Ontario Independent Living

Independent living homes present a paradox for seniors — your life will become both increasingly active and more relaxing at the same time. You'll suddenly find yourself with plenty of activities and programs in which to take part, but your facility’s staff will take care of many of your needs. Some of these services, programs, and amenities may include:

• Games, like bingo, shuffleboard, trivia, and other brain fitness
• Grooming facilities — barbershops, hair salons, manicure and pedicure centers
• Scheduled transportation
• Light housekeeping and maintenance services (i.e. changing light bulbs)
• A concierge to help you discover the incredibly diverse and lively Ontario outdoors
• A dining hall (many independent living homes include meals in their monthly fees)
• Other common rooms, such as computer rooms, lounges, and card rooms

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About senior independent living homes

One of the most common questions about independent senior living homes is what one’s physical style of living will look like. In most cases in Ontario, these homes are in the style of an apartment for seniors. However, this province’s independent living homes are also available in portable homes, bungalows, townhouses, and subdivision developments.

The cost of your home will depend on its location and quality. In Ontario, the former is the most important factor. For instance, living in a big city, like Toronto or Ottawa, will, on average, cost more than an independent living home in a rural town where land is less expensive. The latter simply depends on the overall quality of the home (i.e. how old it is, its cleanliness, its interior decorating) and the number of services and amenities that it offers.

What distinguishes independent living homes from your own home?

Three benefits make independent living homes unique from your own home. These include:

• Alleviating safety concerns — Almost all independent living retirement homes in Ontario offer round the clock security and emergency procedures. On-site professionally-trained staff will always be available to assist you.
• Visiting Hours — Unlike your own home, an independent seniors' living home may restrict the hours at which you could invite guests.
• A Busy Life — Your senior years should be relaxing! But, at Ontario’s independent living homes, they need not be dull or lonely, as you will have many opportunities to get involved in community activities, like movie nights, and to be social with other residents. Moreover, since your lifestyle will be a lot less stressful than it would be in your home, you will have lots of time to explore Ontario’s wonderful natural sites, bustling cities, and cultural riches.

Concerns for seniors moving into independent living homes

I never want to move into a "home," even if you call it "independent senior living"  

This is a typical line we hear from seniors. Open up your mind to the possibilities and take a look at one of these places! Realize that your needs are going to change as you get older, and there are advantages to being in a home "before you really need one." If you’re living on your own and think you have all you really need, think about living in a typical independent senior living community. Do you have a pool right in your own home? An independent living retirement home might very well. Is there a reading group you’re part of? There’s probably one in a retirement home. Do you have different friends to walk with every day? You might, in one of the independent senior living home your family wants you to think about. 

Look at it as an opportunity to grow in new directions. Expanding your horizons and learning new things is good for you at any age. As with any change in life, you can choose what attitude you take towards this move. 

Retirement homes are in fact bustling, busy places where there is much socializing to do, along with group activities, days out, trips to local activities, and indoor activities including fitness areas and many more amenities. And within any independent senior living home, you have the option to just sit and relax with friends or spend time just doing your own thing. Living on your own is over-rated (and not nearly as independent as you think it is) when you consider the value of spending time in community with other seniors who have the same abilities, interests and outlook on life. 

This type of home really can create independence for seniors. When your daily meals are taken care of, when your complete living space is easily accessible and does not require the exertion of stairs or ramps or hills, when you’re free from paying all the bills because all your bills are fit into one, you may find a new kind of freedom. You may find yourself freed in a new environment, where you have time to discover and do things that were never possible before.  In the past, we have profiled seniors who took up golfing like they never have before or who discovered newfound passions like gardening, and developed those passions in new and original ways.

These senior independent living homes look wonderful, but how can I afford it?

Many people move into a retirement home, surprised at what they can actually afford. Don’t forget that all of your costs are covered under one umbrella by the monthly fee you pay in a retirement community: everything from communal meals to heating and air conditioning and all your other utilities, to the roof over your head. Once you have that single monthly cost, you just need to cover it. Like most Canadians, you probably collect Old Age Security (and possibly some supplements), Canada Pension Plan benefits, and you may also have a work pension. If you have savings or left-over equity in your own home, investments or any other income, this can be applied to your monthly costs. There are also many sources of income and funding available to Ontario seniors looking at independent living. 

Do the math before you give up on the idea. List the resources you have, what you have to pay, and figure out how to live within your means; it can be done! 

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