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A caregiver smiles while pushing an older woman in a wheelchair

Moving to Long Term Care

The first step toward moving to long term care is making the decision to explore the options available to you in this special environment. It can be challenging to get to this first step, as deciding to move to a long term care facility is sometimes difficult for both seniors and their families. It can be tough to reconcile perceptions about what it means to live in a long term care home, and you may have a number of questions. What’s it really like? Will I be content there? Will I enjoy the food? The other residents? How will a typical day unfold? And how about the care – will it meet my unique needs?

What you’re feeling is natural and the questions you have are very reasonable. The best way to get the answers is by taking the time to tour a few long term care homes and speak with the Executive Director or other members of the management team. To help you on those tours, and to make it easier for you to compare a few potential options, we’ve put together a Long Term Care Home Tour Checklist that includes everything from what activities each home offers to details about the building’s safety features, so you can focus on the information you need to make the right decision.

View our checklist
Open the PDF

Getting Started

Once the decision has been made to seek and select a long term care facility, the rest of the process can vary depending on where you live in Canada. Every province does things a little bit differently – but one thing they all have in common is that the first thing you’ll need is a referral from the appropriate government agency. These government agencies will lay out your available choices based on your care needs, help arrange for the move to a long term care home, and evaluate your eligibility for government-funded services and support.

Here is a list of agencies for the provinces in which Revera operates:

Manitoba

The local Home Care Program office. For information, call 1-866-626-4862 or check out Manitoba Health and Seniors Care.
Revera operates only in the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA).

Ontario

Home and Community Care Support Services. For information, call 310-2222 (no area code required) or check out healthcareathome.ca.

Considerations

Once you’ve made the decision to move to long term care, have received the applicable referral from your provincial or regional agency, have toured a number of homes and have landed on your choice, there are a couple of other important items to think about, including your choice of accommodation style, as well as the costs involved.

Suite, Elmwood Place Long Term Care Home, London, Ontario

Types of Rooms

Revera’s long term care homes offer private rooms (one bed) and shared accommodations to suit your needs and preferences. Think about whether you need a private space, or would benefit from the social connection that shared accommodation can offer. Your choice may also be determined by cost, as outlined below.

All resident rooms in long term care homes include basic furnishings, such as a bed, bedside table and chair. We encourage you to bring personal items and make your room feel like home.

Costs

The costs of long term care are shared by the resident and the government. Typically, residents pay for their accommodations, while the government covers the costs of things like care, food, programming and certain medications. Some provinces offer private pay options.

Rates for all types of long term care accommodations are established by provincial governments, and rate subsidies may be available for ward accommodation. The cost of the resident accommodation portion typically ranges between $1,000 to $3,000 per month, depending on factors such as which type of room you choose, the province you live in, your income and the age of the facility. In some provinces, lower-income residents may be eligible for additional financial support. For information, please contact the appropriate provincial agency listed above or one of Revera’s long term care homes.

As you think about the cost of long term care, keep in mind what long term care homes offer – available around-the-clock care for people with complex chronic conditions and/or cognitive challenges in a safe and secure environment. Programs at Revera long term care homes are designed to support your mind, body and spirit, with complex care (such as wound care and specialized dementia care) delivered by on-staff healthcare professionals.

A younger caregiver is holding the hand of an elderly patient
A resident having coffee with an employee

Long Term Quality Care

At Revera, meaningful interactions are essential to Revera’s person-centred care philosophy. Everyone has the responsibility and opportunity to interact with residents in a way that supports quality person-centred care that recognizes each person's individual needs and wishes.

More about our approach
Lea, a Director of Care in a long term care home with Ian, a resident

Unforgettable Ian

Learn what life is like in a long term care home as one family makes that transition. Meet Ian Doig, a resident at Stoneridge Manor Long Term Care Home in Carleton Place, Ontario.

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