What are levels of care?
Levels of care are the tiers of residential support that retirement homes offer, ranging from independent living to assisted and enhanced care, each bundling specific services and staffing ratios to match resident needs.
Retirement homes in the London, Ontario market typically structure their offerings across three main levels of care. Independent living is the lightest tier, suited to residents who maintain their own daily activities but want access to community amenities, dining, and social programs. Assisted care steps up to include help with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, and medication management, with staff available during set hours or on call. Enhanced or complex care (sometimes called long-term care) provides 24-hour nursing support, wound care, specialized therapies, and management of advanced medical conditions for residents with significant health needs.
Understanding levels of care matters because each tier carries different staffing costs, facility infrastructure, and service bundles that directly affect pricing. When you browse retirement homes in London, the level of care a home offers defines both what residents pay and what support they receive. A facility may offer one, two, or all three levels, or residents may move through levels as their health changes. The tiered model allows operators to serve a wider population while matching care intensity to individual circumstances, and it helps prospective residents and families align expectations with actual service delivery before making a decision.