Understanding Care Choices
Understanding Care Choices
Choosing the right type of care for yourself or a parent is one of the most important — and often confusing — decisions a family will face. Retirement homes and long-term care homes operate under very different rules, with real implications for cost, admission, and legal rights. Understanding those differences early can help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure your loved one is properly protected. This guide outlines what you need to know, from care options to the rights and safeguards that apply once someone is in care.
Give us a call at 905-973-9394 to discuss your needs with us and see how we can help.
Governed by the Retirement Homes Act, 2010
Retirement Homes
A retirement home is a private rental housing arrangement for seniors who are largely independent. It is licensed and inspected by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA), but it is not publicly funded. Residents pay market rent, plus fees for whatever care services they choose to purchase from the operator.
Regulator: Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA)
Admission: Direct contract with the operator; no provincial wait list
Cost: Paid privately — rent governed by the Residential Tenancies Act; care fees set by the home
Care Level: Only the services you agree to in your care agreement
Your Rights: Tenant under the RTA, plus rights under the Retirement Homes Act and proposed Bill 23 reforms
Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021
Long-Term Care Homes
A long-term care home (formerly called nursing homes) is for people who need 24-hour nursing and personal care they can no longer safely receive at home or in a retirement setting. The province funds the nursing and programs; the resident pays only the accommodation portion, which is capped by regulation.
Regulator: Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care
Admission: Through Ontario Health at Home — eligibility assessment and wait list
Cost: Government-funded care; resident pays regulated accommodation rate with subsidies for lower incomes
Care Level: 24-hour nursing, personal support, medical oversight and programming
Your Rights: Residents’ Bill of Rights — enforceable under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021
When a Parent is Already in Care
The rights the home may not mention at move-in.
The rights the home may not mention at move-in.
- Residents’ Bill of Rights
Rights include dignity, privacy, freedom from abuse, participation in care planning, visitors, and complaint rights. - Informed Consent to Admission
Consent must come from the resident or substitute decision-maker. - Fee Increases in Retirement Homes
Rent is capped; care and meal fees are not. - Capacity & the Consent and Capacity Board
Incapacity findings can be reviewed. - Reporting Abuse & Neglect
Must be reported; multiple agencies involved. - Transitions & Home Closures
Rules govern closures and discharges.
We can help you understand your rights. Give us a call at 905-973-9394 to discuss your needs and see how we can help.
Paying for Care
Understanding the Costs of Care
Understanding the Costs of Care
Care is expensive, and financial decisions affect probate, taxes, and inheritance. The family home, the estate, and the cost of dignity are all things that Marshall Law Group can help you to understand and guide you through.
Decisions may involve:
- Selling the Family Home
- Joint Ownership / Adding a Child to Title
- Probate & Estate Administration Tax
- Long-Term Care Accommodation Costs
- Henson Trusts & Disabled Beneficiaries
- Gifts, Loans, and Advances
Connect with us at 905-973-9394 to help make decisions that work for you and your family.
