First-of-its-kind non-profit long-term care village launching in Comox

We’re on the precipice of a colossal change in seniors care – and it’s all starting at the corner of Comox Avenue and Rodello Street this summer.

For the first time in history, there are more Canadians over the age of 65 than under 14. And here in BC, almost one in four people will be over the age of 65 by 2031. There has never been a more important time to enact change in the care we provide for seniors and older adults.

Enter Providence Living at The Views, Canada’s first publicly funded, non-profit long-term care village providing a model of care that has never been implemented in Canada – until now.

Based on the concepts of a dementia village, Providence Living at The Views encourages freedom, social relationships, and access to nature.

Incorporating best practices from around the world, Providence has created a made-in-BC model of long-term care called Home for Us. It’s person-centred and focuses on emotional connections, while uncompromising on medical care, helping residents to live their best lives within an environment that feels like home.

It’s this transformative care model that inspired gifts from generous donors like Aune Foundation and Y.P. Heung Foundation, who helped the building spring to life on the site of the former St. Joseph’s Hospital.

“It’s an innovative model and a much more effective one,” says Trevor Aune, Aune Foundation’s executive director. “It really puts the residents – and their quality of life – at the centre of everything. I was inspired by this project because it’s an opportunity for people to continue living full lives.”

The physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of residents influenced the building’s design on all levels. Providence Living at The Views is organized into 13 households, each configured to accommodate up to 12 residents in private suites with their own bathroom, along with access to common areas like a kitchen and living room.

The village has a grocery store, café, playground, community centre, onsite daycare, community gardens, places for spiritual worship, and an Indigenous Gathering Space developed with the K’ómoks First Nation. This will be a true, vibrant community.

Access to the outdoors is a vital component of well-being, and residents will have ample opportunities to enjoy the natural beauty of Comox. Innovative technologies will be implemented to maximize their freedom while ensuring their safety. A village square, thanks to a generous gift from the Eldercare Foundation, will be the primary gateway into the courtyard and main street, a vibrant hub for community activities of Providence Living at The Views. It’s where the community can gather intentionally, or spontaneously run into and catch up with their neighbours.

“It’s often the simple pleasures that become most important in life,” says Tom Arnold, executive director of the Eldercare Foundation. “It’s wonderful to know that residents will have these safe, common spaces where they can get out and partake in activities that have been meaningful to them throughout their entire lives. It’s such an exciting design.”

Residents can enjoy meals and drinks with friends and family at the residence’s bistro, which is also open to the public, and its all-season barbecue pavilion, named in honour of Doug and Teri Loughran for their generous gift to the care village.

Studies show that maintaining a sense of independence and purpose plays a vital role in active, healthy aging. The 156-resident care village will be a true home for seniors and older adults – a place that recognizes residents as individuals with unique needs and interests, and provides them with opportunities for choice, spontaneity, social connections, and day-to-day activities that give their lives joy and purpose.

Comprehensive, first-of-its-kind research on the Home for Us social-relational model of care has already begun with a household pilot in Comox and Vancouver, with generosity from donors such as Conconi Family Foundation.  

Once Providence Living at The Views opens, Providence will continue to collect real-time data from residents, staff, and families to help refine the model and build more person-centred care villages.

Thanks to our generous donors, St. Paul’s Foundation has raised over $6.4 million in support of Providence Living at The Views. The new village has also been supported by Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation.

“The biggest value Providence’s new care villages will give to residents is the ability to see the village as an extension of their own home – a place that honours their values, traditions, and interests,” says Mark Blandford, president and CEO of Providence Living. “And they will see that we can convert our compassion and hard work into a day well lived for them. This is not about superficial change, but deep and lasting change.”

And this is only the beginning of what we can accomplish together. With your support, we can create an even better life for seniors and older adults on Vancouver Island, across the province, and beyond.