Elder Care Navigation
Elder care in Ontario includes public and private home care, and two types of licensed elder care homes: long-term care homes and retirement homes.
What is a Long-Term Care Home?
- Long-term care homes are provincially funded, and licensed by the Ministry of Long-Term Care.
- Admission is coordinated through Ontario Health atHome.
- Residents receive 24-hour nursing care, personal support, and help with daily living.
- Accommodation rates are set by the province, and financial assistance is available for low income residents.
- Waitlists are triaged based on care needs, not time spent waiting.
- Long-term care is most appropriate for people with complex medical needs or significant cognitive decline.
What is a Retirement Home?
- They are privately operated and licensed by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority.
- Families connect with retirement homes directly to discuss availability, care options, and costs.
- Homes can offer a range of support, including independent living, assisted living, memory care, and in some cases palliative care.
- Retirement homes are private pay, and fees are set by each operator.
- As support needs increase, the monthly cost will also increase.
- Homes typically offer daily activities, socialization, and cognitive engagement.
What is Home Care?
- Home care provides support where you live, helping you remain safe and independent.
- Home care can be publicly funded through Ontario Health atHome or family funded out of pocket.
- Public home care is based on an assessment of your needs and eligibility.
- Services can include personal care, companionship, nursing, rehabilitation, and help with daily activities.
- Family funded home care is arranged and paid for directly by individuals or their families.
- Public and family funded home care can be used together to meet your care needs.
How to Compare Elder Care Options
Elderado is a free resource to navigate and compare long-term care and retirement homes, public home care, and family funded home care options. Find information about cost, availability, care services, languages of care, and more.
The Retirement Living Availability Registry (RLAR) shows which retirement homes currently have suites available, making it easier to understand your options if care needs change and you need to find support quickly.
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Retirement Homes
A retirement home is a private residence where older adults can live independently, with access to care services, meals, activities, and social and cognitive engagement. Homes may offer independent living, assisted living, memory care, and short term (respite) stays.
What is the difference between a retirement home and a long-term care home?
Retirement homes offer private-pay housing with flexible support services and are designed to provide comfort, safety, and a meaningful quality of life. Many retirement homes offer all your meals, social activities, recreational opportunities, and community events that help residents stay engaged and connected. They are suitable for older adults who are independent or need varying levels of support.
Long-term care homes provide 24-hour nursing and personal care for people with high care needs or complex medical conditions. Admission to long-term care is managed through Ontario Health atHome, and residents pay a co-pay fee to contribute towards the cost of accommodations and meals.
How can I find retirement homes with availability?
The Retirement Living Availability Registry on Elderado shows which retirement homes have current availability. You can find suites in independent living, assisted living, memory care, and respite care.
What levels of care are available in retirement homes?
Levels of care vary by home, but commonly include independent living, assisted living, memory care, and short-term or respite stays. Some retirement homes offer a full continuum of care, while others focus on a specific level of support.
How much does it cost to live in a retirement home?
Costs vary depending on suite size, care needs, services, location, and amenities, and fees are set by each operator. In Durham Region, independent living starts around $3,000 per month, assisted living starts around $4,000 per month, and memory care starts around $6,000 per month. Monthly rates will differ based on the level of care, the home, and the type of accommodation.
Care provided by a retirement home is private pay and is paid by the resident, while care in long-term care is covered by the province and residents are only required to pay a co-pay fee to contribute towards the cost of accommodation and meals.
You can find the starting price for most retirement homes on Elderado.
What is a licensed retirement home?
A licensed retirement home meets the safety and care standards set by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA) and is required to follow the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 and the Residents’ Bill of Rights. All licensed retirement homes are required to post their RHRA license in a visible place in the home.
What is an unlicensed retirement home?
An unlicensed retirement home is any retirement home, retirement community, or 55+ community that is not licensed by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA). Unlicensed retirement homes are not inspected by the RHRA, nor are the residents protected by the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 and the Residents’ Bill of Rights. All licensed retirement homes are required to post their RHRA license in a visible place in the home.
Long-Term Care Home
A long-term care home is a provincially subsidized home that provides 24-hour nursing and personal support for people who can no longer safely live at home due to complex medical or cognitive needs.
What is the difference between long-term care and retirement homes?
Long-term care homes provide 24-hour nursing and personal support for people with high or complex care needs. They are publicly funded, regulated by the Ministry of Long-Term Care, and admission is managed by Ontario Health atHome. Residents pay a co-pay fee to contribute towards the cost of accommodations and meals.
Retirement homes are privately operated, licensed by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority, and offer housing with flexible support services. They can provide independent living, assisted living, memory care, and in some cases palliative care, and families connect with the home directly. Care provided by a retirement home is private pay and is paid by the resident.
How do I apply for long-term care?
Applications are completed through Ontario Health atHome. A care coordinator will assess eligibility, discuss your preferred homes, review your care needs, and help complete the application.
You can call Ontario Health atHome on someone else’s behalf to request an assessment or begin the conversation. The individual applying will still need to provide consent during the formal process.
How does the waitlist for long-term care work?
Waitlists are based on a person’s care needs, not how long they have been waiting. Ontario uses Placement Priority Categories to triage access to beds.
The main categories include:
- Category 1: People who require immediate admission for safety or medical reasons
- Category 2: People waiting in hospital who can no longer safely return home
- Category 3: People living in the community with high needs
- Category 4A and 4B: People with lower or more stable care needs who are managing at home with support
Everyone in Category 1 is offered available beds before anyone in Category 2, and so on.
How much does long-term care cost?
Residents are responsible for a co-payment amount set by the province, and these rates are the same across Ontario. Care services are funded through the Ministry of Long-Term Care. As of July 1, 2026, the monthly rates are:
- Basic: $2,129.17
- Semi-private: $2,421.47 – $2,567.17
- Private: $2,785.56 – $3,041.97
Rates are reviewed annually by the province.
What if I cannot afford long-term care?
Ontario offers a Rate Reduction Program for residents who cannot afford the full basic accommodation rate.
Key points about the Rate Reductions Program include:
- The subsidy applies to basic rooms, and semi-private rooms in the event spouses or partners live together in a two-bed semi-private room that has been redesignated as basic accommodations.
- Eligibility is based on income.
- Applications are handled through your long-term care home, and staff will help you complete the paperwork.
- If you already receive a rate reduction, you must reapply each year.
- The current term ends June 30, 2025, and the next term begins July 1, 2025.
A care coordinator or the long-term care home can help assess eligibility and guide you through the process.
Home Care
Home care provides support where you live, helping older adults remain safe, independent, and comfortable at home. Care can include personal support, companionship, nursing, help with daily activities, rehabilitation, caregiver respite, and other health and support services.
In Ontario, home care can be publicly funded through Ontario Health atHome or family funded out of pocket for private home care. Some people receive both public home care and private home care.
What is the difference between public and family funded home care?
Public home care is funded by the Ontario government and coordinated through Ontario Health atHome. A care coordinator assesses your needs, determines your eligibility, and develops a care plan. Depending on your needs and eligibility, services can include personal support, nursing, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, social work, nutritional counselling, and other supports.
Family funded home care is arranged and paid for directly by an individual or family. You choose the home care company, the services you receive, and how much care you would like to purchase.
Family funded home care can be used alongside publicly funded home care, you do not have to choose one or the other.
How do I access publicly funded home care?
Contact Ontario Health atHome to request an assessment. You do not need a doctor’s referral, and you can contact Ontario Health atHome for yourself or on behalf of someone else.
A care coordinator will assess the person’s needs and determine what publicly funded services they are eligible to receive.
Call Ontario Health atHome toll-free at 1-833-515-1234 or visit their website to get started.
What services can home care provide?
The services available depend on your needs and the type of home care you receive.
Home care may include:
- Personal care, such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and toileting
- Meal preparation and help with daily activities
- Companionship and caregiver respite
- Nursing
- Physiotherapy and occupational therapy
- Medication assistance
- Dementia support
- Palliative care
- Overnight or 24-hour support
Publicly funded services are based on an assessment and eligibility. With family funded home care, families can purchase additional services and hours based on their needs and the services offered by the home care company.
How much does home care cost?
If you qualify for home care through Ontario Health atHome, eligible home care services are publicly funded.
Family funded home care is paid for by the individual or family. Rates vary by provider, the type of care required, the number of hours of care, and the length and frequency of visits.
When comparing home care companies, it is important to ask about hourly rates, minimum shift lengths, additional fees, and what is included in the cost of care.
What should I look for when choosing a private home care company?
Not all private home care companies operate to the same standards. Before hiring a provider, consider asking:
- Does the company carry appropriate insurance?
- Are police record checks completed for caregivers?
- How are caregiver qualifications verified?
- Are caregivers employees or independent contractors?
- Who supervises and supports the caregivers?
- What happens if my regular caregiver is unavailable?
- What are the minimum shift lengths and rates?
- How does the company develop and update the care plan?
Elderado’s Home Care Navigation allows you to review and compare information about home care companies before contacting them.
How do I find a family funded home care company?
Home Care Navigation on Elderado can help you find home care companies serving Durham Region.
You can search based on your location and care needs, compare companies, and review information about their services and quality standards.
Every participating home care company completes an audit that is publicly displayed on its Elderado company page. This can help you compare providers and ask informed questions before choosing a home care company.
Additional Resources
If you have any questions about navigating elder care options you can contact info@elderado.ca.
