Glossary
In Health and Disability, Mental health
A person has a mental disorder if they have an illness or disability that affects how their mind works. For example, it may affect their thinking, moods, or behaviour.
In Abuse and Family Violence, Abuse of people with disabilities, Elder abuse, Health and Disability, Wills and Powers of Attorney, Wills, Power of Attorney for Personal Care, Power of Attorney for Property
Being mentally capable means being able to make decisions for yourself about things like your:
- personal care, such as bathing and getting dressed
- health care and medical treatment
- property
A person needs to be mentally capable to make:
The rules about being mentally capable are different depending on the kind of decision or the kind of legal document they want to make.
To be mentally capable to make decisions about health care and medical treatment, a person must understand the information that’s needed to make the decision. This includes:
- how the treatment may help them,
- the risks and side effects of the treatment, and
- what’s likely to happen if they do not get it.
In Abuse and Family Violence, Abuse of people with disabilities, Elder abuse, Health and Disability, Elder abuse, Wills and Powers of Attorney, Wills, Power of Attorney for Personal Care, Power of Attorney for Property
Being mentally capable to make decisions depends on whether the decision is about:
- personal care, such as bathing and getting dressed
- health care and medical treatment
- property and finances
Mental capacity also depends on the type of document you want to prepare, for example:
In Abuse and Family Violence, Elder abuse, Health and Disability
The term “older adult” is usually used to describe someone who’s over the age of 65. But there’s no set age for when someone is considered an older adult. Some people prefer to use the term “senior”.
We use older adult to refer to someone who may be affected by elder abuse, even if they’re younger than 65.
In Family Law, Substitute decision‑making
Parenting time is the time that a child spends in the care of a parent. All parents usually have parenting time. And a person who stands in the place of a parent, such as a step-parent, may also get it. Parenting time used to be called access.
Parenting time can be on a strict schedule, such as every other weekend, or on a flexible schedule. In some cases, it might be supervised, which means someone else like a Children’s Aid Society worker or relative, watches the visit.
A person who has parenting time usually also has the right to information about the child’s well-being, such as information about their health and education.
In Employment and Work, Health and Disability, Housing Law, Human Rights
A personal characteristic is a quality that a person has. There are 17 personal characteristics protected by Ontario’s Human Rights Code. These are sometimes called “protected grounds”. They relate to your:
- race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, and ethnic origin
- citizenship
- religion
- sex, gender, gender identity, and gender expression
- sexual orientation
- family and marital status
- disability
- age
Two personal characteristics are protected only in certain situations. You’re protected from being treated unfairly:
- in housing if you get income support from the government
- at work if you have a record suspension, which used to be called a pardon
In Employment and Work, Health and Disability, Housing Law, Human Rights
A personal characteristic is a quality that a person has. There are 17 personal characteristics protected by Ontario’s Human Rights Code. These are sometimes called “protected grounds”. They relate to your:
- race, colour, ancestry, place of origin, and ethnic origin
- citizenship
- religion
- sex, gender, gender identity, and gender expression
- sexual orientation
- family and marital status
- disability
- age
Two personal characteristics are protected only in certain situations. You’re protected from being treated unfairly:
- in housing if you get income support from the government
- at work if you have a record suspension, which used to be called a pardon
In Abuse and Family Violence, Elder abuse, Debt and Consumer Rights, Health and Disability
Personal information is any facts about you that identify you as a unique individual. Examples of personal information are your name, contact information, social insurance number, birth date, and address. It also includes facts about your race, religion, beliefs, age, sex, marital status, health or criminal history, education, and more.
In Abuse and Family Violence, Elder abuse, Health and Disability, Elder abuse, Wills and Powers of Attorney, Wills, Power of Attorney for Personal Care, Power of Attorney for Property
A Power of Attorney for Personal Care is a legal document that lets you name someone to make decisions for you if you become mentally incapable. It’s sometimes called a “personal power of attorney”.
You’re called the grantor. The person you name is called your attorney.
Your attorney can make:
- decisions about your personal care, such as where you live, what you eat, getting dressed, washing and having a bath, and staying safe
- decisions about your health care that deal with:
- health-care treatments
- moving into a long-term care home
- personal care services in a long-term care home