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Toronto Assisted Living

Your advice guide to finding communities in the GTA

Assisted living care offered in Toronto retirement homes helps residents with at least one limitation in cognition or physical health. While residents require help with at least one activity of daily living, care may extend to any or all of the following areas: personal care like bathing or dressing, eating, medication management, mobility, incontinence, grooming and hygiene.

There are a variety of different assisted living facilities all through the city of Toronto, but not all are created equal. Some facilities are government run, while others are privately held. Some assisted living facilities can be house-sized while others are in large retirement villages, home to hundreds of residents. Unit styles can range from private studios to two bedroom apartments with various accoutrements that may include a kitchenette and kitchen appliances.  In terms of the continuum of care, this falls between independent senior living and long-term care.

This care option is almost always found in a retirement residence with somewhat typical amenities including:

• central dining where residents are free to socialize with others in the community
• housekeeping provided on at least a weekly basis, including laundry services, bed changes
• communal events that are optional but bring people together

Many of the assisted living facilities here at Comfort Life are newer, with cleaner living quarters, fully updated accessibility features, lots of space and lots of privacy. 

In addition to the basics, homes offer a variety of features to make life better. For example, homes with hair salons are great for elderly women who want to have their hair done regularly. Homes with fitness rooms or exercise area, help people grow stronger, and empower them to improve and care for their own wellness. 

Read Toronto retirement home reviews before you choose!

How families can talk about assisted living

The move into a retirement home may be resisted on the part of some seniors — and also family — who feel that this compromises their independence or is a sign of somehow "giving up." Homes offer care that cannot be found anywhere else, and are the best solution to concerns about deteriorating health, home safety or a growing inability to care for oneself. Moving into assisted living can be seen as a proactive, positive response to problems with aging.

Self-sufficiency is a strong value held by people who grew up in the early 20^th century, and so it is very difficult to admit the need for help. People's minds can be changed by looking at some of the excellent retirement communities there are, and also by hearing stories from others who have taken the time to let down their pre-conceptions and come around to moving into a senior care home.

In the past, we have talked to Muriel who loves the 24 hour tea room in her retirement home. She doesn't ever pay anything extra, there was never anything like this in her old neighbourhood, and every time she pops into the tea room, one of her friends is there or she makes a new one.  As she told us, "there's always someone to sit and talk to."

Moving into an assisted living home, seniors come to appreciate the beauty of the fact that they no longer have to worry about  a whole host of things including (but certainly not limited to) shoveling the walk, paying the property taxes, taking out the garbage, washing the dishes, covering the hydro bill… the list goes on, of course. Seniors who move into one of these assisted living facilities may echo the words of Nick, another resident we've heard from, who tells us, "I've never had it so good."

As much as possible, family needs to involve aging seniors in the discussion, and to empower them with information to make the decision as much their own as anyone else's. At Comfort Life we list a variety of exceptional Toronto retirement homes that make the move into assisted living appealing and welcoming. Moving into a community with others, some of whom share the same health concerns and background can help make life better for seniors in need. Many people find a new circle of friends and find happiness in the social aspect of retirement homes. 

Assisted living homes make everyone's life better through the use of assistive devices, design for accessibility and caring nursing staff who respond professionally to the needs of seniors. 

Assisted living costs in Toronto: a survey

Toronto has some of the priciest real estate in Canada, everyone knows, and this affects the cost of assisted living homes here also. Given its place on the continuum of care, assisted living is not quite as expensive as long term care, but more so than independent living. 

Here's a look at several examples of assisted living rates people are paying in suburbs across the GTA: 

This is just a sampling of what you might pay; a similar survey with some inclusions from 2018 can be found on our Ontario costs page's survey of Toronto assisted living costs. Consult each assisted living home for its individual rates.

It's really a must to look at a variety of options around the GTA in order to find the ideal solution for your elderly loved one. We provide a retirement home checklist you can take to each home to compare them all one-to-one and get the best overall picture of which one is right for you. 

Covering the costs of assisted living may be easier than you think. The monthly rates listed above are a single payment covering everything. It's easy to match up your total monthly resources (including everything from OAS to work pensions and perhaps even help from other family members). We have further advice on how other people pay for senior care. 

Moving into assisted living is not an easy choice but it's one you can make with an easier frame of mind once you go out and look at today's superb quality retirement homes and go into this life choice fully informed. Care today is an immense improvement over that of the past, regulation and compliance are important to the entire industry, and homes like those listed on Comfort Life offer care that is far better than what seniors and families are capable of providing.