INFO & RESOURCES
As you explore Togethering options for your families, here are a few resources to jog your thinking and research…
Housing Options for Seniors and Aging Families
Seniors housing can be more than a choice between living at home and moving to a nursing home. Explore creative and innovative housing options with this visual aid - our Accordion, we like to call it.
Seniors Housing Comparison Chart
A simple comparison of each housing option corresponding with our Accordion - covers ownership, eligibility, wait lists, level of health needs, funding and costs
Considerations when Choosing a Home for Togethering
Whether you are adapting your current home or searching for a new one, consider these 6 areas to define your criteria for what’s important to you and your aging relative.
Aging Well at Home Checklist
What to look for and address as potential hazards
Library of Housing Resources
When it comes to seniors housing, we often think of 3 primary options. Each of these choices comes with its own myriad of considerations!
1) Can my parents continue to live on their own? > Can they manage? Is it safe? How adaptable is their current home?
2) Can they come to live with me? > Can I accommodate them? Do they want to move in with me? How would everyone else (kids, other relatives) feel about co-living ?
3) Can they move into a long-term care facility? > And how much does long-term-care cost anyways? Can we afford it? Is there a wait list? What about COVID?
Our “Accordion” visual aid is designed to help seniors and families consider creative options between the “living at home” vs” living in long-term care” bookends. Sometimes, homes can be adapted with additional modifications or home-based services to allow individuals to age-in-place for as long as possible. In other cases, seniors or families may be proactive and consider moving to a condo/apartment-style building for ease of mobility, accessibility, and reduced housework.
Key Sources / Research Links:
NORCs >> http://uhnopenlab.ca/work/labs/norc-lab/,
Tableau Workbook featuring NORCs in GTA >> https://public.tableau.com/views/High-DensitySeniorsBuildingsinToronto/Dashboard1?:language=en&:embed=y&:display_count=y&:origin=viz_share_link
Life Leases >> https://www.ontario.ca/document/life-lease-housing
Retirement Homes >> https://www.comfortlife.ca/compare/
Long-term care accommodation costs and subsidy >> https://www.ontario.ca/page/get-help-paying-long-term-care
Long-term care wait list (days to placement) by facility >> https://www.hqontario.ca/System-Performance/Long-Term-Care-Home-Performance/Wait-Times
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Most people prefer to continue taking care of their basic needs and errands independently. Doing so can also help seniors stay active.
Look for homes within a short walking distance to groceries, pharmacy, medical offices, banking and post-office.
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It’s often hard to predict when needs and abilities will change as people age.
It is worth checking in periodically to consider how flexible and adaptable your home is. Is there sufficient space? Clearance? Could you convert it to being barrier-free? (entryways, bathrooms, stairs).
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Less home maintenance (inside and outside) reduces upkeep and the possibility of potential hazards (e.g., falls).
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Proximity to and/or access to one’s social network is incredibly important for a senior’s well-being and quality of life. Seniors who experience problems with mobility, everyday functioning, or cognition are especially are vulnerable to social isolation and loneliness.
Is the home close to friends and family? Do they socialize with neighbours? Is there a sense of community or opportunities to connect within their community? Consider shared language, culture, and physical accessibility.
Also, are there community centres, libraries, parks or other gathering spaces nearby?
Many seniors would like to find places in which they can volunteer their time, “give back”, and get to know people by name. All of these help build up one’s sense of belonging in their community.
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Typically, stairs become the first accessibility barrier that a senior will face at home.
Weaker muscle strength and chronic conditions such as arthritis can impact our mobility, making it hard to travel up/down stairs multiple times a day.
Isolation is also an important consideration. When stairs become challenging, some seniors may end up spending most of their time on one floor, which may be separated from the social hub of the home.
Ideally, your home can accommodate a bedroom and key amenities all on the same level.
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Barrier-free design is a specialization within interior design. Options range from automated doors, lights, to full barrier-free modifications where special kitchen cabinetry moves up/down with the touch of a button for wheelchair accessibility.
Depending on your relative’s needs and whether there are any chronic conditions that may decline over time, you may want to take barrier-free features into consideration. Doing so may extend how long your relative is able to live independently at home.