Choosing a dementia care home for someone you love is an important decision. Families often begin with questions about safety, care, costs, and what everyday life will look like.
But there is another question worth asking.
Will the person I love feel at home here?
For more than 25 years, Highview has focused on creating homes where people who have dementia can continue to enjoy familiar routines, meaningful relationships, and as much independence as possible, for as long as possible.
At Highview London, that philosophy comes to life in two dedicated dementia care Houses: Franklin House and Chapin House.
Two Houses, Four Cottages, One Familiar Way of Living
Highview London is located in an established residential neighbourhood in London's west end.
Franklin House includes two cottages: Constable Cottage and Harris Cottage. Chapin House includes Taylor Cottage and Smith Cottage.
Each cottage is home to just 12–13 people, with private suites and shared living spaces designed around the familiar rhythms of home.
At the heart of each cottage is an open kitchen and harvest table where people gather for meals, conversation, and everyday activities.
This smaller setting gives our Associates the opportunity to truly know each person; their history, routines, preferences, and the little things that make them who they are.
Your Day, Your Rhythm
At Highview London, the day is guided by the person, rather than an imposed schedule.
Someone who enjoys sleeping in can have a slower morning. Another person might be up early, ready for coffee and breakfast. Some enjoy being involved in preparing meals, setting the table, or folding laundry. Others prefer a quiet place to sit and enjoy the activity around them.
We believe in doing with, not doing for.
That means looking for opportunities to support people in continuing to participate in everyday life, rather than automatically doing everything for them.
Dementia changes many things. It does not erase the person.
Curious what life looks like at Franklin House and Chapin House?
Come for a VisitWhat Does an Ordinary Day Look Like?
An ordinary day at Highview London might include live music in the cottage, baking together, a visit from a therapy dog, or an afternoon of painting.
Our activity calendars include music with local performers, art with Robin, pet visits with Harry, seated exercise, flower arranging, coffee socials, and opportunities for spiritual connection.
There are also seasonal traditions: decorating together for every season, special celebrations, and always fun.
Some people enjoy participating in a group. Others prefer a one-to-one conversation, listening to music, or watching from a comfortable chair nearby.
And there are all the everyday moments that don't appear on a calendar.
Sharing a cup of tea. Helping prepare lunch. Sitting beside someone in the kitchen. Enjoying a familiar song.
The goal isn't to keep everyone busy.
It's to create opportunities for connection, choice, and purpose throughout the day.
Visit Highview London. See Franklin House and Chapin House for yourself.
Book a TourGardens That Have Grown Alongside Our Home
One of the special features of Highview London is our established perennial gardens, developed and cared for over more than two decades.
Secure walking paths wind through gardens that change with the seasons. There are raised beds with herbs, vegetables, and sensory plants, along with gazebos, water fountains, and shaded places to sit.
For someone who has always enjoyed gardening, there may be opportunities to help tend the plants or enjoy familiar scents of herbs and flowers.
For someone who loves walking, the secure gardens provide space to move about outdoors.
And for families, the gardens offer another comfortable place to spend time together.
These aren't simply landscaped grounds. They're part of everyday life at Highview.
Care That Knows the Person
Thoughtful dementia care involves more than helping with daily tasks.
Our specialized Associates are available around the clock to support personal care, medications, meals, mobility, and changing needs.
The smaller cottage setting allows the team to learn how each person prefers to move through their day.
How do they like their morning coffee? What helps when they're feeling uncertain? Which music brings a smile? Do they enjoy company or quieter moments?
Knowing these details helps care feel familiar and personal.
Highview London also offers access to a visiting family physician with experience in geriatrics and dementia care. The team can collaborate with outside specialists and arrange additional medical or therapeutic services when appropriate.
Families remain important partners, sharing the knowledge and relationships that help each person continue to feel known.
How to Choose a Dementia Care Home in London, Ontario
If you're beginning to explore dementia care in London, here are some practical considerations.
1. Begin with the Person
Before comparing homes, think about what matters most to the person you love.
What routines bring comfort? What abilities remain? What support is becoming more important?
A good starting point is imagining what an ordinary, enjoyable day might look like six months from now.
2. Understand Your Care Options
In Ontario, families can explore private retirement living, Assisted Living, and dedicated dementia care without applying through Ontario Health atHome. Waiting times are generally shorter, depending on availability.
Long-term care follows a different pathway. Applications are coordinated through Ontario Health atHome, and waiting times can be two years or longer, depending on the community and homes selected. The government subsidizes nursing and personal care, while individuals contribute toward accommodation costs.
Some families choose private dementia care while waiting for long-term care. This is sometimes called a gap strategy.
Exploring dementia care in London? Come see us, small homes where every day feels like home.
Come for a Visit3. Visit Two or Three Homes
Websites and photographs are helpful, but visiting allows you to see daily life.
Look beyond the bedroom. Notice the shared spaces, dining areas, outdoor gardens, and how team members interact with people.
Ask what an ordinary Tuesday looks like.
And ask how the home gets to know someone beyond their medical history.
If you’re not able to come for a visit, Highview London offers a virtual tour here.
4. Understand the Costs and Future Care Needs
Ask what is included in the monthly fee, which services cost extra, and how the home supports changing care needs.
Can someone remain in the home if they need more help with mobility, eating, or personal care?
Understanding these details early can help you plan with greater confidence.
5. Think About Timing and Moving Day
There isn't always one clear moment when it's time to move.
Consider daily life, safety, social connection, and the well-being of the person providing most of the care.
When the time comes, familiar furniture, photographs, routines, and a carefully planned moving day can help make the transition gentler.
Come See Highview London for Yourself
The best way to understand life at Franklin House and Chapin House is to visit.
Walk through the cottages. Spend time in the gardens. Meet the Associates. Ask questions about care and everyday life.
Franklin House: (519) 472-8882
Chapin House: (519) 472-8882
There's no pressure. Just an open invitation to see what home feels like here.
We also offer our free 7 Steps to Choosing a Dementia Care Home guide, with practical questions and tools to help families understand their options.
Even if the person you love never moves into a Highview Home, we hope our experience can make a difficult process a little easier.
Dementia Care in London
A home, not a facility.
Franklin House and Chapin House are small, secure homes with open kitchens, gardens and faces you know. If you're wondering whether it's time, or just want to see what life could look like for someone you love, we'd be glad to show you around. Take your time. We're here to help.
Come for a Visit