On January 17 and 18, Chartwell hosted a National Open House event – and I crashed it!

Friday

I set out to hit as many Chartwell retirement homes as I could. Along the way I made a video at each home I toured to give you a peek inside, and tell you more about retirement living.

My planned route on Friday started at Chartwell Wynfield in North Oshawa. From there I'd head east to Chartwell Bowmanville Creek in Bowmanville, before working my way back west. I'd hit Chartwell Colonial, Chartwell Harwood, and finish my day off at Chartwell Pickering City Centre. It was an ambitious plan – I'd never toured more than 2 retirement homes in a day, but I figured I could manage.

Chartwell Wynfield – Options to check out a retirement home

A bit about Chartwell Wynfield in Oshawa

• Independent living and assisted living
• Suites start from $4,040/month (at the time of writing)
• Studios, one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den, and two-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a bistro, library, and covered patio

At Chartwell Wynfield I talked about the different ways you can check out a retirement home.

If you want to have a look around inside you can:

• check out an open house, like the one I'm at
• schedule a tour (and if you go on a tour, most homes will offer you lunch so you can try the food – which I highly suggest doing)

Or if you want to get a feel for retirement homes without visiting each one you can:

• use Elderado to review and compare every retirement home
• likely find people from local retirement homes at 55+ events in your neighbourhood
• visit to each retirement home website

Chartwell Bowmanville Creek – 3 things to lookout for on a retirement home tour

A bit about Chartwell Bowmanville Creek in Bowmanville.

• Independent living
• Suites start at $4,521/month (at the time of writing)
• Studios, one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den, and two-bedroom suites
• Amenities include an indoor pool, indoor putting green, demonstration kitchen, and cafe

At Chartwell Bowmanville Creek I shared 3 things to keep an eye out for when you're looking at retirement homes:

1. Do staff acknowledge residents? Homes where staff acknowledge the residents when they pass in hallways tend to have a warmer feel and higher resident satisfaction. And bonus points if staff acknowledge residents by name.
2. Are there spaces outside your room where you can see yourself spending time? A lot of residents are downsizing, the transition to a smaller living area is a lot smoother if there's other places in the retirement home where you're comfortable.
3. Are activity calendars and menus posted throughout the home up to date? It's not the end of the world if they're not, but it can be a sign the home lets the details fall through the cracks.

And don't forget to trust your gut. This is your home, if it doesn't feel right, keep looking – you can always circle back.

Chartwell Colonial – What is the RHRA?

A bit about Chartwell Colonial in Whitby

• Independent living
• Suites start at $3,021/month (at the time of writing)
• Studio, and one-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a movie theatre, bistro, country kitchen, and renovated patio

At Chartwell Colonial I explained what the Retirement Home Regulatory Authority, or RHRA, is.

• The RHRAs responsible for licensing and inspecting retirement homes in Ontario
• If you have a complaint or need to report harm, the RHRAs there to help.
• RHRA inspection reports are public and free to view.
• There are some retirement communities that look like but are NOT retirement homes, and those residents aren't protected by the RHRAs safeguards.
• You'll know a retirement home's licensed because their RHRA licence will be on display, usually near the front door.
• At Elderado we only include licensed retirement homes, as well as long-term care homes.
• You may have virtually no contact with the RHRA, but it's good to know they're there if you need them.

Chartwell Harwood – How much does it cost to live in a retirement home?

Some information about Chartwell Harwood in Ajax.

• Independent living
• Suites starting from $4,226/month (at the time of writing)
• Studios, one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den, and two-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a library, fitness room, pub & lounge, and courtsey van

At Chartwell Harwood I tackled one of the most popular topics when it comes to retirement living – PRICE!

• Not all retirement home prices are created equal.
• Some homes have a la carte pricing, while others are all inclusive.
• Typically, as your care needs increase, so does the price.
• You may be able to offset some of these costs if you qualify for free home care from Ontario Health atHome, but that's likely not going to be enough – whether you're in a retirement home or private residence.

I want to give props to Chartwell for including prices on their website. Only about 1/3 of retirement homes do this. I think public price transparency should be required across the board.

Chartwell Pickering – What's in the local area?

Here's some info about Chartwell Pickering City Centre in Pickering.

• Independent living
• Suites starting from $4,227/month (at the time of writing)
• One-bedroom and two-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a games room, fitness studio, movie theatre, and library

Saturday

On Saturday I started at Chartwell Barton in Newmarket, and worked my way south to Chartwell Park Place in Aurora.

Chartwell Barton – Long-term care vs. Retirement homes

A bit about Chartwell Barton in Newmarket.

• Independent living
• Suites start at $3,288/month (at the time of writing)
• Studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a library, fitness studio, activities and games room, and a tranquil backyard.

At Chartwell Barton I went over the difference between long-term care and retirement homes.

• Long-term care is subsidized by the provincial government and typically cheaper, while retirement homes are private care and costs go up as care needs rise.
• Most long-term care has a sterile feeling, while some retirement homes can rival high end real estate.
• Long-term care has long waitlists, while retirement homes average less than 85% occupancy.

Alexander Muir – Are you in the same cohort as the other residents?

Chartwell Alexander Muir has since changed ownership, and it's now Venvi Alexander Muir Retirement Residence in Newmarket.

• Independent living
• Studio and one-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a lounge, theatre, billiards room, and patio

At Alexander Muir I talked about the importance of being in the same cohort as your fellow residents to get the most out of retirement living.

• Leigh and Lori from Discerning Seniors are big advocates of this, and they were the ones who brought it to my attention.
• If you're active or social, you'll probably have more fun with other active and social residents. If that's you, you should have a look at an activity calendar and the amenities. Find something you can see yourself doing if you moved in, and ask the salesperson if you can drop in and take part. I bet they say yes. I get it, this can be a little outside our comfort zone, but if you're serious about moving in, it's worth it to get an idea of the neighbours and amenities.

Chartwell Hollandview Trail – Do you know about the Residents Bill of Rights?

A bit about Chartwell Hollandview Trail in Aurora.

• Independent living and assisted living
• Suites starting from $5,450/month (at the time of writing)
• Studios, one-bedroom, one-bedroom plus den, and two-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a country kitchen, a variety of common areas, a grand piano, and movie theatre

At Chartwell Hollandview Trail I talked about the Residents Bill of Rights – it goes hand-in-hand with the RHRA. There's a few rights I think are worth highlighting:

• The right to apply for publicly funded care.
• The right receive care from an external care provider.
• The right to have his or her choice of care services provided by staff who are suitably qualified and trained.
• The right not to be restrained except in accordance with the law.
• The right to have his or her lifestyle and choices respected as long as nobody crosses a reasonable line.

Nothing crazy, but it's important to know your rights.

Chartwell Park Place – Questions to ask on a retirement home tour

A bit about Chartwell Park Place in Aurora.

• Independent living
• Suites start at $2,995/month (at the time of writing)
• Studio and one-bedroom suites
• Amenities include a library, movie room, lounge, and pub

At Chartwell Park Place I touched on having questions prepared when you tour a retirement home. It's easy to get caught up in the moment during a tour, so it helps to have questions prepared when you come in for a tour.

• Do I have quality of life questions? Medical concerns (both in the short term and long run)?

The more open you can be, the better the salesperson can help. Asking questions is gonna help you find the retirement home that's right for you.

Aspira Retirement Living hosted an open house event yesterday – I checked it out!

Before yesterday I hadn't spent a ton of time in Aspira retirement homes, so I was excited to find out they were hosting a National Open House event on February 22, 2025.

But Aspira, I do have to call out that it's got to be easier for people to know you have an open house going on. If you posted about it on your social media accounts I couldn't find it.

My original plan was to start at Aspira Douglas Crossing Retirement Living in Uxbridge, and then work my way south, but plans changed when I found out they're under outbreak. Instead I decided I would start at Aspira Empire Crossing Retirement Living in Port Hope, and then make my way west.

Aspira Empire Crossing Retirement Living in Port Hope

Aspira Empire Crossing retirement home in Port Hope, Ontario offers independent living. Suites start at $3,990/month.

A few notes from my tour:

• Pet friendly
• Every suite has a balcony or walk out
• Smaller, intimate home, with good sized suites
• Small, but engaging activity space
• About 10 year old building
• Independent living – need to be independent, or cognitively and physically able to ask for help

After a quick stop at McDonalds – for whaver reason my guilty pleasure on these big retirement home days, I was off to Aspira Traditions of Durham in Oshawa.

Aspira Traditions of Durham retirement home in Oshawa

Aspira Traditions of Durham offers independent living and assisted living. Studio suites in independent living start at $3,425/month.

A few notes from my tour:

• Big spacious dining room
• 2 seatings at meal times
• South facing suites on upper floors have a view of green space and Lake Ontario
• A lot of residents were actively engaged in open house activities
• Wide hallways so 2 people in wheelchairs can easily pass each other
• Spacious bathrooms compared to many retirement homes

April 1, 2023

On April 1, 2023, a 79 year-old resident died after being locked out of Traditions of Durham overnight. 3 ex-employees and the retirement home itself have been charged with criminal negligence causing death. This is an incredibly tragic event, and my thoughts are with the deceased and their loved ones.

I don't have any insights into this case beyond what has been widely reported in the news (for example CBC). But my understanding is that there have been widespread changes to the care and management teams. One of those new team members is Razeea Khan, Sales Advisor at Traditions of Durham. She joined less than a year ago. Razeea and I have crossed paths a dozen times at networking events. I would trust my loved one would be safe in a home where Razeea worked. You need to have a level of trust with any retirement home, long-term care home, or home care provider, and I'd have more trust knowing Razeea is there. Take that for what you will.

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My final stop would be Aspira Lynde Creek Gardens Retirement Living in Whitby.

Aspira Lynde Creek Gardens retirement home in Whitby

Aspira Lynde Creek Gardens offers independent living. Studio suites start at $2,985/month.

A few notes from my tour:

• Nestled in a private community, surrounded by life lease townhomes
• Coffee shops, grocery stores, and more within a 10-15 minute walk
• Recently renovated with a warm, open aesthetic when you walk in the front doors
• Backs onto a ravine with walking trails close by

Location, location, location

For me personally, there's a lot Aspira Lynde Creek Gardens has going for it. I love the location. If you drive, you could pick up your groceries, drop into the LCBO, grab a coffee, play pickleball, and walk some great trails whenever you want, AND only have to fill your gas tank 4 times a year. But the even bigger benefit of it is that for as long as I can walk, all that stuff is close enough that I can make a morning out of walking there. I like the idea of retiring somewhere peaceful, but having most of what I need within a long walk, and in that maner Aspira Lynde Creek Gardens delivers.

Next Open House Event

I don't know when the next big retirement home open house event will be, I'll keep my ear to the ground. But if you come across an open house for a retirement home in your area, check it out. It doesn't hurt to have an idea of what retirement living can look like – it might surprise you.