Provincial guide · Ontario

Planning for more care

Ontario splits responsibilities by setting. Home and community care flows through Ontario Health atHome. Licensed retirement homes fall under RHRA and the Retirement Homes Act. Long-term care homes are regulated by MLTC under the Long-Term Care Homes Act.

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Ontario at a glance

Where to start

Ontario Health atHome for publicly funded home care and LTC application assessments

Local care system: Ontario Health atHome, RHRA retirement homes, MLTC long-term care
Self-referral: Yes. Anyone can request an atHome assessment by phone or online referral
Who can request help: The person, family, doctor, hospital discharge planner, or other helper
Main contact: Ontario Health atHome: 1-833-515-1234
Assessment: Care coordinators assess clinical need, safety, and informal support before approving services or LTC steps

Approved hours and waitlists vary by region and setting. Confirm on official Ontario pages.

What kind of help are you exploring?

Select everything that sounds relevant. Ontario routes care differently depending on setting: home and community care through Ontario Health atHome, retirement homes under the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA), and long-term care homes under the Ministry of Long-Term Care (MLTC). This tool offers orientation only; it does not determine eligibility or submit referrals.

Help with meals, bathing, dressing, or medicationDay-to-day personal care or reminders that may be hard to manage alone or with current help at home.
Support following an illness or hospital stayRecovery, therapy, or short-term help after a hospital discharge or serious illness.
Supervision because of memory loss or confusionWandering risk, forgetting meals or medication, or needing watchful support for dementia or cognitive change.
A safer living setting with some independenceMore support than at home, but not necessarily 24-hour nursing, for example when stairs, isolation, or falls are a concern.
Nursing care available throughout the day and nightOngoing skilled nursing, complex medical needs, or care that cannot be met safely with periodic visits.
Relief or respite for a family caregiverA break for an unpaid family member or friend who provides most of the day-to-day support.
Help because the current arrangement is no longer safeThe person cannot be supported safely where they live now, even with more home help.
An immediate abuse, neglect, wandering, or safety concernUrgent harm, suspected abuse or neglect, unsafe wandering, or a situation that feels dangerous right now.

Your selections help orient planning. A care coordinator assessment through Ontario Health atHome determines which publicly funded services or long-term care placement steps may apply.

Suggested next actions in Ontario

Choose one starting point based on your situation. Each action links to official Ontario resources. MyEligible does not submit forms or schedule assessments.

Request a home care assessment

Purpose: Start Ontario Health atHome intake for home care, post-hospital support, respite, or an LTC application assessment.
When to use: When daily tasks at home are difficult, after hospital discharge, when a family caregiver needs respite, or when beginning long-term care eligibility discussions.
What to have ready: Person's address and health card information, medication list, hospital discharge papers if recent, and contact details for family helpers.

Call Ontario Health atHome
Call 1-833-515-1234 to request a home and community care assessment, change services, or ask intake questions.
Call Ontario Health atHome
Link verified 2026-08-03

More official sources (1)

Request a home-care assessment
Submit an online referral to Ontario Health atHome to start or update a home care assessment.
Request a home-care assessment
Link verified 2026-08-03

Open the Ontario caregiver guide

Learn about retirement homes and RHRA

Purpose: Understand RHRA licensing, mandatory harm reporting, and how retirement homes differ from long-term care.
When to use: When exploring a safer setting with meals and care packages but not necessarily 24-hour nursing.
What to have ready: Questions about licence status, care tiers, fees, and what happens if care needs increase.

RHRA: reporting harm
Who must report, what counts as harm, and how reports are handled under the Retirement Homes Act, 2010.
RHRA: reporting harm
Link verified 2026-08-03

More official sources (2)

RHRA mandatory report form
Online portal for mandatory reports about licensed Ontario retirement homes.
RHRA mandatory report form
Link verified 2026-08-03
RHRA: 1-855-275-7472
Phone line for retirement home harm reports and licensing questions.
RHRA: 1-855-275-7472
Link verified 2026-08-03

Urgent concern in long-term care

Purpose: Reach MLTC for urgent care and safety concerns in a licensed long-term care home.
When to use: When someone is in a licensed LTC home and there is an urgent care, safety, or rights concern. Call 911 first if immediate danger.
What to have ready: Home name, room number if known, description of the concern, and whether 911 was already contacted.

MLTC Action Line: 1-866-434-0144
Urgent concerns about care and safety in Ontario long-term care homes.
MLTC Action Line: 1-866-434-0144
Link verified 2026-08-03

More official sources (1)

Ontario LTC complaint process
Formal complaint steps for licensed long-term care homes under MLTC.
Ontario LTC complaint process
Link verified 2026-08-03

Review seniors benefits and tax credits

Purpose: Explore federal and provincial benefits that may offset care costs (orientation only, not eligibility determination).
When to use: When planning finances alongside care options, especially for private-pay retirement home costs or caregiver expenses.
What to have ready: Approximate income range, province of residence, and whether the person is 65+ or receiving OAS/GIS.

Explore seniors benefits

A five-step planning journey in Ontario

Start with the step that matches your situation. Open a step for details and official sources.

- List daily tasks that are becoming difficult: meals, bathing, medication, mobility, and supervision.
- Note whether needs are stable, increasing, or tied to a recent hospital stay.
- If there is immediate danger, call 911 before planning longer-term options.
- Ontario.ca: information about elder abuse
  Government overview of elder abuse types, warning signs, and when to call police or other supports.
  Ontario.ca: information about elder abuse
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- Seniors Safety Line (Ontario)
  Free, confidential 24/7 line for seniors experiencing or at risk of abuse, with referrals in many languages.
  Seniors Safety Line (Ontario)
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- Ontario Health atHome coordinates public home and community care (nursing, personal support, therapy, and equipment). A care coordinator assesses daily needs to determine what visiting support may be available.
  Call Ontario Health atHome Request a home-care assessment
  What happens next: After you contact atHome, a care coordinator may ask about daily activities, mobility, safety, medications, and help already available at home.
- Retirement homes are private-pay RHRA-licensed settings. Verify licence and contract terms before signing.
- Long-term care (MLTC-licensed) is for 24-hour nursing needs, with a separate waitlist and licensing process.
- Progression is not always linear; some families combine home care with a retirement home.
- Have a list of current medications, recent hospitalizations, and existing helpers (family, friends, paid workers).
- Anyone can request an Ontario Health atHome assessment by phone or online referral. The person does not need to initiate alone.
  Call Ontario Health atHome Request a home-care assessment
  What happens next: A care coordinator may schedule an assessment and discuss home care, respite, equipment, or long-term care application steps.
- For LTC: care coordinators assess whether LTC is the appropriate setting. This does not guarantee placement timing.
- Bring questions about dementia care, respite, and equipment to the assessment conversation.
- Public home care nursing and therapy are funded when approved; personal support hours are not unlimited.
- Retirement homes are mostly private pay. Review all fees in the contract before signing.
- LTC residents pay a provincial copayment for room and board; nursing care in LTC is publicly funded.
- Federal and provincial tax credits for seniors and caregivers may apply. See MyEligible seniors benefits guide for orientation.
- Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (Ontario)
  Information on capacity, guardianship, and financial exploitation investigations.
  Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (Ontario)
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- Home care services begin after assessment and approval, not automatically on referral.
- LTC placement uses a provincial waitlist; priority rules apply. Retirement home admission does not replace this.
- Hospital discharge planners may coordinate short-term rehab. Confirm what happens when short-term care ends.
- Quality or access concerns in publicly funded home care may involve the Patient Ombudsman.
- Request a home-care assessment
  Submit an online referral to Ontario Health atHome to start or update a home care assessment.
  Request a home-care assessment
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- Patient Ombudsman
  Independent office for unresolved Ontario health care experience complaints.
  Patient Ombudsman
  Link verified 2026-08-03
- Ontario LTC complaint process
  Formal complaint steps for licensed long-term care homes under MLTC.
  Ontario LTC complaint process
  Link verified 2026-08-03

Ontario care settings, a continuum, not a ladder

Ontario uses different regulators and funding models for home care, retirement homes, and long-term care. People may move between settings, stay at home with more support, or need a different path than the one they expected. Progression is not always linear. Some people add home care and never move; others transfer from a retirement home to LTC; hospital discharge may start with short-term rehab at home. Compare licensing, costs, and who assesses before choosing a direction.

Who it may suit: People who can stay at home with visiting support, short-term post-hospital recovery, or periodic nursing and therapy.
Typical services: Personal support, nursing visits, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, equipment, and links to community programs.
Funding: Nursing and therapy are publicly funded when approved; personal support hours depend on assessed need and regional capacity.
Who assesses: Ontario Health atHome care coordinators assess eligibility and coordinate services.
How to start: Call 1-833-515-1234 or submit an online referral. Anyone can request an assessment for an Ontario resident.
Common misunderstanding: Home care is not unlimited, approved hours reflect clinical need and may change over time.

Call Ontario Health atHome
Call 1-833-515-1234 to request a home and community care assessment, change services, or ask intake questions.
Call Ontario Health atHome
Link verified 2026-08-03
Request a home-care assessment
Submit an online referral to Ontario Health atHome to start or update a home care assessment.
Request a home-care assessment
Link verified 2026-08-03

Compare Ontario settings at a glance

Use this table for orientation only. Confirm licensing, fees, and assessment steps on official pages before making decisions.

Setting	Support level	Nursing	Funding	Assessment	Best contact	Official starting point
Home and community care	Visiting nursing, therapy, and personal support based on assessed need	Periodic nursing visits when clinically required, not 24-hour onsite nursing	Publicly funded services when approved; hours vary by need and region	Yes. Ontario Health atHome assessment required	Ontario Health atHome: 1-833-515-1234 or online referral	Official starting point
Retirement home (RHRA-licensed)	Housing with meals and tiered care packages; varies by home	Some nursing support through home packages, not the same as LTC nursing mandate	Primarily private pay; some public home care may supplement when assessed	Home care: yes via atHome; retirement home: home's own intake	RHRA for licensing and mandatory harm reporting: 1-855-275-7472	Official starting point
Long-term care home (MLTC)	24-hour nursing and personal care in a licensed LTC home	24-hour onsite nursing and supervision	Nursing publicly funded; monthly room and board copayment applies	Yes, care coordinator LTC eligibility assessment required	MLTC Action Line for urgent LTC concerns: 1-866-434-0144	Official starting point
Safety and quality concerns	Reporting paths depend on the setting, not one universal hotline	Urgent medical needs: 911; setting-specific lines for licensed homes	N/A, reporting is separate from funding applications	N/A, use the path that matches the regulated setting	911 if immediate danger; Seniors Safety Line 1-866-299-1011 for elder abuse information	Official starting point

Support level: Visiting nursing, therapy, and personal support based on assessed need
Nursing: Periodic nursing visits when clinically required, not 24-hour onsite nursing
Funding: Publicly funded services when approved; hours vary by need and region
Assessment: Yes. Ontario Health atHome assessment required
Best contact: Ontario Health atHome: 1-833-515-1234 or online referral

Call Ontario Health atHome
Call 1-833-515-1234 to request a home and community care assessment, change services, or ask intake questions.
Call Ontario Health atHome
Link verified 2026-08-03
Request a home-care assessment
Submit an online referral to Ontario Health atHome to start or update a home care assessment.
Request a home-care assessment
Link verified 2026-08-03

Official sources

These pages are maintained by government agencies and regulators. MyEligible mirrors links for navigation only.

Ontario Health atHome
Home and community care intake, assessments, and service coordination.
Authority:
Ontario Health atHome
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Ontario Health atHome: making a referral
Online referral to request a home care assessment.
Authority:
Ontario Health atHome
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Ontario long-term care home complaint process
Complaint process for licensed long-term care homes.
Authority:
Ministry of Long-Term Care (Ontario)
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Legislation: Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 (Ontario)
RHRA: reporting harm in retirement homes
Mandatory and voluntary harm reporting for licensed retirement homes.
Authority:
Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA)
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Legislation: Retirement Homes Act, 2010 (Ontario)
RHRA mandatory report portal
Online mandatory harm report portal for retirement homes.
Authority:
Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA)
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Patient Ombudsman (Ontario)
Unresolved complaints about Ontario health care experiences.
Authority:
Patient Ombudsman (Ontario)
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (Ontario)
Capacity, guardianship, and financial exploitation information.
Authority:
Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (Ontario)
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page
Ontario Attorney General: powers of attorney information
Powers of attorney information for property and personal care.
Authority:
Ontario Attorney General
Province:
Ontario
Last verified:
2026-08-03
External official page

This guide helps you prepare and find the correct official pathway. It does not assess eligibility, make placement decisions, or replace advice from a health authority or care coordinator.

This is not an eligibility test

Last reviewed: August 2026

Ontario at a glance

What kind of help are you exploring?

Suggested next actions in Ontario

Request a home care assessment

Call Ontario Health atHome

Request a home-care assessment

Learn about retirement homes and RHRA

RHRA: reporting harm

RHRA mandatory report form

RHRA: 1-855-275-7472

Urgent concern in long-term care

MLTC Action Line: 1-866-434-0144

Ontario LTC complaint process

Review seniors benefits and tax credits

A five-step planning journey in Ontario

Ontario.ca: information about elder abuse

Seniors Safety Line (Ontario)

Ontario care settings, a continuum, not a ladder

Call Ontario Health atHome

Request a home-care assessment

Compare Ontario settings at a glance

Call Ontario Health atHome

Request a home-care assessment

Official sources