Many older Canadians live independently in their family homes and never relocate to a retirement facility. When required homecare services may be hired to provide the senior with additional support for living, healthcare and home maintenance needs.
When the time comes to downsize or where the senior requires more support to complete their daily living activities, there are a range of senior housing options to consider including retirement homes and Long-Term Care (“LTC”) homes.
At Welcome Home Transitions, we offer custom solutions to support seniors and families to live independently at home or in a senior living community.
What are Homecare Services
For many older Canadians, 75% of homecare is provided by family members. The government, through the Local Health Integration Networks (“LHIN”), arranges all government-funded services for people living at home. Comprehensive services range from nursing and physiotherapy to personal support and housekeeping. LHIN are responsible for deciding who receives care, the level of care and for how long.
A senior may decide to supplement any publicly funded services by paying out of pocket for third party services. For example, the average cost for a personal support worker, hired from an agency, may range from $28-35 per hour depending on the type of support provided. Welcome Home Transitions specializes in helping seniors and families find reliable homecare services. Whatever your needs, we can help.
Caregiver Financial Support
For family caregivers, the Federal government provides a non-refundable tax credit, known as the Canada Caregiver Credit (“CCC”). Caregivers may be eligible for the CCC if they’re consistently supporting someone like a spouse or other dependent with the basic necessities of life (e.g., food, shelter, clothing). Depending on the nature of the support, the caregiver may be able to claim up to $10,000.
Seniors living with dementia
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, one in four seniors aged 85 and over have been diagnosed with dementia. it is estimated that the number of Canadians living with dementia will double over the next 20 years due to the aging population and population growth.
As dementia progresses, many families decide to move older relatives into long-term care homes and retirement homes with assisted living to better manage their care needs. About 42% of seniors 80 and older with dementia live in LTC homes.
At Welcome Home Transitions, we understand the challenges are supporting older adults with dementia. We can assist you to find the type of support that ensures the safety and quality of life for your loved ones.
Long-term care homes
At Welcome Home Transitions, we’ll help you navigate senior housing options to find a fit that meets you and your loved one’s unique needs.
What is long-term care in Ontario?
Long-term care homes are residences where adults receive assistance with most or all of their activities of daily living with onsite monitoring of their well-being. There is access to 24-hour nursing and personal care. All personal and nursing care is funded by the government.
What is the cost of long-term care home living?
Accommodation ranges from private to semi-private and ward-style rooms. Residents are responsible for their accommodation charges. In 2019, the monthly rate for a semi-private room was $2,280. The government does operate a Long-Term Care Home Rate Reduction Program for eligible residents.
What are long-term care home wait lists?
Accessing space in a long-term care home is managed by the Local Health Integration Networks. The scarcity of LTC home beds has resulted in the waiting lists. Ontario’s Financial Accountability Officer estimated 42,000 people were on LTC home wait lists in 2019. The median wait time was 152 days, with estimated wait time of 179 days in 2020-21.
The ownership structure varies in the senior-care system. Some LTC homes are publicly owned facilities including those owned by municipalities. Other facilities are for-profit entities. All LTC homes are regulated under the Long-Term Care Home Act and Regulations.
Retirement homes
What are retirement homes in Ontario?
There are varying levels of care provided in retirement homes depending on the needs of the resident. Residents are required to pay out-of-pocket for monthly rental and other care services.
There are 63,000 retirement home spaces in Ontario with accommodation ranging from two-bedroom to ward/semi-private styles. The GTA vacancy rate for independent living and assisted living spaces averaged 6% and 3.2% respectively in 2019. All retirement homes are regulated under the Retirement Home Act in Ontario.
What is independent living?
According to the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation, where less than 1.5 hours of care is required (“independent living”), the average cost for a one-bedroom in a retirement home in the Greater Toronto Area (“GTA”) is $4,700.
What is assisted living?
If the resident needs more assistance to complete their daily activities, the costs are higher depending on the type and amount of care (“assisted living” or “memory care”). Examples of conditions requiring a higher care are residents diagnosed with Alzheimers or other forms of dementia and those with mobility limitations. The average monthly cost in the GTA for assisted living care was $5,400 in 2019.
