Retirement Homes & Senior Homes in Markham, ON

Senior homes in Markham: a local guide

SeniorHome.ca lists 54 senior homes, retirement homes and senior care providers in Markham, Ontario — from retirement residences in Unionville to nursing homes, memory care and in-home support across the city. The median starting price is $3,349 a month across priced communities, though memory care and respite stays usually start closer to $4,400. Below: where the homes are, what they cost, and how publicly funded care is arranged locally.

Where senior homes are in Markham

Most listings use a Markham address (41 communities), with 6 in Unionville and 3 in Thornhill. The densest cluster sits along the Highway 7 corridor and around Unionville, where Unionville Home Society (4300 Hwy 7), Hildebrand Gardens (3928 Hwy 7), Amica Unionville on Main Street Unionville and Sunrise of Unionville are all within a short drive of each other. West Markham and Thornhill pick up residences near Bayview Avenue, such as Glynnwood Retirement Home at 7700 Bayview Ave. On the east side, Amica Swan Lake (6360 16th Ave) and the city’s Seniors Activity Centre on Water Street put families close to Markham Village, Cornell and the hospital. Home care and day-program offices cluster near Woodbine Avenue and Town Centre.

• Senior homes near Markham Village — older east-side core, walkable Main Street
• Senior homes near Cornell — closest to Markham Stouffville Hospital
• Senior homes near Milliken — south Markham, near the Steeles Avenue boundary with Toronto
• Senior homes near Berczy and Cathedraltown — newer north Markham subdivisions
• Senior homes near Angus Glen — quiet, car-dependent, close to the community centre
• Senior homes near Buttonville — central, near the Highway 404 and Highway 7 junction

What senior homes cost in Markham

Figures are SeniorHome.ca median estimated starting rates per month for Markham communities with a price estimate. Larger suites, two occupants and higher care levels cost more.

• Independent living — $3,349 (16 communities); the lowest listed starts are Markham Mon Sheong Court at $2,571 and Glynnwood at $2,879.
• Nursing homes — $3,319 (19 communities); private-pay rates only, see below for long-term care co-payments.
• Retirement residences — $3,634 (9 communities).
• Assisted living — $4,089 (12 communities).
• Memory care — $4,419 (19 communities); specialist respite and day-program operators sit well above this.
• Respite care — $4,461 (18 communities) and palliative care — $4,379 (9 providers).
• Home care — $4,171 (12 agencies) and adult day programs — $3,378 (5 providers).

For a fuller breakdown, including what is bundled into monthly fees, see the cost of senior living in Markham.

Public long-term care and home care in Markham

Markham is served by Ontario Health atHome, which provides publicly funded home care and runs long-term care placement: it assesses eligibility, manages the waitlist and handles admissions to homes in its region. Markham falls within the Central service area, whose long-term care home list covers North York, York Region and South Simcoe County. York Region itself operates two municipal long-term care homes, in Newmarket and Maple, so a Markham application may include homes outside the city.

In long-term care you pay a provincially set accommodation co-payment, not a market rent: as of 1 July 2025 the basic rate is $68.56 per day, about $2,085 a month, and a rate reduction is available for residents with low income. Retirement homes work differently — they are private-pay and licensed by the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA), which keeps a public register you can check before signing. Many families bridge the wait with home care in Markham plus a day program; Carefirst runs an adult day program on Highway 7 East with Cantonese and Mandarin service, and the City of Markham’s Seniors Activity Centre at 22 Water Street offers membership-based programs for adults 50 and over.

Hospitals and getting around

The main local hospital is Markham Stouffville Hospital (Oak Valley Health) at 381 Church Street, which provides emergency and diagnostic services plus surgery, acute care medicine, cancer care and mental health programs. Ask any residence you tour which hospital it transfers to and whether staff accompany residents.

For transport, York Region Transit charges a reduced senior PRESTO fare for riders 65 and over ($2.52, rising to $2.60 on 1 July 2026), and its On-Request 65+ service will pick up riders 65 and older at home for trips within five kilometres — useful if a parent is still in their own house.

How to choose a senior home in Markham

• Match care to need, not to the building. If dementia is the issue, shortlist from the 19 memory care options rather than general retirement homes.
• Check the licence. Look the retirement home up on the RHRA public register; for a nursing home, confirm the application goes through Ontario Health atHome.
• Ask what the starting rate excludes — personal care hours, incontinence supplies, medication administration and second occupancy are commonly extra.
• Try respite first. Markham has 18 respite providers, and a short stay is the cheapest way to test fit before a permanent move.
• Weigh language and food. Several Markham residences and day programs serve Chinese-speaking seniors; ask about staff languages and daily menus.
• Tour two or three in one neighbourhood on the same day, at a mealtime, and check travel time from family and from the hospital.

Not sure which care level applies? Start with a free care assessment, then compare the full list of Markham communities above.

Sources

• Markham Stouffville Hospital – Oak Valley Health
• Home and community care – Ontario.ca
• Ontario Health atHome – Long-Term Care Placement Services (211 Ontario)
• Long-Term Care Home List – North York, York Region and South Simcoe (Ontario Health atHome)
• Long-term Care Homes – York Region
• Long-Term Care Home Accommodation Rate Changes effective July 1, 2025 – Ministry of Long-Term Care
• Paying for long-term care – Ontario.ca
• 65+ Service – York Region Transit