Dear Family and Friends,
It has been wonderful to see many of you over the past three weeks during your visits with your loved ones. Since we opened our doors to designated social visitors on July 15, hundreds of you have been able to spend time face to face with your loved ones, and our own hearts have been touched many times as we have watched you reunited. As one visitor said last week, “This visit means everything to us. We’ve had FaceTime and window visits, but this – this is everything.”
The logistics of arranging visits at smaller Homes such as Beckley Farm Lodge, Nigel House, and Rest Haven Lodge have been relatively straightforward, and families have been enjoying multiple visits with their loved ones during the past two-and-a-half weeks.
At Veterans Memorial Lodge, a much larger care home, scheduling is a little more involved. Staff are working diligently to make sure as many of the 225 residents have a chance to visit with their loved one as possible. Since July 15, a great number of in-person have visits taken place at Veterans Memorial Lodge, and as processes are refined, it is anticipated that more will be accommodated.
We want to remind you of our guidelines for designated social visits, and update you with some new guidance from Island Health.
- Each Care Home has its own procedure for scheduling visits, and receiving goods and gifts. Please refer to the chart below, visit our Designated Social Visitors webpage, or contact your Care Home directly for more information.
- Designated visitors call their Care Home to reserve space for weekly social visits. There may also be an opportunity for additional visits when there are cancellations. Please call the Care Home directly at the number provided below to see if there are any openings for the following day. These extra visits will be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Island Health has advised that if visits occur outside, and you and your loved one are 2m (6ft) or more apart, you do not need to wear a mask. Indoor visits require a mask at all times.
We thank you for your patience, kindness, and understanding as we work together to ensure all residents have an opportunity to visit with their single designated visitor.
Care Home Goods & Gifts Procedures
- Please ensure items are packaged and labelled with your loved one’s name.
- Items should be left with the Receptionist during the hours shown below.
- Items will be delivered as soon as possible, but delivery may not be immediate.
| Care Home | Hours | Special Instructions |
| Beckley Farm Lodge (250) 381-4421 | 10 am – 5:30 pm | |
| Nigel House (250) 475-2050 | 8:30 am – 3 pm Outside of these times, please buzz for the RN on duty | No change to existing protocols. If you have questions, call us and ask to speak with Jamie (Social Worker), Hettie (Reception), or the RN on duty |
| Rest Haven Lodge (250) 656-0717 | 10 am – 5:30 pm | Non-perishable items should be dropped off at the table outside the side entrance. Perishable items may be dropped off at the table inside the front entrance. |
| Veterans Memorial Lodge (250) 658-0311 | 9 am – 7:30 pm | Please leave items on the table outside the main entrance. |
