Ontario Home Care Guide — 2026
PSW vs. RPN for Home Care in Ontario: What’s the Difference?
Understanding the difference between a PSW and an RPN helps families arrange the right type of care. Here is a plain-language guide to scope of practice, what each role covers, and how Aviora fits in.
Two of the most common care roles in Ontario home care are the Personal Support Worker (PSW) and the Registered Practical Nurse (RPN). Families often encounter both terms when researching care options and are uncertain about the difference — which one they need, what each can legally do, and how to access each type of care.
The short version: a PSW provides personal support (help with daily living activities), while an RPN is a regulated nurse who performs clinical tasks. Most families caring for a senior at home need a PSW. Those dealing with clinical needs — wound care, medication administration, catheter management — also need nursing visits, which are often coordinated through Ontario Health atHome or a private nursing provider.
PSW vs. RPN: Scope of Practice Comparison
| Task | PSW | RPN |
|---|---|---|
| Bathing, grooming, dressing | Yes | Yes |
| Meal preparation and feeding | Yes | Yes |
| Mobility assistance and transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Companionship and dementia support | Yes | Yes |
| Medication reminders | Yes (reminders only) | Yes |
| Medication administration | No | Yes |
| Wound care and dressing changes | No | Yes |
| Catheter care and management | No | Yes |
| Health assessment and vital signs | No | Yes |
| Regulated by a professional college | No | Yes (CNO) |
What a PSW Does in Ontario Home Care
A Personal Support Worker (PSW) provides hands-on support with activities of daily living (ADLs) in a client's home. In Ontario, PSW training is typically a college-approved program of 700 or more hours covering anatomy, personal care techniques, dementia support, communication, and safety. PSWs are not regulated by a provincial college, but quality home care providers verify credentials, training completion, and perform background screening before placement.
In a typical home care visit, a PSW might:
- Assist with morning hygiene: bath or shower, oral care, hair care, dressing
- Prepare and serve a meal; assist with eating if needed
- Help the client move safely around the home, including transfers to/from chairs, bed, or wheelchair
- Remind the client to take pre-sorted medications
- Provide meaningful companionship, conversation, and cognitive stimulation
- Support a client with dementia with orientation, redirection, and calming approaches
- Perform light housekeeping tasks relevant to the care environment
Aviora Healthcare's service is built around PSW-level personal support. Our personal support service, companionship care, and dementia care all operate within this scope, delivered by trained, matched caregivers.
What an RPN Does in Ontario Home Care
A Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) is a regulated healthcare professional licensed by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO). RPNs complete a two-year college diploma program and must pass the NCLEX-PN licensing examination. They are accountable to CNO practice standards and regulated under the Nursing Act, 1991.
RPNs in a home setting perform clinical nursing tasks:
- Wound assessment and dressing changes
- Medication administration (oral, topical, injections where authorized)
- Catheter insertion and management
- Health assessment, vital sign monitoring, and clinical documentation
- IV therapy and tube feeding in some home contexts
- Chronic disease monitoring and care plan implementation
In the publicly funded system, RPN and RN visits are arranged through Ontario Health atHome after a needs assessment. Private nursing providers also offer RPN services for families who need them outside the public system.
Do You Need a PSW, an RPN, or Both?
The distinction becomes very practical when a family is arranging care at home. Ask yourself:
- Does your family member need help with bathing, dressing, meals, and daily activities? → A PSW covers this.
- Does your family member have a wound that needs regular dressing changes? → An RPN is required.
- Does your family member have complex medication needs requiring administration rather than reminders? → An RPN is required.
- Does your family member have dementia and need consistent, familiar companionship and daily support? → A PSW (matched, consistent) is ideal.
Many families find they need both: a PSW for daily personal support (often multiple visits per week or per day), and periodic RPN nursing visits for clinical tasks. These two roles complement each other and can be arranged from different providers simultaneously. The PSW handles most of the daily contact and relationship-building; the RPN handles specific clinical procedures.
How Aviora Fits: PSW-Level Personal Support
Aviora Healthcare provides PSW-level personal support, companionship, and dementia care. We do not provide nursing services. This is an important distinction that we communicate clearly to every family before care begins.
For families whose primary need is personal daily support — and who already have, or are arranging, nursing coverage through Ontario Health atHome or a private nursing provider — Aviora's service is an ideal complement. We handle the consistent daily care relationship, while nursing visits address clinical needs on a separate schedule.
If you are unsure whether you need PSW services, nursing services, or both, our care coordinators can help you map your needs clearly during a free consultation — including guiding you toward the right resources for any nursing requirements we cannot meet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a PSW and an RPN in Ontario?
A PSW (Personal Support Worker) provides non-medical personal care: bathing, dressing, grooming, meal preparation, companionship, and mobility assistance. An RPN (Registered Practical Nurse) is a licensed nurse regulated by CNO who can perform clinical tasks such as wound care, medication administration, catheter care, and health assessments. PSWs are not regulated by a college; RPNs are.
Can a PSW give medications in Ontario?
A PSW cannot administer medications in Ontario — that falls within the scope of nursing practice. A PSW can provide medication reminders (prompting a client to take their own medications) and assist with pre-sorted dosettes under certain conditions. If your family member requires medication administration, an RPN or RN visit must be arranged through a nursing provider or the public system.
What does a PSW do in Ontario home care?
A PSW in Ontario home care assists with activities of daily living: bathing, grooming, dressing, toileting, mobility support, meal preparation, feeding assistance, light housekeeping, laundry, medication reminders, companionship, and dementia support. PSWs work within a personal support scope and do not perform clinical nursing tasks.
Do I need an RPN or a PSW for my parent at home?
If your parent needs help with daily activities — bathing, dressing, meals, companionship, dementia support — a PSW is appropriate and sufficient. If your parent needs wound care, medication administration, catheter management, or clinical health monitoring, an RPN is required for those specific tasks. Many families have both: a PSW for daily personal support and a publicly funded nurse for clinical visits.
Is a PSW a regulated profession in Ontario?
No. PSWs in Ontario are not regulated by a professional college. Training is typically completed through an Ontario college-approved PSW program (700+ hours). This distinguishes PSWs from RPNs and RNs, who are regulated by the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and must meet annual practice standards to maintain registration.
Does Aviora Healthcare provide RPN services?
Aviora Healthcare provides PSW-level personal support services: activities of daily living, companionship, dementia care, respite, and overnight care. We do not provide nursing services (RPN or RN). If clinical nursing care is required alongside personal support, this is typically coordinated through Ontario Health atHome (call 310-2222) or a private nursing provider.
Can a PSW do wound care in Ontario?
No. Wound care is a controlled act in Ontario and falls within nursing scope of practice. It must be performed by a regulated nurse (RPN or RN). A PSW can assist with non-invasive tasks around wound care — such as helping position the client — but cannot perform dressing changes, wound irrigation, or clinical wound assessment.
Personal support that starts in 24–48 hours
PSW-level home care with a matched, consistent caregiver
Aviora Healthcare provides personal support, companionship, and dementia care across Ontario. No referral needed. Book a free 20-minute consultation to discuss your family’s needs.