The common signals are practical, not medical: leaving the stove on, missing or doubling medications, wearing the same clothes for days, unopened mail, weight loss, getting lost on familiar routes, wandering at night, or new resistance to bathing. There is also a signal on your side — if you are exhausted, anxious at every phone call, or arguing with your parent more than you used to, that counts. A free assessment can tell you where things actually stand.

Both are legitimate choices, and the right one depends on the family. What research consistently shows is that familiar surroundings reduce confusion, agitation, and anxiety in people living with dementia — the same kitchen, the same chair, the same view from the window all carry memory that a new room does not. A move also carries a real transition cost that can set someone back significantly. With enough support at home, including 24/7 care where needed, many families find they don't have to make the move at all.

Usually the late stage, when supervision has to be continuous and daily needs require hands-on help around the clock. But some families need overnight care much earlier — often in the middle stage, when wandering or sundowning makes nights unsafe. We scale hours up gradually rather than jumping straight to 24/7, and the RN reassessment tells you when it's time.

It depends on hours per week and the level of care — companionship-focused visits cost less than continuous care with nursing involvement. We give you a transparent, itemized quote after the free assessment, with no hidden fees. Some families are eligible for funded hours through Veterans Affairs Canada or Ontario Health at Home, and many use private insurance or long-term care insurance toward the cost. We'll tell you what applies to your situation.

Yes. Every caregiver is vetted, insured, bonded, police-checked, and trained specifically in dementia care — redirection, validation, sundowning management, communication techniques for different stages, and responding to behavioural change without escalation. Every plan is supervised by a registered nurse, and our co-founder Dr. Mark Reimer is a physician.

Yes. This matters more in dementia than in most services, because people often revert to their first language as the disease progresses — a parent who spoke English for decades may suddenly be comfortable only in French. We provide bilingual caregivers across Ottawa, Vanier, Orléans, Gatineau, and Aylmer.

Yes — these are two of the most common reasons families reach out. For wandering, we assess exit risks and hazards in the home and provide supervision, including overnight. For sundowning, our caregivers manage light and noise in the late afternoon, keep the day's routine predictable, and use redirection and comfort cues rather than correction, which usually makes agitation worse.

This is one of the most common things families tell us, and it is rarely permanent. Refusal is usually about control and dignity, not about the caregiver. We start small — short, low-pressure visits framed around company rather than care, doing something your parent actually enjoys. Once the relationship exists, the care tasks follow naturally. Matching matters enormously here, which is why we take time over it.

Yes, for eligible veterans. Freiheit Care is a VAC-approved provider, and we handle the coordination directly so your family isn't chasing paperwork. If you're unsure whether your parent qualifies, call us — we'll help you find out.

We serve Ottawa city-wide, including Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, Orléans, Vanier, Stittsville, Gloucester, Manotick, and the Glebe, as well as Kemptville and Arnprior, and Gatineau and Aylmer in Quebec. We provide care in private homes, family homes, retirement residences, and assisted living suites.

Usually within a few days of the in-home assessment. For urgent situations — a hospital discharge, a fall, a sudden change in behaviour, or a family caregiver who has simply hit the wall — we can move faster. Call and tell us the timeline you're working with.