Long-Term Care

What's the difference between Long-term care and a retirement Home?

Long-Term Care

In the event your health declines to the level of needing to be in hospital long term, there are government subsidized Long Term Care facilities.

An indicator is needing two or more hours per day of direct personal care. Sometimes, two people are needed at a time for the assistance needed. This is the level of care that is beyond a typical ‘assistance’ level at a Retirement Home.

There is a big difference is the structure of a Long-Term Care (LTC) facility compared to a Retirement Home (RH). An LTC has open bedroom doors that are typical to a hospital setting. A RH typically has private, closed, lockable bedroom doors. The emphasis at an LTC is greater healthcare needs. Many LTCs have improved their mental healthcare in recent years with better socialization, physical atmosphere, building design and meals.

Beware, however, that being moved to an LTC is not a free ride on behalf of the government healthcare system. There is a very high monthly “co-pay” for the resident or family. The amount of the “co-pay” depends upon whether a semi-private or private room is chosen.

Because of COVID-19, anyone new to a LTC is not allowed to be placed in a room with more than two people. Unfortunately, people already in an LTC with three or four people to a room are allowed to be kept there by the government.