Accountability, responsiveness and quality for clients model of home support: a model for improved home support services to promote aging at home.

As the proportion of older adults increases within the Canadian population, healthcare systems across the country are facing increased demands for home-based services, including home care nursing, rehabilitation, case management, adult day programs, respite, meal programs and home support. Home support is one of the core care services required in the community to enable older adults to remain at home as long as possible. In 2006, Vancouver Community introduced a new home support delivery and performance management model: the Accountability, Responsiveness and Quality for Clients Model of Home Support (ARQ Model) (VCH 2006). The main components of the ARQ Model are an expanded use of "cluster care" along with stable monthly funding for high-density buildings and neighbourhoods; the introduction of specific monthly and quarterly quality performance reporting; and the implementation of performance-based funding for home support. This article discusses the setup of the ARQ model, its ongoing evaluation and results achieved thus far.