Daily Life

Broadmead Care offers a variety of stimulating recreational, social, intellectual, creative, musical, and fitness progress. Activities are designed to support and engage residents in both group and individual settings according to their needs. Birthdays teas, holiday celebrations, and other special events complement regularly scheduled programs. Families are welcome to participate and attend with their loved ones. Your Home will let you know about special events.

Monthly Activity Calendars are available on each Home’s page our website (www.broadmeadcare.com/care-homes) or by connecting with a staff member.

The Activity Enhancement Fund helps residents enjoy activities that are not provided through government funding, such as Creative Arts, Music and Entertainment, musical entertainment, horticultural therapy, and special events. Activity Enhancement fees are withdrawn from the bank along with the resident’s monthly payment.

The Creative Arts program at Veterans Memorial Lodge provides an opportunity for creative expression and sense of purpose and belonging. Team members offer a wide range of creative projects including painting, clay work, knitting, needlework, papermaking, and printing. There is something for everyone!

Other Homes have creative activities available in their weekly schedule of activities.

Upon a resident’s death or discharge from a Broadmead Care Home, their personal belongings must be removed within 24 hours.

In extraordinary circumstances, if the family are unable to pack and remove belongings within the 24-hour time frame, Broadmead Care may be able to provide this service. Extra charges will apply. Broadmead Care cannot accept items left in the room as donations, and is not responsible for the disposal of unwanted items. There may be fees charged for the disposal of resident-owned items or equipment not removed from the room. While Broadmead Care is not able to accept donations of personal belongings, we may occasionally accept donations of mobility aids if Therapy Services deems them useful to the organization.

Hairdressing is available at all our Care Homes except Harriet House. Please speak with the Care Home to learn more.

Tea, coffee, juice, pop, and alcoholic drinks are served by Broadmead Care staff during happy hour programs, which often coincide with musical entertainment or movie matinees.

With physician approval, residents may enjoy up to two alcoholic drinks during happy hour. At some Homes, guests may also enjoy one alcoholic drink. Bar costs for residents and guests are charged to the resident’s Trust Account.

Residents may also have an alcoholic beverage in their room or with their meal; however, Broadmead Care prefers alcohol is provided from the bar rather than kept in rooms.

Incoming mail is delivered to the person’s room on weekdays. Outgoing mail may be given to the Receptionist. For those who require assistance with financial documents, pension cheques and bills, please redirect mail to the Power of Attorney, or arrange direct deposit or debit through their personal bank. Change of address forms are available at any Canada Post outlet. Direct deposit forms are available from any financial institution.

Seniors who listen to music have a happier outlook on life and are shown to have better social interaction. Music can enhance people’s moods, improve interest levels, and increase positive emotions. Seniors with dementia have been known to increase communication with others after listening to music, since a song can trigger a memory from when they were younger.

Each Home provides a schedule of musical and other forms of entertainment, which is enjoyed by all.

The Times Colonist or other newspapers can be ordered directly from the newspaper’s circulation department. Newspapers are received at Reception and then delivered to peoples’ rooms.

People leaving the Home for outings during the day, overnight stays, or even for a few days away are to be signed out of the Care Home so we know their whereabouts. For daytime outings longer than three hours, or for overnight stays, family must inform the nurse at least one day prior, so that any required medication can be prepared ahead of time. Please discuss your plans for outings and overnight stays with staff.

As with an apartment, when someone is away from the Care Home for overnight visits, rent must still be paid. The number of days per calendar year that a resident may be away on overnight visits is established by Island Health, and is 30 days per year unless otherwise approved.

When someone who lives with us is hospitalized, their room is secured for their return. If the resident does not return, they will be discharged and the room must be cleared. The rent must be paid for the room during the period the room is secured. If someone is discharged partway through a month, a prorated refund will be issued.

Broadmead Care recognizes the importance and value that pets have for many people. At this time, we are unable to accommodate live-in pets, although they are welcome to visit. We do have a number of pet therapy volunteers who visit regularly with their pets. These pet visitors are certified by the Pacific Animal Therapy Society (PATS), or the St. John Ambulance Pet Therapy Program.

Family members and other visitors who wish to bring their dog or other pet when visiting should understand the following requirements: visiting pets must be clean, free of fleas, vaccinated, free of open sores, well behaved, and quiet. Visiting dogs must be controlled on leash at all times during their visit and any other type of pet should be carried in an appropriate cage or carrying case.

Visiting pets are not allowed in the dining rooms or any areas where food is prepared. Visitors with pets that are not meeting these requirements will be asked to remove the pet from the Home immediately.

Broadmead Care has a scent-free policy. Some of the people who live and work in our Homes have allergies to scented products. We ask that residents and families avoid wearing or bringing scented personal care products, perfumes, and heavily scented flowers (e.g., lilies) into the Home.

In order to comply with Provincial Tobacco Control Act regulations and the “smoke free premises” restrictions of Island Health, there is no visitor or staff smoking allowed on the grounds of Veterans Memorial Lodge.

Resident smoking in Broadmead Care Homes is discouraged, for the health and safety of the people who live and work in the Home. Those who wish to smoke may continue to do so, as long as they are able to comply with Broadmead Care’s smoking policy and procedures. Resident smoking is restricted to designated outdoor areas only. An assessment of each person who wishes to continue to smoke is made upon arrival. Residents who are unable to smoke safely must have their smoking materials managed by staff, and may only be able to smoke when family can supervise.

Sometimes during a resident’s stay, a resident and/or family may identify a desire to move to another long term care home. If the request is to transfer to another publicly funded home within BC, the transfer request should be made to the Social Worker, who will liaise with Island Health to initiate the transfer process.

If the request is to transfer to a home in another province, the family should investigate with the destination health authority, to understand access criteria and procedures in that province.