A Guide to Retirement Care & Senior Living in Kawartha Lakes
Situated 90 minutes away from Toronto, the charming city of Kawartha Lakes offers seniors looking to retire a fulfilling retirement with a high quality of life and an active lifestyle. The city is best known for its 250 lakes and rivers and is often considered a summer-resort center for many seeking to leave the city centre. With a variety of parks, lakes, heritage buildings, museums, and outdoor spaces, Kawartha offers a variety of seasonal activities to partake in. If retiring in Kawartha Lakes sounds like the right fit for you, Cared Upon is here to guide you through your options for retirement communities in the city.
Lifestyle & Activities
Older adults in Kawartha Lakes can take part in a wide range of recreational and leisure activities to keep an active retirement lifestyle. As the city is home to 250 different lakes, seniors can find themselves spending their days fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and picnicking near the surrounding outdoor spaces. Kawartha Lakes also boasts a variety of historic sites, museums, theatres, and art galleries for residents to visit and view a variety of art collections and talented performers the city has to offer. Residents can also find a variety of farmers' markets, such as Lindsay Farmers’ Market and the Balsam Lake Provincial Park Farmers’ Market, to explore and find locally grown fruits, vegetables, and even baked goods.
Weather and Climate
Kawartha Lakes is known to have a humid continental climate, with warm summers and freezing, snowy winters. Winter temperatures are likely to average around -15°C to -3°C (5-26.6°F). During the summertime, the average temperature sits at around 25°C (77°F).
Housing Options in Kawartha Lakes: Finding the Right Fit for You
You may find that as you age, your home care and retirement needs will change. From assisted living to adult lifestyle communities, Ontario offers seniors a range of housing options to fit their lifestyle and health needs. Although the location of your retirement community in Ontario will directly affect the cost, you can typically expect the cost of assisted living to start at $2000-$3000 per month.
Although a large portion of retirement housing is privately owned and paid for, the government allows you to claim the costs of nursing homes or long-term care facilities through the Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC). Depending on the type of care you require and the facility you choose to call home, you can choose to claim for the costs which will be determined by your personal income. To learn more about the Medical Expense Tax Credit, visit the GGFL website.
Cost of Retiring in Kawartha Lakes: Budgeting and Financing
In terms of retirement budgeting, you’ll find that the cost of retiring in Ontario will vary depending on the city you choose to settle down in. For example, as Toronto is one of the most vibrant and liveable cities in all of Canada, you may find that the cost of living is higher than the national average. However, seniors living on a low to moderately low income wishing to retire in Ontario may be eligible for various income support programs.
Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB): The Ontario Trillium Benefit is a program that provides eligible seniors with payment from a combination of the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit, Northern Ontario Energy Credit, and the Ontario Sales Tax Credit.
Government Funding
Seniors residing in Ontario may also access several federally provided financial resources to help them prepare and pay for their retirement. If eligible, you may access funding through federal programs such as the Canadian Pension Plan Retirement Pension (CPP), Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS), and the Old Age Security Pension (OAS). For more information on Government contributions and your eligibility, visit our care blog.
Post-Retirement Income Sources
For seniors not eligible or looking for government funding, there are several different ways they can look to fund their retirement.
Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSAs): Using a Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) or a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSAs) you may save up for your post-retirement income, which will be dependent on the amount put into these accounts when you first began saving and the interest you received.
Investment accounts: Taxable investment accounts, such as stocks and bonds, is a more common form of saving up for a post-retirement income source.
Employer-sponsored pension plans: You may be eligible for an employer-sponsored pension plan through your employer. This plan involves your and your employer contributing money towards your retirement over the course of your employment.
To learn more about your post-retirement income source options, visit our resource centre.
Access to Healthcare
All residents of Ontario must sign up with the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) to receive free health care and health services. As health care is publicly funded, under OHIP residents are entitled to coverage on health services such as visits to your doctor, hospital stays, medical surgeries, dental surgeries, ambulance services, eligible optometry services, and even travel for health-related services. While these are the standard services covered under OHIP, seniors 65 and up receive extended coverage on optometry services and prescription medication. You can find information on extended prescription medication coverage through the Ontario Drug Benefit program (ODB) on the Ontario Ministry of Health website.
Additional Resources
For further information, you can visit and/or contact these sources:
Ontario Senior Living Guide: A comprehensive guide to all things senior living and program-related in Ontario.
Telehealth Ontario: Call 1-866-797-0000 Toll-free to get access to a confidential health information line.