Hindsight is 20/20, but we can learn from others experiences
Selecting a retirement home can be a long and stressful process. Just within Ottawa there are over 90 retirement homes to choose from. It is impossible to go visit every single one of them so how do you know if you selected the best options? Is the grass greener on the other side?
We set out to find out what the biggest things that people who have already moved to a retirement home wish they knew before they selected it. We recently polled Ontarians to see what are some of the things they wished they had known before they or their loved one selected a retirement home to move to. We have put together a list of the top four things Ontarians wish they had known before selecting a retirement home.
1. Where to get an unbiased opinion on the different Retirement Homes. There are so many options and great sales consultants that can persuade you to select their retirement home. But many said they wish they had an unbiased opinion from an insider who knows the industry. Companies like Solva Senior Living are just that! Retirement Home navigating assistance is available to do all the heavy lifting for you and help you make a selection based on your personal preferences and needs.
2. How much it really costs. Most people have no clue even a ballpark estimate of what living at a retirement home will cost. Many seem to be just as clueless as to what is even included in the pricing. Having a budget ahead of time can be helpful to plan out for the future. Knowing if extra services are a-la-carte pricing or packaged pricing can make a big difference in planning for the future.
3. What type of support Home and Community Care Support Services can do. Home and Community Care Support Service (formerly known as LHIN) are a free service for anyone that qualifies. They can provide additional care support for anyone living at home or within a retirement home. Gaining access and using these services can help reduce the monthly price paid at a retirement home.
4. Retirement Homes are not all the same. Although Retirement Homes are regulated by the RHRA, there are no standards on what type of care and services retirement homes must provide. This leaves it up to each individual retirement home to decide on what they offer, how much they charge and what they want to call it.
5. What rights residents have. Did you know that the RHRA has a document called “The Residents Bill of Rights”? Yes, there is a legislation around what your rights are as a resident of a retirement home. The key rights that residents have are:
- live with dignity in a safe and clean environment;
- know what care services are provided and their costs;
- fully participate in care planning and decision making about care.
There is a lot to know when it comes to selecting a retirement home and if the proper research is not done it could leave you in a messy situation. When in doubt, it is important to learn from others and seek out services like Solva Senior Living to help ensure the process is smooth, thoroughly researched and you have a team of knowledgeable experts on your side.