Facility Types in BC

These are housing options for seniors who are largely self-sufficient. Independent living offers age-friendly homes with optional services like meals and housekeeping. Supportive living adds a bit more — some personal support and community — but does not provide hands-on health care. Suitable when the main need is a safer, simpler living situation rather than nursing care.

Assisted living in BC provides housing, hospitality services, and personal assistance — help with bathing, dressing, medication reminders — for people who can still direct their own care and make decisions. It bridges the gap between living independently and needing full residential care. Both publicly subsidized and private assisted living exist.

Residential care, sometimes called a nursing home or complex care, provides 24-hour professional nursing and personal care for people with complex health needs who can no longer be safely cared for at home or in assisted living. Access to publicly subsidized residential care in BC is through a Health Authority assessment, and cost is income-tested.

Memory care is specialized residential care for people with moderate to advanced dementia. It offers secure environments to prevent wandering, staff trained in dementia-specific approaches, and programming designed around cognitive needs. It may be a dedicated facility or a secured unit within a residential care home. We help you understand when this level of care becomes the right fit.