4.1 Staying in Your Home

Housing needs change over the course of a lifetime. Many seniors can continue to live at home today with the help of some visiting health and support services and by making specific adaptations to their homes. Contact the case manager in your local Community Care Access Centre to help arrange appropriate care services.

Home Owner Assistance

As Canada’s national housing agency, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has been helping Canadians improve their housing and living conditions for more than 50 years. For seniors who want to continue to live independently and improve safety in their homes, CMHC offers these programs:

• The Home Adaptation for Seniors’ Independence Program helps homeowners and landlords pay for minor home adaptations (e.g. handrails, grab bars) that will allow low-income seniors to stay longer in their own homes.
• The Emergency Repair Program helps low-income homeowners or occupants in rural and remote areas for emergency repairs to keep their homes safe.
• The Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program helps low income homeowners, or landlords of units occupied by low-income households, pay for repairs to bring their properties up to minimum health and safety standards and/or to modify their homes to make them accessible to disabled persons.

For more information on a specific program and/or eligibility requirements, call 1-800-668-2642 or visit www.cmhc.ca

Home Safety

The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation also provides information about home safety issues. Call 1-800-668-2642 to order any of the following publications or go to www.cmhc.ca and click on “Individual Consumer” in the menu on the left, then on “Seniors”:

Maintaining Seniors’ Independence Through Home Adaptations: A Self-Assessment Guide – Use this step-by step guide to examine your home and identify the adaptations best for you.

Maintaining Seniors’ Independence Through Home Adaptations – This videotape describes how you can adapt your home to carry out your daily activities in comfort and safety ($10.95).

Maintaining Seniors’ Independence: A Guide to Home Adaptation –This booklet explains how to work with an occupational therapist, a home designer and a building contractor to adapt your home for safety, security, comfort and independence.

At Home with Alzheimer’s Disease: Useful Adaptations to the Home Environment – This booklet describes how to adapt a home for people with Alzheimer's Disease.

How to Lock Out Crime: Protecting Your Home Against Burglary – This booklet will help you increase the safety and security of your home ($9.95).

Safe at Home – This booklet describes the community services that can help you feel safe at home.

4.2 Housing Choices for Seniors

If you find your house or apartment is using too much of your energy and has become more than you can cope with, you may want to consider a move. Seniors who are able to live independently have a number of housing options to choose from, which may include health and support services (if needed). Independent housing options include:

• independent living (such as your own home, condominium, apartment or housing co-operative) with the assistance of a community-based
• health service
• adult lifestyle/retirement communities
• retirement homes
• social housing for seniors
• supportive housing.

A senior who is no longer able to live independently in his or her own home, who requires more support than is typically offered in a supportive living environment, or who is at risk in his or her current home, may require placement in a long-term care facility.

If you are having difficulties determining what option might be best for you or your family member, one of the professionals listed below can help:

• a case manager in your local Community Care Access Centre
• a social worker in a geriatric centre or in a family counselling agency
• a community health nurse, or
• a hospital social worker or a discharge planning co-ordinator in your local hospital.

You may find it helpful to refer to TheCareGuide.com’s Assessment Centre to help find the right housing and/or care alternatives.

Types of Housing Options

 

This list describes some of the most common housing options available. There may be others that are not reflected here.

Adult Lifestyle/Retirement Communities

 

Adult Lifestyle/Retirement Communities provide independent living residences for retirees or semi-retirees in a vibrant community of well seniors. Residences may include bungalows, townhomes, small homes or condominiums providing the benefits of home ownership with on-site recreational and community activities. Amenities may include 24-hour security, social interaction with peers along with leisure and recreational activities. Ownership in an adult lifestyle community may range from simple ownership, to condominium style, land lease and life lease options. Your local real estate agent can provide you with information on an adult lifestyle/retirement community in your area.

Life Lease Housing

 

Life lease is a form of housing tenure generally developed for seniors, which is similar in appearance to a condominium. Typically, life lease housing is operated by non-profit or charitable institutions. A tenant is granted the right to occupy a dwelling unit in return for an up-front payment and monthly maintenance fee payment.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has undertaken research regarding life lease housing in Ontario. If you are considering this option contact the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Market Housing Branch, at 416-585-6541.

Retirement Homes

Retirement homes are private businesses that sell to consumers various combinations of accommodation, support services and personal care.

Retirement homes are nearly all for-profit facilities, and care and support services in these settings are neither funded nor regulated by the provincial government. Unlike long-term care facilities, the government does not subsidize retirement homes. You are responsible for the entire cost of both your accommodation and care services. Retirement home accommodation rates, however, are subject to rent control.

Retirement residences vary widely in terms of care and services provided, amenities offered, types of accommodation (from shared rooms to large apartments), staffing patterns and physical structures (from converted houses to high-rise buildings). Prices vary widely in accordance with the type of accommodation and range of services selected.

Retirement Home Tenancies

Retirement home accommodation is regulated only as tenancies under the Tenant Protection Act (TPA). This accommodation is known as “care homes” under that legislation. The same rules that apply to any type of tenancy also apply to retirement home tenancies with some additional requirements. The TPA deals with residential tenancy issues but not standards of care. The TPA contains some special rules about retirement homes, in addition to protection against unfair evictions, rent increases for accommodation, and poor maintenance.

All retirement homes are required to provide tenants with written tenancy agreements setting out:

• the amount of the rent, not including the costs of services and meals, and when you must pay the rent (usually monthly or weekly)
• a list of all the care services and meals that you must pay for, if any, and the cost of each
• the length of time the agreement is for and a statement that you have the right to discuss the agreement with anyone before signing it and that you can cancel it within five days of signing it.

The tenancy agreement may also include other agreements between you and your landlord that are permitted by the Tenant Protection Act. Residents may leave any retirement home given that they provide 30-days written notification of their exit date to the retirement home. No long-term leases are required.

In addition to accommodation, retirement homes provide a wide range of care and support services. Care in these settings is neither funded nor regulated by the provincial government. However, in addition to the tenancy legislation described above, the province does regulate other aspects of retirement homes in the same fashion as it regulates other facilities that provide accommodation and food. For example, the Ontario Building Fire Code and the Health Promotion and Protection Act (HPPA) apply to retirement homes just as they apply to restaurants, hotels, homes for the aged and nursing homes.

Under the HPPA, Public Health Units (Medical Officers of Health) enforce Mandatory Health Program and Services Guidelines. These standards apply in a wide range of settings, including retirement homes, and are enforced whether or not a local municipality has passed any by-laws pertaining to care in retirement homes. These guidelines apply only to safe meal preparation, sanitation and water quality in retirement homes, not care. Municipalities are free to pass by-laws regulating care in local retirement homes and a small number have done so.

Care Home Information Package

All retirement homes must provide you with a Care Home Information Package (CHIP) before you sign the tenancy agreement. You should review the CHIP carefully as it contains important information about the services and the staffing in the retirement home. The CHIP must contain:

• a list of the different types of accommodation provided and the alternative packages of care services and meals available as part of the total charges
• charges for the different types of accommodation and for the alternative packages of care services and meals
• minimum staffing levels and qualifications of staff
• details of emergency response system, if any, or a statement that there is no emergency response system
• a list of, and fee schedule, for the additional services and meals available from the landlord on a user-pay basis, and
• internal procedures, if any, for dealing with complaints, including a statement as to whether tenants have any right to appeal an initial decision, or a statement that there is no internal procedure for dealing with complaints.

Retirement Home Services

Most retirement homes provide accommodation, meals, social/recreational programs, 24-hour supervision, laundry and housekeeping services and some level of care and support services such as assistance with the activities of daily living, or assistance with medications. Additional nursing and personal care services may be available at an additional cost. Tenants may also qualify for services funded by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care through Community Care Access Centres (e.g. visiting nurses or therapists).

Typically, retirement homes offer a package of accommodation and services. A survey done in 2001 showed the average rate of private accommodation in Ontario to be $2,005/month but some rates can exceed $5,000/month. Semi-private accommodations average $1,373/month. Retirement homes may offer you the flexibility to opt in or out of specific services and you may be able to purchase services and supports not included in your basic package.

Anyone can apply to a retirement home; you do not need to provide medical evidence that you need care as part of the application process. The home, however, may assess your needs to ensure that you do not need more support than it can provide.

For information about retirement homes in your community, consult the following resources:

Ontario Retirement Communities Association

The Ontario Retirement Communities Association (ORCA) is a voluntary, non-profit organization that sets standards and inspects retirement residences in Ontario. All ORCA member homes must pass and maintain ORCA’s standards as a condition of membership. ORCA also offers a directory of its accredited retirement homes. Call ORCA for a free copy of this directory.

Ontario Retirement Communities Association
2390 Bristol Circle, Unit 6
Oakville, ON L6H 6M5

Toll-free: 1-800-361-7254
Phone: 905-403-0500
Fax: 905-403-0502
E-mail: info@orca-homes.com
Website: www.orca-homes.com

Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors

Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS) can provide information on not-for-profit long-term care facilities, housing and community services for seniors.

Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors
7050 Weston Rd., Ste. 700
Woodbridge ON L4L 8G7

Phone: 905-851-8821
Fax: 905-851-0744
Website: www.oanhss.org

Your local CCAC may also be helpful in providing a list of retirement homes in your community.

Complaints Response and Information Service

Anyone in Ontario, including seniors, their families and retirement home residents, can call the 1-800 Retirement Home Complaints Response and Information Service, free of charge, to get help resolving retirement home complaints or to obtain information about the services and options available to them. The service is sponsored by ORCA and applies to all retirement residences in the province, not just ORCA member homes.

The toll-free line is staffed, five days a week from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. with message-taking during the evenings and on weekends.

Callers can get help with:

• understanding the difference between a retirement home, nursing home, home for the aged, and other housing options available to seniors
• how to decide what housing option is best for you
• what to look for in a retirement residence
• what housing options are available in your community
• the services and level of care provided in different settings
• information on local and provincial regulations governing retirement homes
• help resolving problems encountered with any retirement homes in Ontario.

For more information about the Complaints Response and Information Service:
Toll-free: 1-800-361-7254
Website: www.orca-homes.com

Your local CCAC may also be helpful in providing a list of retirement homes in your community.

Social Housing for Seniors

Social housing is affordable housing available for seniors, as well as for families and single people, with low to moderate income. The owner of this type of housing may include private landlords with rent supplement units, municipalities who own public housing or non-profit/co-operative corporations who own housing projects. They receive a subsidy from the municipality or a cost-shared subsidy from the federal government to provide rent geared-to-income units (RGI units).

Municipal governments are now responsible for funding and administering all social housing. The Consolidated Municipal Service Managers have this responsibility. There are 47 Consolidated Municipal Service Managers across the province.

Contact your local municipal offices to find out how to apply for social housing in your community. See the Directory for a list of the Social Housing Co-ordinated Access Centres across Ontario.

Co-operative Housing

A housing co-operative is a legal association formed for the purpose of providing homes to its members on a continuing basis. A co-op is different from other housing associations in its ownership structure and its commitment to co-operative principles.

Many housing co-ops have listings in the Yellow Pages of the phone book. Local housing agencies, information centres or federations of housing cooperatives may have the names of co-ops in your area. In many Ontario centres, you can also find information about housing co-ops through Coordinated Access Centres, which report to the municipal level of government.

For further information, contact the
Ontario Regional Office of the Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada at:
720 University Ave., Ste. 313
Toronto ON M5S 2T9

Toll-free: 1-800-268-2537
Phone: 416-366-1711
Fax: 416-366-3876
E-mail: info@chfc.ca
Website: www.chfc.ca

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) administers eight co-operative housing projects for seniors in Ontario. For more information, contact your local CMHC branch or call 1-800-668-2642. Or visit the website at www.cmhc.ca

Supportive Housing

Supportive housing programs provide on-site personal support services for seniors living as tenants in designated residential buildings such as a seniors’ building. Supportive housing programs are designed to help people to live independently in their own apartments. Services include personal support/attendant services, essential homemaking services, and staff available 24-hours a day to handle regular scheduled care and emergency needs.

Most supportive housing programs are operated by not-for-profit organizations and the provision of support services is funded through the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. As such, there may be no charge for the personal support/attendant and essential homemaking services. However, tenants are responsible for their own rent, food and clothing. For the housing component of the service, there is generally a tenant-landlord relationship where-in the tenant is expected to pay rent based on their income as well as other usual costs of living in the community.

Supportive housing may be connected with an apartment building, condominium or small- to large-scale housing projects. For more information on this type of housing in your community, speak with your local Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) or contact the following seniors’ service provider organizations:

Ontario Association of Non-Profit Homes and Services for Seniors (OANHSS)
7050 Weston Rd., Ste. 700
Woodbridge ON L4L 8G7

Phone: 905-851-8821
Fax: 905-851-0744
Website: www.oanhss.org

Ontario Community Support Association (OCSA)
970 Lawrence Ave. W., Ste. 104
Toronto ON M6A 3B6

Toll-free: 1-800-267-6272
Phone: 416-256-3010
Fax: 416-256-3021
E-mail: ocsainfo@ocsa.on.ca
Website: www.ocsa.on.ca

4.3 Landlord and Tenant Relations

The Tenant Protection Act

The Tenant Protection Act governs landlord and tenant relationships across Ontario. It protects residential tenants against unfair evictions, rent increases and poor maintenance, and contains strong anti-harassment rules.

Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal

The Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal is an independent agency responsible for resolving landlord and tenant disputes through mediation and adjudication.

The Tribunal processes all applications filed under the Tenant Protection Act and issues orders to resolve landlord-tenant disputes. It also provides information to landlords and tenants concerning their rights and obligations under the Act.

Tenants should note that if their landlord serves them with an application to evict them, under the Tenant Protection Act, they have only five days to file their dispute.

Information for landlords and tenants is distributed by the Tribunal through 17 local offices, a toll-free public inquiry telephone service, at 1-888-332-3234 and the Website www.orht.gov.on.ca

Property Standards Enforcement for Tenants

The Tenant Protection Act requires landlords to keep their buildings and rental units in a good state of repair and ensure that all health, safety and maintenance standards are met. If a landlord does not meet the required standards of maintenance, a tenant may file an application with the Ontario Rental Housing Tribunal for an order either granting an abatement of rent, authorizing repair and charging costs to the landlord, or requiring the landlord to carry out the repair within a certain time frame.

The Tenant Protection Act has also enhanced the powers of municipalities to enforce maintenance standards and strengthened penalties against landlords who persistently fail to comply with them. Tenants with concerns about the quality of maintenance in their rental units or complex should contact their municipal property standards office and request that an inspection be undertaken.

The telephone number for your local property standards office can be found in the Blue Pages of your telephone book under the keyword “By-law Enforcement”.

Tenants residing in areas without municipal maintenance standards may contact the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Maintenance and Investigations Unit at 1-800-387-4451. If an inspector finds that repairs are needed, a work order can be issued, listing the repairs the landlord is required to complete.