Residential Care

Residential care for seniors in BC (also called residential care homes, care facilities, or long-term care facilities) are for seniors and others who require a higher level of support and assistance with their daily activities due to health or mobility issues.

Tips & Links

• Residential care facilities offers support for seniors who have complex health needs or cognitive challenges. Different than assisted living, this type of care includes 24-hour supervision and includes assistance with activities of daily living, medication management, medical care, and specialized services.
• Understand the differences between assisted living and residential care facilities including care levels, staff ratios, and services provided from the government of BC.
• To learn about the level of care you need, request a home care assessment through your health authority.
• When searching for a facility, ask about the different services that may be offered such as personal care and grooming, medication management, and recreational and social activities. Some facilities offer medical management, memory care, hospice care, palliative care and possible access to allied health professionals like a geriatrician, physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech therapist, or others.
• Know you can visit care facilities and talk to other residents and their families, staff, stay for a meal if offered, and make unannounced visits as well. There is also an option for a ‘temporary or trial stay’ for seniors interested in exploring the option of residential care.
• Contact the facilities directly to learn about wait lists and costs. If you are interested, most facilities recommend getting on a waiting list.
• Learn about the costs for residential care. In BC, the costs of public residential care facilities may be partially subsidized or fully covered by the government, depending on you and your spouse’s retirement income.
• In a private care facility, you or your family are responsible for all costs. Government subsidies are determined by a case worker assigned to you from your health authority.  

Tools – Handouts & Videos