In-Home Alzheimer’s and Dementia Care in Montreal
Staying home, with confidence.
Living with Alzheimer’s or another neurocognitive disorder changes daily life for the whole family. In Montreal, our caregivers and nurses support your loved one at home, in a seniors’ residence or at the hospital, at every stage of the disease.
Understanding the Disease
Alzheimer’s, dementia, neurocognitive disorders: what do they mean?
Everyone experiences the disease in their own way, and their needs change over time.
Sources: Government of Quebec, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurocognitive disorders; Alzheimer Society of Canada, What is dementia?
Last updated: September 2026
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Dementia
A set of symptoms that gradually affect memory, language, judgment and orientation, to the point of interfering with daily life and reducing independence.
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Alzheimer’s disease
The most common cause of dementia. Other forms include:
- vascular dementia
- Lewy body dementia
- frontotemporal dementia
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Major neurocognitive disorders
The term used by Quebec’s health network.
Signs to Watch For
Early signs of dementia: when does home care help?
One evening, my mother looked at me and called me by her sister’s name. For the first time, she seemed confused about who I was. It broke my heart, and it made us realize this was more than aging.
A family caregiver
Often, it’s small changes in daily life that alert the family:
Medication forgotten, or taken twice
Skipped meals, an almost empty fridge
Bathing or getting dressed becoming difficult
Moments of disorientation, even in a familiar place
Going out without warning, or the risk of getting lost
Restless nights, for your loved one and for you
Advice from our team
Not all memory loss is Alzheimer’s, but Alzheimer’s symptoms get worse over time. If your loved one is showing several warning signs, don’t wait: have them evaluated.Hannah James, Client Care Specialist, Equinoxe LifeCare
or call 514-935-2600, day and night
What You’re Going Through
You don’t have to navigate this alone.
Watching a loved one change little by little is one of the hardest things a family can go through. Many caregivers experience what is called ambiguous loss: grieving the person they used to be, while they are still here.
Learn more about ambiguous loss and grief, L’Appui.
Sadness at no longer finding the closeness you once shared.
Guilt about not doing enough, or about wanting a break.
Fear that one day, your loved one won’t recognize you.
The feeling that roles have been reversed.
Fatigue, when days and nights start to blur together.
When my husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at 70, I felt like my whole world had collapsed. […] Reaching out to our local CLSC and the Alzheimer Society of Montreal was very helpful. […] Hearing other families’ stories made me feel less alone.M.-C., family caregiver
How we help you
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You remain the family
We take over the care, so you can find moments of simply being together again.
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You stay informed
The care plan evolves with you and the medical team, at every change.
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You can take a break
Respite care for a few hours or a few days, day or night.
Further reading Caregiver burnoutAlzheimer Society of MontrealL’Appui Info-aidant line: 1 855 852-7784
What research says
Living at home with Alzheimer’s: what the data shows.
Canadian studies show how much home support matters, for your loved one and for you. Here is what they say, and how we respond.
61%
of seniors living with dementia in Canada live at home, and need support to stay there.1
What we do
Home care at every stage, with a care plan revised when your loved one’s condition changes.
45%
of family caregivers of a person living with dementia show signs of distress, almost twice as many as other caregivers (26%).2
What we do
Respite, day or night, and your Care Manager to support you too.
Routine
For agitation, the Alzheimer Society recommends non-drug approaches first: a regular routine, a calm environment, meaningful activities.3
What we do
A stable team, a respected routine, suitable activities, and someone who speaks your loved one’s language.
1. Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI), Dementia in home and community care. 2. CIHI, Unpaid caregiver challenges and supports. 3. Alzheimer Society of Canada, Dementia and behaviour and Restlessness or confusion, especially later in the day. Last updated: September 2026.
Day to day
Four situations to know about, and what helps.
Practical tips from the Alzheimer Society of Canada, for you and your loved one.
Communicating well
Speaking gets harder, but communication remains possible at every stage.
Learn more
Talk face to face, somewhere quiet, in short and simple sentences. Choose topics your loved one enjoys, and talk about what they can still do. Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada.
Bathing without conflict
Bathing, once relaxing, can become a source of fear. Refusal often has a reason.
Learn more
Keep the old habits (bath or shower, morning or evening), give one instruction at a time, let your loved one do as much as possible, and respect their modesty with a towel. Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada.
The risk of getting lost
At some point in the disease, it is common to leave without warning and risk getting lost.
Learn more
MedicAlert Safely Home, from the Alzheimer Society and MedicAlert, helps identify a person who is lost and alerts the family right away. Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada (in French).
A safer home
A few simple adjustments reduce everyday risks.
Learn more
Post a list of emergency numbers with a photo beside each name, lower the water heater temperature, and choose a simple phone. Source: Alzheimer Society of Canada.
Peace of Mind
Solid support, for care you can count on.
Entrusting a loved one with Alzheimer’s takes complete trust. Here is what we put in place to earn it.
A care plan prepared or reviewed by a nurse: followed on every shift, and updated with the medical team at every change.
Your Care Manager: a dedicated person who gets to know your loved one and your routine.
Your loved one is entrusted to kind, caring caregivers: chosen for that very quality and experienced with this disease.
No shift left uncovered: if something unexpected comes up, our team makes sure someone is always there for your loved one.
Someone to call at any time: Care Managers during office hours, and an on-call team 24 hours a day.
An extra safety net: LifeCare Plus can detect suspected falls, day and night.
Since 1998 · 300+ caregivers on our team · #6 in Les Affaires’ ranking of Quebec’s top 300 SMBs
A Family’s Story
Staying home, for as long as possible.
Prefer to talk now? Call 514-935-2600, day or night.
Getting Started
How care begins.
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Step 1
A first call
Tell us about your loved one, their habits and what worries you. We take the time to listen.
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Step 2
A care plan built with the medical team
Your Care Manager assesses your loved one’s needs with the medical team that follows them, and a nurse prepares or reviews the care plan.
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Step 3
Care begins
A caregiver matched to your loved one begins care. The plan is updated whenever their condition changes.
Learn more about our care management process.
Related Services
Care that follows the course of the disease.
Depending on the stage and your needs, these services add to your loved one’s care.
Where we provide care
Alzheimer’s and dementia care in Westmount, Montreal, the West Island, the South Shore and Laval.
Questions Families Ask
Alzheimer’s care, answered.
If your question isn’t here, a Care Manager will answer it on the phone.
See all FAQs →My loved one refuses help. What can we do?
It happens often. Our caregivers are experienced with these situations. Matching takes your loved one’s needs and language into account, and you can ask for a different caregiver at any time.
My loved one gets agitated in the late afternoon. Can you help?
Yes. This is called sundowning, and it is common in people living with dementia. A reassuring presence and a stable routine help ease it. Learn more from Mayo Clinic.
Do you support wandering and agitation?
Yes, at every stage. Supervision is part of the care plan, and any change in behaviour is reported to the family and the medical team.
Does the caregiver sleep at night?
No. The caregiver stays awake for the whole shift.
Will my loved one always have the same caregiver?
As far as possible, we keep a stable team around your loved one.
What languages do your caregivers speak?
English, French, Spanish, Greek, Italian, Farsi and more. This can matter with Alzheimer’s: some people who speak several languages increasingly rely on their first language as the disease progresses. This does not happen to everyone, but someone who speaks your loved one’s preferred language can help support communication and comfort. Source: Alzheimer’s Society.
Is it better to stay at home or move to a residence?
It isn’t an either-or choice, and many families combine both as the disease progresses. At home, your loved one keeps familiar surroundings, personal attention and a schedule built around them, with family close by. A residence or memory care unit offers an environment designed for safety and a team on site at all times. If your loved one moves to a seniors’ residence, our caregivers can keep supporting them there.
What if the situation becomes too hard to manage?
We adjust the care plan with the medical team. As our Director of Care, Kathleen Bateman, advises: if you feel your loved one is unsafe, let their doctor know. In a crisis, hospitals often have geriatric and psychiatric teams who understand dementia and can step in.
Who should we see if we suspect Alzheimer’s?
See a family doctor or a specialized nurse practitioner as soon as the first signs appear. If your loved one has no doctor, call Info-Santé at 811: they will direct you to the right service. If a more detailed assessment is needed, the doctor refers your loved one to a specialist or a memory clinic. In the meantime, our caregivers can already help day to day: company, reminders, a reassuring routine. Source: Québec.ca.
Why seek a diagnosis early?
An early diagnosis gives time to plan: care, family organization and legal decisions, while your loved one can still take part. It also gives faster access to support from the Alzheimer Societies.
What is a protection mandate, and when should it be prepared?
A protection mandate lets your loved one name the person who will look after them or their property if they become incapable. It is made before a notary or before two witnesses, while your loved one is still able to decide, so it is best to talk about it early. It only takes effect once it has been homologated by the court. More information on Québec.ca and Éducaloi.
Where can we find support after the diagnosis?
Your doctor can refer you to your regional Alzheimer Society through the First Link program, but you can also contact them yourself, without waiting. L’Appui’s Info-aidant line (1 855 852-7784) is free and confidential. And your Care Manager remains your point of contact at Equinoxe LifeCare.
How much does Alzheimer’s home care cost?
It depends on the number of hours and the type of care, whether a caregiver (PAB) or a nurse. There is no long-term contract. Quebec residents aged 70 or older may qualify for Revenu Québec’s tax credit for home-support services for seniors. Your Care Manager will give you a precise estimate after your first call.
Every person living with Alzheimer’s is unique. A Care Manager will listen and help you build care that evolves with your loved one.
Take the first step together