How often does someone with a progressive condition like dementia need to be reassessed for capacity in Ontario?

There's no fixed, government-set schedule requiring reassessment at set intervals for someone with a progressive condition like dementia. Capacity in Ontario is assessed as a legal question tied to a specific decision, at a specific point in time — for example, whether someone currently has the capacity to manage property, or to make a particular personal care decision — rather than as a single, permanent status that gets checked off periodically like a routine medical exam.

In practice, reassessment tends to happen when there's a reason to revisit the question: a family member or care provider notices a meaningful change in functioning, a specific new decision needs to be made where capacity for that particular decision hasn't been addressed before, or a legal process such as a guardianship review requires updated evidence. Because progressive conditions generally decline over time rather than improve, reassessment in this context is usually about confirming a further decline (or, less commonly, addressing a plateau or fluctuation) rather than checking for recovery. If you're managing a family member's affairs under a power of attorney or guardianship and a new significant decision arises, discuss with a lawyer whether updated capacity evidence is advisable for that specific situation.