Questions to Ask Your Care Coordinator in Alberta

What the Case Manager Actually Controls

Your AHS case manager holds significant authority over your parent's care pathway. They conduct the interRAI assessment, determine care eligibility, set the number of funded home care hours, refer to facility waitlists, and adjust the care plan as needs change. Understanding what they can and can't do shapes the questions worth asking.

What they can do: approve home care services, adjust care hours, refer to the CDHCI program, add your parent to facility waitlists, connect you with financial support programs, and request specialist referrals.

What they can't do: override a physician's clinical decisions, guarantee placement at a specific facility, waive accommodation charges, or change provincial policy.

Questions About the Assessment

"Can you walk me through the interRAI scores?" The interRAI assessment generates specific scores — CPS for cognition, MAPLe for institutionalization risk, ADL scores for physical function. Knowing these numbers helps you understand the clinical basis for the care decision and gives you concrete ground to challenge if the assessment doesn't match your parent's reality.

"Were nighttime and weekend behaviours captured?" Assessments typically happen during business hours. If your parent sundowns (cognitive function deteriorates in the evening), wanders at night, or has episodes that only occur when they're alone, this needs to be on the record.

"When is the next reassessment, and can I request one sooner?" Home care clients are reassessed annually. If your parent's condition has changed significantly — a fall, a hospitalization, a marked cognitive decline — you can request an earlier reassessment rather than waiting for the scheduled one.

Questions About Home Care Services

"How many funded hours per week does the assessment support, and what services are included?" Get the exact number. "Some personal care visits" is too vague. You need to know hours per week, visit frequency, and what each visit covers (bathing only, or bathing plus meal prep plus medication management).

"Is my parent eligible for the CDHCI program?" Client-Directed Home Care Invoicing lets your family choose a private agency instead of the AHS-assigned provider, funded at $34.03/hour through Alberta Blue Cross. Not every family knows this option exists, and case managers don't always volunteer it unless asked.

"What happens if the approved hours aren't enough?" Understand the gap between assessed need and actual need. The case manager can explain supplementary options — private care top-up, Self-Managed Care, or whether the gap suggests facility placement should be discussed.

Questions About Facility Placement

"What are the current wait times for Type A and Type B in our zone?" Wait times vary by zone, facility, and room type. Ask what current wait-time information is available for your preferred homes.

"How many facilities can we list as preferred, and how will those choices affect placement?"

"What happens if we decline a placement offer?" The case manager should explain the two-offer protocol: declining twice triggers escalation to an Accountable Leader. For hospital patients, this can lead to involuntary transfer. Understanding this before an offer arrives prevents an ambush.

Questions About Financial Supports

"Does my parent qualify for the Alberta Seniors Benefit?" The ASB provides up to $328/month for single seniors with income below $32,690 (as of July 2026). The case manager can refer you to Alberta Supports for a benefits assessment.

"How does the Supplementary Accommodation Benefit work?" If your parent moves to a continuing care home, the SAB ensures they retain at least $373/month after paying accommodation charges. The case manager should explain how to apply and what income documentation is needed.

"Are there any financial supports we might be missing?" Ask directly. The Special Needs Assistance program covers up to $5,872/year for health supplies. The SHARP program covers up to $5,000/year for home safety modifications. Many families qualify for supports they never apply for because they don't know they exist.

Questions About Legal and Administrative Issues

"What legal documents do you need from us?" The case manager needs to know who has authority to make decisions on the parent's behalf. If a personal directive and enduring power of attorney exist, bring copies. If they don't, the case manager should flag this as an urgent planning gap.

"How do I file a formal concern if I disagree with a decision?" Getting the answer to this question before you need it saves critical time. The 15-day Citizen's Appeal Panel deadline applies to decisions by a continuing care licensing director or complaints officer, not to an AHS Patient Relations complaint. Knowing the phone number for AHS Patient Relations (1-855-550-2555) before a dispute arises puts you in a stronger position.

Getting the Most From the Meeting

Bring a printed list of questions. Case manager visits are typically one to two hours, and the conversation moves quickly across clinical, logistical, and financial territory. Take notes or bring a family member who can write while you talk.

The Alberta Care Decision Guide includes a printable question sheet organized by topic — assessment, services, placement, finances, legal — designed for use during case manager meetings.

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