Care and support - Housing options - Retirement homes

Retirement homes usually offer a shared bedroom option, or a bachelor, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartments to choose from. A retirement home might be the right place for you if:

• You need minimal to moderate support
• You can pay for your own care
• You need some help with daily living activities
• You would like to live with a roommate or in a bachelor, one-bedroom or two-bedroom apartment
• You would like the option of having a dining room, common area, lounge, library or a garden, swimming pool or a room for social events
• You would like to have the option of common meals, housekeeping, laundry, or  recreational and social programs
• You like to take extended vacations Ontario Residential Care Association

Source: The information above comes from Government of Ontario. (1999). A Guide to Advance Care Planning. (c) Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1999. Retrieved from www.advancecareplanning.ca

Retirement homes are not regulated by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care however; the Ontario Residential Care Association (ORCA) set standards for retirement homes in Ontario. If you move into a retirement home, the owner of the retirement home becomes your landlord.

The accommodation and food preparation in retirement homes are regulated by the Health Protection and Promotion Act. All the kitchen facilities are inspected by the Public Health department and there are standards set by the provincial government for retirement home performance.
For a list of retirement homes in Ontario and other provinces in Canada, please visit the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority or Ontario Residential Care Association.

​​Source: The information above comes from Government of Ontario. (1999). A Guide to Advance Care Planning. (c) Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1999. 

Several things will occur once you decide to move into a retirement home.

• The retirement home may conduct an assessment to see how much support you need and if they can accommodate you.
• The retirement home must provide you with a lease or a 'written tenancy agreement' that outlines the rent you will pay and a Care Home Information Package (CHIP)
  • These two documents will describe your accommodation, and service package, fees for services, the home's staffing levels and qualifications, the emergency response system, and the complaints procedure.
• You should sign the Care Home Information Package before you move in.

​​Source: The information above comes from Government of Ontario. (1999). A Guide to Advance Care Planning. (c) Queen's Printer for Ontario, 1999.