Retirement Home Options
When it comes to choosing a retirement home in Ontario, there are several key attributes that you should consider. Independent or Assisted living facilities offer a range of services and amenities designed to provide comfort, convenience, and support for seniors.
To begin with, it’s important to understand a confusing aspect of what is known as a retirement home. In Ontario, a “facility” is classified as a retirement home, retirement residence, or retirement community if it has residents who are 65 years of age or older and living under the same roof. In addition, a retirement home must obtain a license to operate if it provides two or more care and/or services.
Independent Living Retirement Home
Let’s break this down a bit further. Based on the definition above, a retirement home can be a place for seniors who are completely independent and do not require any personal assistance or care. These types of retirement homes would resemble apartment buildings designed strictly for seniors. However, once two or more services are provided, the home must be licensed. Most entry-level retirement homes targeting independent seniors offer both meals or a meal plan and some housekeeping services. These are commonly referred to as “basic services.”
Someone who is fully independent and has good physical mobility and mental cognition might be attracted to a place like this to call their new home, should they prefer not to deal with the everyday inconveniences of living. For example, they would not need to go shopping or to the grocery store, prepare their own meals, wash their own laundry, vacuum and dust, or maintain their place. No more cutting grass or shoveling snow. All those basic chores are no longer one’s responsibility when moving into a retirement home geared towards independent living.
Assisted Living and Supportive Living Retirement Home
Assisted living retirement home communities offer all the basic services mentioned above and provide additional personal support services. Supportive services can include anything related to personal health, assistance with ordering and/or taking medications, and support for any mobility constraints. It can also mean assistance with memory and cognitive impairments.
Tower of Port Hope offers a setting for both types of individuals. Approximately half of our community at Tower of Port Hope consists of individuals who are able-bodied and independent and have joined us for the convenience of daily living. The other half of our residents have come to us because they require some level of personal support services and assistance with daily living activities (ADLs).
ADL Assistance
ADL stands for “Activities of Daily Living,” and ADL assistance refers to the help or support provided to individuals who have difficulty or limitations in performing essential self-care tasks necessary for everyday life. These activities are categorized into two main groups: basic ADLs and instrumental ADLs.
Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADLs):
- Personal Hygiene: Tasks such as bathing or showering, brushing teeth, grooming (combing hair, shaving), and washing hands.
- Dressing: Putting on and taking off clothing, as well as fastening buttons, zippers, and snaps.
- Eating: The ability to feed oneself, which may involve using utensils, drinking from a cup or glass, and managing food on a plate.
- Toileting: The capability to use the toilet for bowel and bladder functions, including transferring on and off the toilet, cleaning oneself, and managing personal hygiene related to toileting.
- Mobility: Moving from one place to another, such as getting in and out of bed, walking, and maintaining balance while standing.
Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs):
- Cooking: Preparing meals, including planning, shopping for groceries, and using kitchen appliances.
- Housekeeping: Maintaining a clean and organized living environment, which includes cleaning, doing laundry, and managing household chores.
- Managing Medications: Keeping track of and taking prescribed medications as directed by healthcare professionals.
- Managing Finances: Handling personal financial matters, including budgeting, paying bills, and managing money.
- Using Communication Devices: Operating phones, computers, or other devices for communication and accessing information.
ADL assistance may be necessary for individuals with physical disabilities, cognitive impairments, chronic illnesses, or age-related limitations. This assistance can be provided by family members, caregivers, healthcare professionals, or, in some cases, through assistive devices or modifications to the living environment.
The goal of ADL assistance is to help individuals maintain their independence and quality of life by ensuring they can perform these essential tasks to the best of their ability, given their unique circumstances. It is a crucial aspect of healthcare and caregiving, especially for those with disabilities or health conditions that affect their ability to perform ADLs independently.
