Choosing a long-term care home: questions to ask

Questions the public record can help answer

• What has the home been cited for, and how recently?
• Were the findings written notifications, or the more serious compliance orders?
• Were any fines issued?
• How do the home’s findings and fines per bed compare with the Ontario average? Each home page shows both beside the provincial figure.
• Where a home was cited, did follow-up inspections show it corrected the issue?

Questions only a visit can answer

Ontario publishes an official checklist for visiting a home. These prompts draw on it:

• Is the home clean, well-maintained, and odour-free?
• Are there enough staff to help residents without rushing them?
• Do staff treat residents with warmth, courtesy, and respect?
• Do meals look appetizing, and is there a varied activity calendar?
• How does the home handle a family’s concerns or complaints?

Practical questions about the home

• How many beds, and what room types are available?
• How long is the waiting list?
• Is the home for-profit, non-profit, or municipal?
• Is it accredited? Does it offer French-language or other services your family needs?

The public record is one input among several. An inspection finding records a moment in time and does not, on its own, describe the care a resident will receive today. We do not rank homes or tell you which to choose. These questions are prompts, not recommendations.