private Home Care Business

Starting a private home care business in Saskatchewan comes with unique challenges: access issues, Indigenous health disparities and workforce shortages, to name but a few.

But this also means that you have the potential to make an immense impact on the lives of older Saskatchewanians and Saskatchewanians with disability. 

ShiftCare’s home care software will help you navigate these challenges. It has powerful scheduling tools so you can make the most of your workforce’s availability while ensuring that your clients receive all the services they need. 

The patient and family portal makes it easier to communicate with clients, while the caregiver app ensures that your staff is always informed and prepared. And, ShiftCare comes with document management, time-tracking, accounting and payroll integrations, expenses records and more.

Try ShiftCare for free.