What is a Retirement Home and who needs one?

Retirement residences (also called retirement homes) are ideal for older persons in relatively good health who may have minimal or moderate care needs and cannot (or do not want to) be in their own homes. They provide a safe, supervised environment that allows for the opportunity to socialize with people your own age, enjoy organized activities and have your meals prepared and housekeeping done by someone else, while obtaining some care if needed. Such residences allow seniors to maintain privacy, dignity and independence.

Residents of retirement homes have the freedom to choose how much to do for themselves, how much to have done for them and how and with whom to spend their time. Residents can usually bring some of their own furniture. A few homes even allow small pets (as long as the resident can look after them). A number of people living in retirement residences still drive their own cars. Most people are free to leave the home during the daytime without supervision. Retirement living residences vary greatly in location, size, accommodation, cost factors, services, amenities and staffing. In general, homes in rural areas may be less expensive than comparable ones in large urban centres. They are all privately owned and operated. We have located over 700 in the province of Ontario and many new homes are currently under construction. Retirement homes are not regulated or funded by the province but some cities/municipalities have regulations/bylaws for homes in their regions. All homes must abide by the regulations set out in the Residential Tenancies Act, the Health Protection and Promotion Act (which sets standards that impact a variety of businesses including retirement homes, related to water quality, sanitation and safe food preparation) and the Ontario Building and Fire Codes. There is currently no legislation pertaining to "Standards of Care" for retirement homes in Ontario.

There are both homes for profit and not-for-profit in Ontario. Not-for-profit residences often have available subsidies or, in some cases, have rent geared to income. These homes may be owned by a church/religious, charitable or community organization. Usually, the management is responsible to a central board of directors. In private, for profit residences, fees are based on various factors determined by the residence. Unlike long-term care homes, there are no ‘standard’ application forms for all residences and no central processing agency.

There are no government subsidies available for retirement home residents; however some costs related to care in a retirement residence might be tax deductible. As of the 2002 tax year, Canada Customs and Revenue Agency allows retirement home residents who pre-qualify for the Disability Tax Credit (T2201), to make an additional claim of up to $10,000 for the care services they receive as a medical expense (for more information about this visit www.cra-arc.gc.ca/newsroom/factsheets/2003/april/seniors-e.html). Application to enter a retirement home is made directly to the residence one is interested in. Prospective residents may be required to undergo a physical examination by their physician (or have a medical form completed) prior to entering the home to ensure that they can meet one’s current physical & medical needs. Some residences may have waiting lists.

Residents usually enter a retirement home while they are still healthy, active, cognitively alert and oriented and at a fairly independent level. They are able to look after some or most of their personal care and can usually get to the dining room unassisted. Most homes usually have health care aides and/or nursing staff that are available in the event of a medical emergency. Many can provide supervision with medication administration and bathing, if required (in some residences there may be an extra cost for these services). Additionally, meals (usually in a central dining room), housekeeping (and often some laundry services) and recreational programs are generally included in the monthly cost. Accommodation differs from one home to another and ranges from ward to semi-private to variations of private rooms, suites and/or apartments. Some have suites with some form of a kitchenette to allow for light meal preparation (but there are often restrictions around using many kinds of electrical appliances in your suite).

Depending on the residence, available personal care services may range from minimal assistance to a comprehensive continuum of care. The home that offers different levels of care/services may enable residents to continue to be managed in their chosen residence in the event that their health deteriorates and their need for care increases (some residences term this "Aging in Place").

Community Care Access Centres may coordinate some personal support and/or professional services (e.g. physiotherapy, nursing, etc.) to residents of retirement homes. Provision of service is based on individual assessment of needs (by a CCAC Case Manager) and the services available in the residence. Professional services are usually time limited and for the purpose of assessment and training.

Some homes offer "Assisted Living" (AL) programs or units (sometimes also called "Special Care", "Supportive Care" or "Personal Care") that provide more nursing and/or personal care than is usually available in the rest of the residence. In most homes that offer this option, there is an extra cost for receiving this kind of care or residing in this type of a unit and sometimes a waiting list (for the unit). Depending on the residence, one may need to be a current resident to access this type of care (i.e. it may not be possible to be admitted to the home from the community if substantial care or an AL unit is required). In addition, in many retirement homes, extra personal care can be purchased on an hourly basis either through them or from an agency external to the residence. In some homes, residents may hire private companions or "shared care" (i.e. a couple of residents hire one person who attends to both of them thus enabling them to share and hence reduce the cost, of extra care) if the amount of care included in a resident’s monthly fee (or the amount of care the home is able to provide per resident) is not enough. A few homes have "secure" units or floors for residents with dementia who are at risk for wandering. Depending on the circumstances, someone exhibiting these behaviours may be better suited to a Long-Term Care home and, factors such as cost and care needs should be considered carefully when making a placement decision for an individual with dementia.

Many retirement residences provide short-term respite care (for people who are recovering from an illness or to provide relief for a caregiver), vacation care (while caregivers are on holiday) and trial stays (for a few days or weeks, to allow someone to try out the place before making a final decision).

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