British Columbia Retirement Home Reviews

Tapestry at Wesbrook Village

When you walk into a place like Tapestry at Wesbrook Village you instantly feel enthusiastic about the environment. After you move in, you'll feel rejuvenated and renewed. This residence is focused on your expanding your sense of independence and freedom of choice. Living here will give you opportunities to take part in a variety of activities, ranging from movie nights to an onsite pub, to a woodshop or library. There's a fitness center inside and walking trails outside, and there's always someone to share these activities with: someone your own age.

Wesbrook Village is conveniently located on the edge of UBC, with a busy shopping area nearby. Shaugnessy Golf and Country Club, beaches, and expansive waterfront are just a few other features that are very close. Care includes assisted living, for seniors with some physical or health limitations.

Tapestry at Arbutus Walk

Tapestry at Arbutus Walk offers uniquely expansive facilities. Inside, there are spacious interiors where you feel invited to grow and share your time with others, or take some time to yourself inside spacious suites that range from studio to 2 bedroom units. Exterior spaces include an arboretum, an outdoor pool with a poolside lounge, a golf green, and a courtyard with barbecue.

Located in the Kitsilano neighbourhood, this Tapestry home is close to stores, restaurants, and other services including doctors, dentists and more health services. Group activities onsite include crocheting, exercise classes, cribbage, and a billiards room. On top of those daily activities, there is a lounge with piano where there are occasional sing-alongs, as well as shared events like an annual volunteering collaboration, "Be Santa to a Senior."

Arbourside Court

This is a Greater Vancouver gem, conveniently located just off King George Boulevard in Surrey. The food offered here is very high quality, combining equal parts of gourmet excellence and nutritional value. There are social gatherings for every meal of the day, and you may end up making new friends every time you eat. Nearby, you'll find lots of shopping and restaurants including drugstores and a number of coffee shops. But it's what's inside that counts.

Onsite pampering here includes a spa and beauty salon, and regular foot care. Entertainment includes a main floor movie theatre, card games and shuffleboard. There are also shopping trips and other outings. Care ranges from weekly housekeeping, to diabetic and low sodium diet meals, to bathing assistance (for an extra fee).

Westerleigh PARC

A gorgeous, bright retirement home in one of the most desirable areas in the world, Westerleigh PARC was built in 2013 to meet the needs of seniors who appreciate the best in life. Offering breathtaking balcony vistas of English Bay and the shoreline on one side, and the mountains on the other, this elevates senior living to new heights. Aside from the beauty outside, there is a list of extraordinary features inside.

There are too many exceptional aspects of this retirement residence to highlight one, but a summary description of Westerleigh PARC would focus on the lifestyle you can live here. Onsite you'll find a movie theatre, greenhouse, wine room, a fitness studio, a bistro, and spa. Chef-prepared meals are a daily given, and there is also a private chauffeur service available. If you want to live well, this is the place to go.

Sherwood House

Sherwood House is a homey, cozy place focused on community-building. For seniors in Duncan and area, this provides a unique combination of reasonably priced independent living with some very refined features. Some of the unexpected advanced features here include five-star chef-prepared meals, a spa, and beautifully designed suites.

Personalized, active lifestyle is part of the core values here. You'll leave behind housework and laundry, and jump into a lifestyle of good friends having fun together. Things to do range from movie nights to golf, to regular parties, to billiards and card games, and so much more. For all that, you can also enjoy private time in one of the well-appointed suites, which range from one bedroom to two bedrooms, starting at less than $3,000 per month all-inclusive.

Cedar Springs PARC

Cedar Springs PARC is still very new, providing very modern, spacious suites and an impressive array of amenities. You will find a spa, a hairdresser, wellness centre, golf and a movie theatre, along with simpler pleasures like card games with friends, hiking trails and gardening. For all that, the care provided, from the emergency call system, to wheelchair accessibility throughout, to the nursing staff onsite make this an ideally safe home for seniors who are still very independent; staff here clearly demonstrate deep caring in everything they do.

Suites feature spectacular views of the nearby natural areas. Inside, there are delicious meals all prepared for you; you'll also find fitness facilities and very active hobby rooms. Nearby is all the shopping you need, and slightly further afield there are a variety of spectacular natural areas. Maplewood Flats is an ideal day outing with family, as is Roche Point Park. Mount Seymour Park is both a skiing destination and a natural wonder.

Mulberry PARC

This is a superb retirement community in the heart of Burnaby for independent seniors who want to feel rejuvenated and revitalized. PARC is the maker of numerous excellent retirement communities throughout the Greater Vancouver area, and Mulberry is a fine example of their work in a prime suburban location.

Interior amenities include a fireplace lounge, library and billiards room, along with a spa. There's an elegantly appointed main floor dining room, serving chef-prepared meals and desserts. You'll love the spacious patio on the outdoor terrace, ideal for summer visits with family, to play chess with the giant chess set, or to just sit out and bask in the sunshine. Suites are decorated in very tasteful colours and styles, with spectacular views of the city; included are spacious bathrooms with walk-in showers and other modern features ideal for seniors.

Summerhill PARC

Another fine example of how to make the very best of retirement living, from PARC, makers of a number of superior retirement homes throughout Greater Vancouver. You can forget all about housework and meals, and find happiness and contentment here, with as much activity and social life (or relaxation and privacy!) as you wish.

The outdoor patio is more like an outdoor playground for seniors, with luxurious comfy chairs; it's a perfectly peaceful place to relax, visit, whatever you want to do. Inside, the luxury-hotel-like suites offer space and impeccable cleanliness in a professional décor. The many features here include a library, a spacious billiards and games room, and superior chef-prepared meals that are both delectable and healthful, served every day in the elegant dining room.

Legacy Senior Living

A beautiful, bright, completely contemporary boutique-style retirement residence in the heart of the Oakridge area. This residence is focused on removing the boredom of mundane tasks and living alone. Vancouver and area seniors will find revival here, in the company of some very vibrant peers, in a surprising five-star residence.

This community features independent senior living, where housekeeping, laundry and meal preparation are a thing of the past. It extends to assisted living, guided by the community's Wellness Navigator, a Registered Nurse. Extra fees cover assistance with every manner of activity of daily living, from bathing and dressing, and other care.

Cherish at Central Park

This brand new retirement home is just on the edge of Greater Victoria and conveniently close to the Trans-Canada. Opening in late 2017, Cherish promises to provide all the latest in seniors' care, in a fantastic suburban Vancouver Island setting. Situated on the Island flatlands (an ideal location for seniors who need to avoid inclines), this under-construction building allows you to choose the exact suite that will suit you.

Just some of the onsite luxuries to be built into the community are: a cheerful little bar, a spa and beauty salon, a putting green for golfers, movie theatre, and shops for woodworking and silversmithing. Other conveniences include a party room, a chapel, and a variety of activity facilities, including a party room, a games room, walking paths and more.

OPAL by Element

This brand new building, opening in 2019, promises to incorporate all of the best elements of senior living. Amenities and services include chef-prepared meals, an onsite spa and beauty salon, an interior pub, rooftop patios, and an ongoing list of other features. The design includes 30,000 square feet of very unique innovations indoor and outdoor, like a rock salt wall for yoga exercises and tai chi, a full-service wellness spa for daily rejuvenation, and an interior IT centre. Versatile care staff and facilities will provide a complete continuum of care, from independent living to memory care and long term care. Construction begins in 2017, slated for completion in 2019.

Dining and culinary features promise to be a front and centre attraction. OPAL will offer an in-house program where residents can engage in cooking classes taught by the executive chef onsite. There will also be a communal table for dining with larger groups of friends, as well as private dining and living rooms. The variety of authentic cuisine will range from ethnic dishes like aburi sashimi and sushi, to a menu of locally supplied farm-to table foods. In addition to the promise of great food, there are wine tastings, a water bar with fruit and herb infusions, and a High Tea Service.

Courtyard Gardens

Just a few blocks south of the Fraser River in Richmond is an oasis of pleasant living called Courtyard Gardens. In this community, seniors find renewal thanks to the great food and care provided by staff. This community provides a variety of options that will feel customized for your needs. There are options in the assisted living level and in residential care; you can also select whatever care you require and pay only for the assistance you need.

Visit in the summer and you'll be very impressed by the outdoor patio. Courtyard Gardens lives up to its name with pleasant floral arrangements spread around the exterior. But, as Canadians, we know that you are going to have to spend time indoors during the year, too. Inside, there are resident art classes, movie nights, exercise programs and more. Take care of yourself better than you ever have before thanks to the in-house spa and beauty salon, and there are also scheduled outings for sopping and fun shared activities like golfing. The only thing that there is little of, here, is house cleaning, cooking and putting away dishes.

Hawthorn Park Retirement Community

Hawthorn Park is at the top of the list of retirement homes in Kelowna proper. A number of things about this community make it outstanding: the personalization of each suite, fantastic features inside and out, and its care for dementia sufferers. The suites here are some of the most reasonably priced we have seen for a community of this quality.

When the time comes and you know you have to move, Hawthorn Park allows you to create a new life for yourself, to start over from where you are. You'll find great new friendships with people your own age. There's always just enough to do, no matter who you are or what you like: card games on the patio, yoga classes, or just a chat over coffee. The community is especially nicely decorated throughout -- just one more aspect that facilitates happiness of residents.

The Heritage

The Heritage is the destination for West Kelowna seniors and families looking for the finest senior care environment. It's an exceptionally beautiful community, featuring wood grain floors, carpeted stairways, elegantly spacious dining areas and brightly lit suites. It's well-known that living in a better environment improves your overall wellbeing, and seniors who move into this community find revitalization, an improved outlook, and increased strength.

Staff is very comfortable answering questions you have as you tour here, and when you compare this to other communities in the area you will find this one outstanding in terms of the quality of the facilities and the attentiveness of care workers and others. Just one example of the way these facilities supersede many others in the area is the heated indoor swimming pool. On top of that, there's exquisite food service, in-house yoga classes, a hair salon and a long list of other amenities that make this a place any senior or family member in the area needs to investigate.

Gilmore Gardens

This brightly lit, homey Richmond retirement community offers a welcoming environment that gives new energy to the seniors who make this their new home. This is a Verve community, with that company's distinct take on combining exceptional environments with detailed care, in a vision that's intent on helping people live every moment to its fullest – no matter what your age.

You'll find pleasant spaces spread throughout this community. Established for nearly 20 years, this community is suited to offer a unique combination of modernity and coziness. The exterior is well-gardened and lush with greenery. Inside, every corner is well lit, with clean lines found in every interior. There's an outdoor patio enhanced by woodgrain furniture. Suites are brightly lit with walk-in closets and select suites featuring a balcony. You're blessed with beautiful views of the local mountains, and nearby there's plenty of parkland, shopping and much more to enjoy.

Granville Gardens

This is another exceptional senior care community from Verve, a company that brings more than 40 years' experience to every property they offer. Granville Gardens exhibits Verve's penchant for creating a variety of welcoming spaces throughout the community. We particularly love the main foyer, which is spacious and immediately presents different settings where you can take a quiet moment by yourself and look forward to times in the future when you will sit with friends to enjoy a chat. There's a capacious dining room with tables spread generously around the room, featuring daffodil-coloured carpeting. Seniors' rooms are bright, spacious and comfortable.

The best thing about Granville Gardens is the care you'll find here. Having regular, chef-prepared meals offered daily is just the start of the life enhancement you'll take part in here. The group activities – including games, exercise, outings and in-house entertainment make life as sociable as you want it. There's round the clock watchful security provided by professional staff. Staff has been characterized by one family member as "a wonderful, caring group who [has] patiently held our hands" through the decision process.

The Concorde Retirement Residence

Penticton, BC residents have an elite quality retirement destination in the Concorde. People seeking supportive services, get assistance with dignity, here. But you also get so much more than care. Every community is shaped by individual involvement and personal attitudes. By optimizing every individual's personal wellness and happiness, the Concorde creates and daily renews a uniquely happy community. Community staff are focused on offering vibrant social outlets and creating fulfilling days for residents in their care.

While there are social outlets, life at the Concorde is, as one family member has put it, "perfect" as is. Fine dining here uses locally sourced food in meals crafted expertly. Then this is presented to you in a spacious, comfortable setting where you sit with good friends. You can also gather in the café. There's even a hair salon where ladies can get their hair done weekly if they want. This is top shelf senior living right in the Okanagan Valley!

Thornebridge Gardens

Thornebridge Gardens in downtown New Westminster is the place to go for seniors who want to continue all the best things in life while leaving behind cooking, taking out the garbage, cutting the grass and other pesky household tasks you'd rather do without. Thornebridge's independent living lifestyle encourages renewal through a lifestyle focusing on the things you want to do.

In the décor throughout this community there's an emphasis on coziness. The dining room features four chairs per table, creating intimate conversations over dinner. This coziness and closeness is also seen in the Social House Pub and the fireplace lounge. That coziness translates well for the activities going on here, too, which – depending on the time of day – may include people taking an art class, small groups in Bible study or people chatting over a cold beer in the pub. On the exterior, there's a wonderfully sunny patio populated with bright flowers in the summer. Seniors also keep their own private gardens on their balcony or in the courtyard.

Lifemark Residences

At Comfort Life, we relish the ever-increasing innovation in care and support, and we love how communities create progressively ideal environments. Lifemark is a wonderful example of this, providing actual homes for people who want a caring environment and who no longer can or want to live on their own. You live in a house with a bunch of friends, have all the care you needed, and otherwise feel at home — because it is a home. It reminds us of all that was best about life in college dorms. You might choose to live with people you already know, or you can dive in anew and make friends with people who have already embraced this lifestyle.

This is ideally appealing to people in a variety of circumstances. Perhaps you are tired of living alone (making meals for one, living in a house that’s just too large, etc.) Perhaps you need just a little bit of care, necessary every day, but not worth moving into a retirement home for. Perhaps you just want to live with a bunch of peers in a home with nothing clinical or residential about it.

Oceana PARC

PARC Retirement Living continues to boost its reputation for providing superior senior living throughout Greater Vancouver. They already offer several stellar retirement homes that rejuvenate lives. This community, just opening, promises to continue PARC’s redefinition of great living in our senior years.

Oceana PARC might be their most impressive work to date, if only for the location, a short few blocks from the shoreline, with clear views of Semiahmoo Bay. A noteworthy aspect of the interior here is the use of a bolder colour palette, with lots of deep blues most noticeably, to match the name and ethos of the community.