Montreal families have a real advantage that families in smaller cities don't: a dense network of occupational therapists (OTs) spread across boroughs like Plateau-Mont-Royal, Côte-des-Neiges, NDG, and Rosemont, plus proximity to major hospitals such as the McGill University Health Centre and the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l'Île-de-Montréal sites. That means you have genuine choice. The challenge is using it well.
Our first piece of advice is to decide, before you call anyone, whether you need a home visit or a clinic assessment. For seniors living in aging apartments, triplexes, or walk-ups, a home visit is almost always the better path. An OT who sees the actual staircase, the narrow bathroom, and the sightlines in the kitchen will give you far more useful recommendations than one who assesses your parent in a generic clinic room. The trade-off is that home-visit availability can be tighter and wait times a little longer, so if urgency is high, a clinic-based assessment combined with a follow-up home visit is a reasonable middle ground.
When comparing OTs, prioritize demonstrated experience with older adults over general credentials alone. Quebec OTs must be members of the Ordre des ergothérapeutes du Québec, so licensure is a baseline you can verify. Beyond that, look for someone who regularly works on fall prevention, home modifications, and functional assessments for driving or daily living, since these are the concerns that come up most often for seniors in Montreal. Bilingualism matters here too. If your parent is most comfortable in French, confirm the OT can conduct the full assessment in French; if English, the same applies. Don't assume.
Finally, think about coordination. If your parent is already working with a physiotherapist or a podiatrist for foot and mobility concerns, an OT who is willing to communicate with those providers adds real value. Some families also find that pairing OT support with counselling helps a parent who is emotionally resistant to home modifications accept the changes more readily. Ask each OT how they typically coordinate with other providers. The ones who answer that question confidently are usually the ones worth booking.
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