Which Retirement Home would you choose for your parent?

"What place would you choose for your parent?" During the many years that I worked as a hospital social worker with seniors who required relocation, this was the most common question the families of my elderly clients would ask me. It was, and still is, a most difficult one to answer. My experience has taught me that it is not wise to recommend a retirement residence, especially for someone I barely know. I believe that even those of us who know something about care homes, should not decide which one is the best place for someone else to call "home". Residences differ greatly across so many dimensions including environment, amenities, services & care and; every person’s needs and desires are unique. What one person might think is the perfect home, another might not. It is imperative that the family/caregiver (and if physically possible, the person themselves) assess their needs, shop around and compare what is available. It is a 'buyer beware' industry and it is only by researching the options available, that such a significant decision should be made. Choosing a care home for oneself or someone else is not an easy task. It is most often a very emotional decision that can be made more overwhelming if rigid time constraints, both personal and those set by a hospital or caregiver, are involved. Additionally, within the category of retirement homes, there is so much choice (they number in the hundreds province-wide), most published information about many is limited at best and; there are no mandatory government standards or guidelines related to the provision of care in retirement residences.

The goal and purpose of www.senioropolis.com is to give you the necessary tools to begin your search for the "best place" for yourself or a loved one. I hope it will help make what is often a difficult decision a little bit easier, by giving you as much information as possible as you try and navigate the myriad of options before you. I do not "rate" the homes detailed on this site. The information we ask is intentionally objective.

However, I believe that the subjective perspective is of equal, if not greater, importance when searching for a care home. As there are currently no provincial standards of care and therefore no mandatory inspection of homes, it is of utmost importance when searching for a retirement home, that you be an informed consumer. No decision should be made without a visit to a residence, or preferably, a few homes. Meet with staff, sample a meal, speak with residents and their families, get references, spend time at the places that interest you and ask a lot of questions.

A common question I am asked is why I don't have every home in the province detailed on this website. The answer is really quite simple - although I would be very pleased if I did have comprehensive information on every home, it is essentially not possible. I cannot force homes to have a presence on our website or in our book. Some homes choose other means of promoting themselves and others do not have a need to be in publications or websites at all or only do so through local sources. In smaller communities where there are few homes 'word of mouth' is often the way potential residents find a place that meets their needs.

In compiling our information, each residence located in our search was given an opportunity to complete a detailed online questionnaire. Information about the homes that chose to be on www.senioropolis.com (& in our 11th edition), based solely on their online responses, are contained on our site and in the Guide. I do not censor or change any of the information they provide.

All homes in this book with internet access are invited to update their information as often as they wish on www.senioropolis.com. Readers of this Guide are encouraged to visit www.senioropolis.com regularly to check for updated information and added features. I do not endorse any residence, and I take no responsibility for the information provided. It is my assumption that in choosing to be in the Guide and on www.senioropolis.com, each place responded accurately.

Thank you for choosing to use this website. Please feel free to send me your feedback. I welcome any comments or suggestions you may have.

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