There are a variety of services that can be provided to people of any age over an extended period of time.

Sometimes these services can be provided in your own home, or in your community. Other times the care is provided in a residential care setting such as a long-term care home (also known as a nursing home or home for the ages), a retirement home or a supportive housing building.

Whether you need assistance right away or are exploring options for the future, this site is your window for learning about and accessing the wide array of care options in Ontario.

For definitions of key terms, please refer to the Glossary of Terms page.

This section of the site provides information on many levels and types of care. You may find that you come back several times as your needs and circumstances change. Needs may change gradually and sometimes, overnight. Finding the right mix of home and community support services or choosing a place that offers the care you are looking for can take time. It is best to be informed and aware of your options in advance.

You may be in the process of deciding whether to stay in your own home or move to a place that provides services. As you explore these two broad choices, you will be considering questions about your range of options and how to arrange for the type of care that you choose.

This site is designed to help you answer these questions and review all of the options. To help your planning, see the Things to Consider page.

The information on this site covers three main topics :

Home and community support services can help you manage your own care while living at home. These services can be obtained individually, or as a combination of services. There are four main categories of Home and Community Support Services :

• Visiting Health Professional Services
  Visiting health professional services provide health care in your home. Services include visits to assess your needs, plan and/or provide care. Supplies and equipment relating to these services may also be available.
• Personal Care and Support
  Personal care and support can help you with a variety of daily living activities such as bathing, dressing, toileting, eating and more.
• Homemaking
  Homemaking services assist you with routine household activities such as menu planning and meal preparation, shopping, light housekeeping and more.
• Community Support Services
  Community support services a wide variety of services such as meal delivery, transportation, caregiver relief, adult day programs, social and recreational services, security checks and more.

See the Home and Community Support Services page for more information.

Residential care options enable people to move to a place that provides accommodations with the level of support they need. In Ontario, there are three main types of residential care :

• Supportive Housing
  Supportive housing accommodations are for seniors who require minimal to moderate levels of personal care and support to live independently. Many locations have rent-geared-to-income subsidies available.
• Retirement Homes
  Retirement homes are privately owned rental accommodations for seniors who require minimal to moderate levels of personal care and support to live independently. Retirement homes are funded entirely by the revenues from resident fees.
• Long-Term Care Homes
  Long-term care homes are designed for people who need the availability of 24-hour nursing care, supervision or higher levels of personal care. These government regulated homes are also known as nursing homes, municipal homes for the aged, or charitable homes. Residents pay for accommodation charges and the care is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

See the Residences Offering Care page for more information.

This section outlines the process of arranging the care and the role you can play. See the Arranging Care page for more details.

Your Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) can help. There are a number of questions to be asked, decisions to be made and steps to be taken when obtaining care for yourself or a family member. CCACs are provincially-funded agencies that provide long-term care information and referral services in your area. The information is provided at no cost to you. Many long-term care services are accessed through your local CCAC. To locate the Community Care Access Centre nearest you, use our CCAC Locator.

This section outlines how to gather the information you need and select a service provider. It also includes a Long-Term Care Home Locator and links to provincial organizations that can help you locate local home and community service providers. See the Finding a Provider page for more details.

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