Assisted Living

• A private apartment with a lockable door
• Regulated assisted living services
• Hospitality services

• Support with activities of daily living: getting dressed, bathing, eating, moving about 
• Assistance with managing medications

• Two meals a day and snacks, following Canada’s Food Guide
• Weekly housekeeping
• Laundry services for sheets, blankets, towels and facecloths
• Social and recreation opportunities
• 24-hour emergency response system

Eligibility is determined by a home health care manager.
 

To be eligible, you must:

• Need both hospitality services and at least one regulated assisted living service
• Be able to make decisions on your own behalf, or live with a spouse who can make decisions on your behalf
• Be at risk in your current home
• Be able to function safely in assisted living
• Meet eligibility criteria for Home and Community Care services

According to the B.C. Ministry of Health, you may be eligible for Home & Community Care assisted living services if you:

• Are a citizen of Canada
• Are lawfully admitted to Canada for permanent residence
• Have applied for permanent resident status, and as a result have been issued a Temporary Residence Permit (TRP) by the federal minister responsible for immigration, if issuance of the TRP has been recommended by the committee established by the minister responsible for the Medicare Protection Act to review the admissibility of individuals on medical grounds

and

• Have a chronic condition that affects your ability to function independently; you require care following hospital discharge; you require care at home rather than hospitalization and/or you require end of life care
• Are 19 years of age or older
• Have lived in B.C. for 90 days or longer (for information on exceptions to this criteria, contact your local Home and Community Care office).

Eligibility for publicly subsidized assisted living units is determined by your local Home and Community Care office – you do not need to contact the assisted living building directly.

Your care manager will assess you. After you agree to live in assisted living your name will go on a list for an available unit. Your care manager will continue to work with you to support your care needs until a unit is available.

When a unit becomes available, your care manager and assisted living staff will ensure that assisted living is still a good fit for you at the time of admission.

Due to the nature of this semi-independent setting, your eligibility may change over time if your health status changes.

For more information, view the Assisted Living in B.C. website.

You may choose to pay extra costs when you live in assisted living. These are your choices – you’re not required to accept and pay for these services.

• Basic cable connection and monthly fee
• Internet connection and monthly fee
• Personal telephone connection and basic services
• Guest meals and suite rental
• Planned outings or special events
• Hair styling, foot care or other personal grooming
• Housekeeping services, if more than once weekly
• Personal laundry
• Parking
• Transportation

• Notify any important people or organizations of your new address. (E.g. your family doctor or nurse practitioner, BC Medical Services Plan, bank, insurance companies, etc.)
• Arrange for telephone and cable hook up
• Arrange for a mover to move your furnishings such as your bed, linens, couch, table, television, telephone, etc. Make sure you have arranged the moving time and date with the assisted living building manager
• Inform the assisted living staff of any special dietary requirements
• Plan for your home contents insurance

Quite often, moving into assisted living means that you need to downsize. Think of this as a great opportunity to de-clutter your life and to give tokens of your appreciation to the people you care about.

Once you know what your new home looks like, take an inventory of your furniture and belongings. What do you want to take with you? What would you like to give to family and friends?

Many people hold garage sales these days. If you are moving in late spring, summer or early fall, you might enlist friends or family to help you hold a garage sale. Not only are you recycling but you can make some money at it, too!
You can also donate your extra furniture and household items to a local charity or a local second-hand or thrift store.

Pack a “first night box” for your first few nights in your new home. It will make the transition to your new home a lot easier. These are key things you will need before you have a chance to unpack all of your belongings.

In a well-marked box, consider packing:

•  Sheets, pillows and other bedding
•  Paper towels and toilet paper
•  Coffee maker or tea kettle (plus tea and coffee) 
•  Toiletry kit with toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap and other essentials
•   Prescriptions and over-the-counter medications
•   Personal banking information (cheques, bank card)
•   Pajamas and a change of clothes for the next day
•   Alarm clock
•   A book
•   An address book or a list of key phone numbers
•   A framed photo or other memento to help make your new place feel like home right away!

Assisted living provides you assistance with personal care and/or medications and hospitality services in a private apartment unit. You maintain your independence and privacy while being supported with services such as meals, household laundry, housekeeping, and social and recreational activities. Assisted living services may be an option when home health services provided in your own home are not enough and you’re not ready to live in a long-term care home.

We develop a plan with you to meet your health and well-being needs and your preferences. Depending on your needs, services may include:

• Personal assistance with activities like bathing, grooming and dressing
• Medication management
• 24-hour emergency response service
• Security features (e.g., alarm system, locked building, alarm system, etc.)

If you have personal care needs that cannot be scheduled, or happen irregularly, assisted living can help meet these needs.

Each site varies but the following positions are typical of the staff you may find in publicly subsidized assisted living:

• Manager
• Administrative assistant
• Licensed practical nurse or registered nurse
• Assisted living worker
• Hospitality staff (housekeeping, laundry, cook, etc.)

Rehabilitation therapists, home health nurses and other professionals are accessible through your local Home & Community Care office.

The following hospitality services are provided:

• Option for three meals per day (basic rent includes cost of two meals per day)
• Organized programs of activities and social opportunities
• Laundry service for linens and towels
• Weekly housekeeping

Publicly subsidized assisted living is intended to be affordable for everyone, regardless of income. You pay 70 per cent of your after-tax income for a full package of services. Individuals with high incomes pay up to a maximum amount, based on the actual cost of accommodation, hospitality service and assisted living services.

You must meet the eligibility criteria to live in a publicly subsidized assisted living facility. Eligibility is based on your personal care needs. This funding cannot be transferred or used elsewhere.

Private pay assisted living services are available across B.C. If you are interested in private pay assisted living you can access these programs through the provider and do not need to be assessed by an Interior Health home health care manager. Accommodation in a private pay facility is offered at market price set by the operator.

Managers of assisted living communities are required to register with the Office of the Assisted Living Registrar. Each assisted living facility must meet health and safety standards as required by the registrar's office and the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. Assisted living services subsidized by Interior Health are subject to contractual agreements that outline performance and management expectations.

If you have a concern, please meet directly with the people managing your assisted living building. If a solution cannot be reached, or if you feel uncomfortable approaching management directly, contact the Office of the Assisted Living Registrar or your care manager.

Each assisted living building has its own look and style. Typically, a one bedroom apartment or studio suite includes a kitchenette, bathroom and sleeping area. Each assisted living unit is designed to maximize independence and privacy.

Yes. All Interior Health assisted living suites are unfurnished. You will need to bring your own furniture.

Yes. You may have guests overnight on occasion.

No. You cannot smoke in any of the Interior Health assisted living buildings, although some places may have a designated outdoor smoking area. Please check with the assisted living facility if this is important to you. Please note: smoking anywhere in an assisted living building can lead to eviction. Non-smoking bylaws and building rules are strictly enforced.

Some assisted living facilities do permit small pets. Your local Home & Community Care office will be able to provide you with information about buildings that may allow pets.