Retirement homes - waiting lists

[Muncher]

Does anyone know how long the waiting lists are for retirement homes in the GTA? My parents would prefer somewhere with Chinese food. We are interested in Monsheong or Yeehong, but I don't speak Chinese so it's hard for me to ask questions. Also does Community Care decide for you where you can go, or can one state some preferences?

And also is there subsidisation from the government if their income is too low? Would they include my income in the eligilibility calculations? I love my parents but if I had to pay for their retirement home living, I'd use up all my savings and more ......

Thanks for any advice!

[Ziggy007]

My grandmother is in a home and I knwo how they do it all is by taking their pension cheuqe minus some amount like $50 a month for spending and apply that to the home. Any difference between the pension and the cost is subsidized by the government

[shopGirl]

Yee Hong and MonSheong are great options. They are very well organized and actually give good care to seniors.

Everyone there, esp at the front line are able to speak english so feel free to email them or go to one of their locations to pick up more information.

[Blunt]

Make sure you parents joins the Jets instead of the Sharks or they're gonna be in big bullying trouble. Make sure they bring the right type of small arms too... The ones they can hide in their caveties. A switchblade should be a good start, and teach your dad some grappling moves.

[M@rk]

And would you know how long the waiting list is? And do the young seniors bully the old seniors if you know what I mean? Like does each person get their own tray of food or is it communal eating? How many bathrooms to one bedroom? Just want to get some idea before talking to the homes ... please share your experiences ... am already worried about the care they will get (and feeling mighty guilty!)

I'm not sure about your specific senior home, but I've volunteered in one for more than a year and can assure you that bullying doesn't occur. Everyone who's in there has some kind of problem that prevents them from being independent, so young or old, they've got better things to worry about.

In all places I've been to, the food is served on a tray to each person, because some people have dietary requirements, etc. I guess sometimes you can get really nasty seniors that steal the dessert from a weaker one or something, but he/she will cry out or others at the table will, and the staff keeps an eye on these people anyways, and will isolate them if neccessary. So you don't have to worry at all.

In terms of bedrooms, there are single rooms and shared rooms with 2 beds, and all of these have 1 bathroom. It depends on the home, but most of the single rooms are lottery based and you have to pay more. It's worth it, IMO, for obvious reasons.

You should really ask around or just tour the home and observe how the staff behaves. There are vast differences between different homes. Some have lots of really nice staff, whereas others have fewer. This is a really big issue because they can't meet the needs of everyone at the same time. For example, you may need to go to the bathroom, pull the alert cord, and it may be a while before someone comes to you because they're busy helping others.

You should also get a copy of their activities schedule. Some places have their own bus and go on bus trips every few days, whereas others may only go once in a while, etc. You should find a place with activities that suit your parent's interests.

Your parents may not be at a point that requires as much assistance as I mentioned, but it's better to start thinking about these things early and put them somewhere they'll be comfortable with for the rest of their lives.

[D-Sisive]

why do they need to be put in a home?

are they senile or just require alot of constant monitoring and care?

crappy feeling to put parents into a home eh...depends on situation i guess

[yuwing8]

i think there are about 400-500 people on the waiting list for MonSheong. However, the more serious the situation is with the senior, the quicker he/she will be able to go in front of the list. You don't go there unless you cannot take care of urself (cook,eat,clean).

[Muncher]

I just want to get them on the waiting list so they can stop worrying for the future. If they need help when I'm at work, they can't get this (and I gotta make a living!) and have to wait till I get home. I'm thinking more of a retirement home (no care, just 24 emergency on call) than a nursing home for now. Do you get moved from retirement accommodation to a nursing home automatically when you eventually need the care?

If they can get used to the location, staff and facilities, then it won't be so much of a shock than moving them there when they're like 90 years old!

[Steeve Urkel]

It depends what disabilities your parents have.

My Dad had Alheimers and had to go to a special nursing home where it cost over $3,000 a month for care.
The government paid part of it on top of that and we were charged for extras like laundry.
There was also a room where family members could make snacks for the family when they visited.

I have never seen seniors "fight" in the meal rooms, some eat in their bedrooms by themselves and some in the dining area.

The food is cafeteria style stuff, generally ok..but wouldn't want to eat it for the rest of my life.

I think they only take your parents income when they determine what they pay.

I think that if your parents own a house/place they have to use that as capital for their expenses at the home also.

I also know that if your parents have health problems and can't take care of themselves, they might just be put into the hospital in a ward there until some other home is found for them.

[HeatSeeker]

Thanks for the replies so far.

So if my parents have some savings, they must use all that up first? Or is it based on income numbers, like if they have $30,000 they only get interest income of about $300 a year. Is the government subsidy based on income or total assets?

And would you know how long the waiting list is? And do the young seniors bully the old seniors if you know what I mean? Like does each person get their own tray of food or is it communal eating? How many bathrooms to one bedroom? Just want to get some idea before talking to the homes ... please share your experiences ... am already worried about the care they will get (and feeling mighty guilty!)

I think people are confusing retirement homes and nursing homes. Only nursing homes are subsidized by the province. It doesn't matter how much money you have in the bank or how much your home is worth, neither of those are taken into account. Only your income is calculated in determining what you pay. If you don't earn enough then you are subsidized and allowed to keep around $100 a month to cover expenses such as cable TV, telephone and clothing. If you qualify for a subsidy then you are limited in the type of room you get. You may be stuck in a ward or have to share a room with someone else. Private or semi-private accomodations are usually not subsidized. In order to get into a nursing home you have to contact community care to see if you qualify and then you are placed on a waiting list. You can get in faster if you're in a hospital and that returning home was out of the question. That's how my mother got in a nursing home after being on a waiting list for a year. She only qualified for a ward but the nursing home she was placed in had no available space in their wards and was given semi-private accomodation. She shares a room with another lady but shares a bathroom with an adjoining room with two others. If you're lucky to have a provincially run home then accomodations may be better.

I have never seen any or heard of any bullying that you speak of. There's just too many staff around for that to happen. The staff at my mothers home are A1 and she loves her nurses. They are all extremely caring and accomodating. Everyone who works there from the janitors to the secretaries seem to know all the residents, many by name and they all seem to go out of their way to talk to them or just to greet them.

Retirement homes are a different matter. All seniors qualify to get in as long as you can afford it and don't require constant care. You usually get one room and a bathroom. Some places you may have to share. Couples can live in the same room and prices are steep.

[Muncher]

Thanks for clarifying.

Nursing Home

1. So is a nursing home the same as long term care?
2. How do I get my parents on the waiting list for a nursing home, I can't predict when they will get sick or require care
3. Will they have to use up all their savings first before they get a subsidy? Or is it their income ($300 interest income each per year) that they look at?
4. Do they separate the men from the women in a nursing home? If my parents are not well, they would still like to be with each other

Retirement Home

1. What is subsidised housing if it is not retirement homes?
2. Is there a waiting list for retirement homes? What is the criteria for getting in?
3. Will the home tell you how long is the waiting list?
4. Can the CACC decide for you which retirement home or can you choose yourself?

Personal Care at home

1. If my father can't bath himself, can I just call community care and ask for someone?

Geriatric assessments

What are these and are they helpful to decide what our elderly parents may need? My parents are rather proud and won't admit they're old and need added attention

Life Lease

This is really expensive; I checked out Monsheong and Yeehong and 1 bedrooms go for $170,000 up!

I know this is a long list of questions, but don't know who else to ask, so please help!

Thanks.

[CSK'sMom]

Nursing Home

1. So is a nursing home the same as long term care?

Yes

2. How do I get my parents on the waiting list for a nursing home, I can't predict when they will get sick or require care

Generally speaking, you can't just phone up and ask to be put on the waiting list if they do not presently require that level of care...


3. Will they have to use up all their savings first before they get a subsidy? Or is it their income ($300 interest income each per year) that they look at?

The way it worked with my hubby's grandmother was that she was required to pay until her assets hit a certain level. Then the subsidy kicked in. I don't know if that is the norm or not.


4. Do they separate the men from the women in a nursing home? If my parents are not well, they would still like to be with each other

Not all nursing homes have "partner rooms". In fact, they can be very hard to come by. Retirement homes are a different story though, they are much more common in that setting.

Retirement Home

1. What is subsidised housing if it is not retirement homes?

I think you are confusing low-income housing through the province (several year waiting list) and retirement homes. Retirement homes can and do vary in their level of services. Some offer "assisted living" which is nothing more than renting an apartment and opting in for services that are needed. These services would be things like laundry service, meal plans, housecleaning, nursing care, etc. Many retirement homes have a nursing home unit where a resident can be moved if the need arises short term, say after a surgery when the need is not deemed to be permanent.

2. Is there a waiting list for retirement homes? What is the criteria for getting in?

Some retirement homes do have waiting lists, others don't. Most don't have any real criteria other than being able to pay the bill. ;)

3. Will the home tell you how long is the waiting list?

Absolutely.

4. Can the CACC decide for you which retirement home or can you choose yourself?

CACC generally doesn't deal with retirement homes, they deal with nursing homes.

Personal Care at home

1. If my father can't bath himself, can I just call community care and ask for someone?

You can try but generally you would need a referral from his doctor. I know when my FIL had his knee replacement his family doctor set up an assessment with CACC. They came in and did a thorough assessment of the house and gave a list of things that should be done because of their age. Things like bathroom grab bars, etc. It was after this assessment that CACC arranged for the nurse for bandage changes, in home physio, etc.

Geriatric assessments

What are these and are they helpful to decide what our elderly parents may need? My parents are rather proud and won't admit they're old and need added attention

This is where you step in. Arrange for these things (doctor's referral and CACC appt.) and make sure you are there when the assessments are being done. Be brutally honest when your parents are not being honest.

Life Lease

This is really expensive; I checked out Monsheong and Yeehong and 1 bedrooms go for $170,000 up!

Life leases can be a good thing but one must do the research. We seriously looked into that as an option for hubby's parents but there is no way FIL wants to go into an apartment even though their house is getting too big for them to look after without help.

I know this is a long list of questions, but don't know who else to ask, so please help!

Thanks.

[HeatSeeker]

Thanks for clarifying.

Nursing Home

1. So is a nursing home the same as long term care?
2. How do I get my parents on the waiting list for a nursing home, I can't predict when they will get sick or require care
3. Will they have to use up all their savings first before they get a subsidy? Or is it their income ($300 interest income each per year) that they look at?
4. Do they separate the men from the women in a nursing home? If my parents are not well, they would still like to be with each other

Retirement Home

1. What is subsidised housing if it is not retirement homes?
2. Is there a waiting list for retirement homes? What is the criteria for getting in?
3. Will the home tell you how long is the waiting list?
4. Can the CACC decide for you which retirement home or can you choose yourself?

Personal Care at home

1. If my father can't bath himself, can I just call community care and ask for someone?

Geriatric assessments

What are these and are they helpful to decide what our elderly parents may need? My parents are rather proud and won't admit they're old and need added attention

Life Lease

This is really expensive; I checked out Monsheong and Yeehong and 1 bedrooms go for $170,000 up!

I know this is a long list of questions, but don't know who else to ask, so please help!

Thanks.

If you contact community care in your city you can get all the answers to those questions. I believe I've already answered most of the questions in regards to nursing homes. Please reread my post above. Your parents will qualify for a subsidy only if their income is lower than the cost that the nursing home charges. It does NOT matter how many assets they have. They can have a million dollars in the bank, but that is never taken into account. The only thing the nursing homes wants to see is their last income statment to see what their income is. That's it. they don't ask about anything else. They'll be able to stay together if the nursing home has the available space. If you are serious about getting your parents in a nursing home you had better start immediatly as there are long waiting lists, especially if you are particular in your choice of residency. Your parents will have to be ready to go otherwise they will not consider them. Your parents should be accepted as candidates as long as they have difficulty maintaining their independence and require assistance doing daily chores such as cooking, washing, bathing, cleaning, etc.

If your parents are still well enough to live on their own then the retirement home is probably what they want but keep in mind that these are not subsidized and are rather expensive. All retirement homes are different so its best to go and check each one out for yourself. If you call ahead, the retirement home will more than likely give you a tour of the facilities. The better ones will probably have a waiting list. You can probably get a list of the retirement homes in your community by calling Community Care.