How the Retirement Living Availability Registry Helps Families Find Care Faster
Elderado – October 26, 2025
When a loved one suddenly needs care, families can find themselves in a race against time. A hospital discharge, a sudden change in health, or a fall can create an urgent need for safe, appropriate care. In these moments, families are forced to make big decisions fast – and the search for a retirement home can feel overwhelming.
For years, families have had to call home after home, repeat the same questions, and often get the same answer: “Sorry, we don’t have space right now.”
That’s why Elderado created the Retirement Living Availability Registry (RLAR). It’s a free, online tool designed to make the search for retirement home availability faster, easier, and less stressful.
Why This Matters in a Crisis
When someone can no longer live safely at home, or needs a place to recover after a hospital stay, families have to make decisions quickly. But the traditional process is exhausting:
- Calling multiple homes to ask if they have space.
- Waiting for callbacks.
- Not knowing what’s available or what it costs.
- Having to make a rushed choice without all the information.
The RLAR removes a lot of this burden by showing families, in one place, which homes currently have space in:
- Independent Living
- Assisted Living
- Memory Care
- Respite Care
This gives families a clear starting point instead of starting from scratch.
What Families Can See on the Registry
Each listing on the RLAR includes practical details to help families make informed decisions:
- Level of care: Is there availability in independent living, assisted living, memory care, or respite care
- Starting price: So you can narrow your search to what fits your budget.
- Phone number: To contact the home directly.
- Link to the home’s company page, which includes:
- Photos of the residence
- A video tour
- A written description of the home and services offered
- A sample menu and activity calendar
- Inspection reports
Instead of spending hours calling homes one by one, families can see the most important information right away.
How to Use the RLAR Step by Step
- Visit the RLAR online
Go to www.elderado.ca/availability-registry. - Search for homes with space
You’ll see a list of retirement homes with current availability, organized by care type and location. - Review the listings
Check the starting prices, look at photos, read descriptions, and view the activity calendar to understand what daily life might look like in each home. - Contact the homes directly
Once you’ve found homes that fit your needs and budget, use the phone number or contact button to reach out. - Make a confident decision
With clear, up-to-date information in front of you, you can choose a home without the stress of endless phone calls or guesswork.
How This Helps Families in Real Life
Imagine your parent is in the hospital and can’t safely return home. You’ve been told you need to find a retirement home within a few days.
Instead of calling 20 homes to ask about vacancies, you visit the RLAR. In just a few minutes, you can see which homes have suites available, what kind of care they offer, and whether they’re in your budget. From there, you can call the top choices, ask questions, and book tours or move-in assessments.
This process gives families back valuable time — and a greater sense of control during a stressful moment.
The Growing Long-Term Care Waitlist and Why It Matters
It’s important to understand the bigger picture of care in Ontario. Many families have heard the challenges to be admitted into a long-term care home.
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There are over 48,000 people waiting for long-term care in Ontario.
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This wait-list has doubled over the past 10 years.
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Because of this wait-list, hospitals, families, and social workers are under pressure.
What this means for families in crisis: Relying on long-term care alone may mean longer waits, fewer choices, and more uncertainty. The RLAR offers an alternate path — a way to explore retirement homes that are ready now, helping you bypass some of the long delays.
A Simpler Way to Find Care
Finding the right retirement home shouldn’t feel like a crisis. The Retirement Living Availability Registry gives families a clear, fast, and practical way to find real options when it matters most.