To a great extent, in most cases, the retirement residence will dictate this as most will have fairly well defined criteria regarding the level of care that can be accommodated. In some residences however, additional services may be purchased which may allow your loved one to age in place, perhaps delaying the move to a long-term care home.

When one person of a couple requires long-term care placement and the other does not, the couple has the option of living together in a long-term care home, despite the fact that one of the two may not qualify. This is often the preferred way to go since the couple can remain together and the healthier of the two can help support his or her spouse.