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Edmonton Retirement Homes & Communities

Find the best retirement homes and services in Edmonton

Edmonton is home to a variety of excellent senior care retirement homes, from Sherwood Park to Woodbend to St. Albert and all points in between. One million people now make their home in the city, Alberta’s second largest, and Canada’s fifth largest municipality. 

Types of senior care in Edmonton

As with the rest of Alberta, senior care available in Edmonton falls into several categories, as follows: independent living, supportive living, memory care, and long term care. Many retirement homes also offer short term stays like convalescent or post-operative care, and respite care stays that (as the name says) give caregivers a break. Here’s a look at the main care options and what they mean to you: 

Independent and supportive living

A number of Edmonton senior living communities, as listed above, offer a continuum of care, ranging from no care provided to round-the-clock nursing care, depending on clients’ needs. In independent senior living, people live on their own, surrounded by a community of their peers. People move into this, for the social aspect of retirement living. Monthly rental costs will include at least one meal a day and almost always, housekeeping. People love this, as they have a ready community of friends "just outside the door." 

As seen in senior care across the country, the distinction between independent and assisted living blurs a little more all the time. A senior can live in some independent living communities and hire in home care assistance as needed. In other instances, they may move into a home that offers supportive living, and people apply for government-supported assistance though Alberta Health Services. 

Long term care is also available in numerous Edmonton communities, of course. This type of care is available for people requiring round-the-clock care. These communities will necessarily be staffed by professional nursing care. Families whose loved one is declining due to dementia and have submitted their names to a waiting list for long term care, should read much more about memory care communities in Edmonton and area.

Senior living in Edmonton retirement communities

Many seniors in Edmonton become accustomed to being on their own, either as a couple or as singles. Some remain in the family home they purchased long ago, while others may move to a smaller place such as a condominium complex. This arrangement can be satisfactory in some respects, but the fact is that many people living around you are still working or are busy with younger families. In this situation, you don’t have enough in common with people around you, and people feel increasingly isolated. Friends and others your own age may pass or move away, and over time, you get used to a lifestyle that’s not always the best for you. 

When you move into a senior living community like those above, a new world opens up. You discover how easy it is to make and maintain new friendships. Like others before you, you discover "so many things to do every day." You pass on those tiresome daily annoyances to the retirement home staff and suddenly you feel more energy and enthusiasm for life. 

If you’re like a lot of people, you may not have realized what you were missing out on. You’ll be amazed how much fun it can be. You might even be surprised at what you can afford and what your kids think of your lifestyle. Molly moved into a retirement home and she admits, "everyone says I look so much better … I wasn’t doing so well when I came in here."  As with Molly, there are health benefits to moving into a community of peers where care is available round the clock. 

It amounts to much more than that, though. You benefit from having so many things available to do. Living on your own, you may get used to spending too much time in your own thoughts, and as some admit, it becomes depressing. As John says, “You might think that when you move into [an Edmonton seniors’ community] you won’t have enough to do. But here, something is going on all the time. [They arrange] trips to the theatre and local museums (like Fort Edmonton Park), or the mall (like West Edmonton Mall), I always enjoy the company.” 

Choosing an Edmonton retirement community

Discovering the right retirement home for you  or your loved one(s) is all about planning. It’s unfortunate that many people wait until a health crisis before they even undertake a search. Under duress, you don't think as clearly, of course. Whether you or your loved one(s) plans to live at home or is excited about moving into a retirement community, it is important to consider all your options.

How to Choose a Retirement Community from Comfort Life on Vimeo.

Ideally, Edmonton families undertake the search when they are clear headed and have the luxury of "just browsing." This way, you can start with a clear list of things you want. As you do, you can use some of the many resources from around our site to help you. Here’s a brief look at resources and tools we have to help you find the right Edmonton seniors’ community:

If you or your loved one is skeptical about making a change, you can check out our retirement home testimonials page to see how other people have learned how much they love having moved into a retirement community. Our caregiver stories hub includes several long form stories detailing people’s experiences providing care for their loved ones and the journey they have taken in searching for the right care near them.

• Use our retirement calculator to get an idea of what you’ll be able to afford in your retirement.
• Read reviews of communities in Edmonton to get our professional opinion of communities, along with reviews from family members and seniors who live in those communities.
• Tour communities with our retirement home checklist in hand. If you're touring several communities, download a few copies, to compare notes you gather on each Edmonton retirement home.
• Consider a short trial stay at communities, in order to get an inside look at the life of the community.
• Use our comparison engine to compare Edmonton retirement communities in terms care available, costs, and over 400 other data points.

Retirement home regulation in Edmonton

The Alberta Senior Citizen Housing Association (ASCHA) is the predominant organization that ensures Edmonton’s senior homes are safe and secure. ASCHA "supports members in creating and maintaining vibrant senior housing for Albertans." Since ASCHA membership is voluntary, it's a good idea to check to see if the retirement home you’re considering is an ASCHA member.

Another organization that ensures retirement communities remain safe for seniors is the province’s continuing care system, which shares information on home, supportive and facility living with the public. Some of the information provided by this body includes details on standards, licensing and accommodations for continuing care systems across the province.

Ultimately, the government of Alberta oversees retirement homes in the province. In May 2012 the province transferred many of the responsibilities and services from the Ministry of Seniors to the Ministry of Health, which is currently responsible for ensuring seniors live in comfortable and reasonable homes. The Ministry of Seniors has launched a number of campaigns against elder abuse and is also responsible for educating seniors about their rights.