What is Columbus Residence?

We are a long-term care home licensed to provide nursing care for 76 individuals with complex care needs. Our residents are individuals who are no longer able to live independently at home. In addition to 24 hour nursing care, we provide all meals, laundry and housekeeping services as well as recreation, rehabilitative, spiritual care and music therapy programs along with other social activities.

We also provide 23 one bedroom apartments for independent tenants who meet the provincial criteria for subsidized housing. Applications for tenancy for these apartments are made through the B.C. Housing Registry.

 

Are you a private facility or are you publicly funded?

We are a non-profit care home founded by the Knights of Columbus Council 1081. The majority of our operating expenses are funded by the Provincial Government and the remaining costs are funded by monthly user fees paid directly by the residents living here.

 

Do you offer dementia care services?

Yes. Our Special Care Unit, for residents with Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia, is located on our fourth floor. This floor is secured and features a beautiful outdoor garden patio. There is also a separate dining area for residents living on this floor. Staff working on this floor are trained in dementia care and are very experienced in working in this special environment.

 

Are rooms private or shared?

All of our resident rooms are private except for one which is shared by two residents. Each room has a two-piece ensuite bathroom.

 

May residents bring their own furnishings with them when they move in?

All of our rooms come fully furnished with an electric bed, a desk and a nightstand with a lockable drawer. Apart from the bed which must remain, we encourage residents to decorate their bedroom suites with their own familiar furnishings, artwork, photos and other personal items to create a space that is uniquely their own.

 

Do you have a rooms available now or is there a waitlist?

All admissions to Columbus Residence are managed by Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). Clients must be assessed by a case manager at VCH to determine if they meet the eligibility criteria for long-term care services. Unfortunately, we are not able to advise you if you will be assigned to Columbus Residence or where you are placed on the general waitlist. Contact your case manager at VCH for more information. See our Admissions page for more information and for links to Vancouver Coastal Health.

 

How much does it cost to live at Columbus Residence?

The provincial government sets the monthly user fee rates based on income. The co-payment rate for long-term care clients is 80% of the individual’s annual after tax income, subject to minimum and maximum rates. The rate determined for you will be provided to you by your VCH case manager prior to admission to Columbus Residence. For more information on costs, please refer to VCH’s Residential Care Information Guide.

 

VCH’s Information on Residential Care

 

What is a Resident Trust/Comfort Account?

When you move into Columbus Residence, residents need to establish a comfort or trust account. The purpose of this account is to provide residents with a source from which they can make small cash withdrawals as well as conveniently make payments for services such as hairdressing, non-prescription pharmacy items, drycleaning, guest meals, tuck shop purchases, etc. An account statement is issued monthly.

 

What are the visiting hours?

There are no restrictions on visiting hours at Columbus Residence. This is our residents’ home and their visitors are free to come and go, as long as they respect the community’s need for privacy and/or quietness at certain times.

 

What about pet visitors?

Family and friends are welcome to bring their well-behaved and friendly pets with them when they visit.

 

May residents invite a guest to join them for a meal?

Yes, residents may invite family and friends to join them for a meal. Guest meals may be purchased through our Front Office or deducted directly from the resident’s comfort fund if that is more convenient. We appreciate 24 hours advance notice for all guest meals. Family and friends are welcome to join residents at our daily afternoon tea at any time (there is no charge for afternoon tea guests and no advance notice required).

 

Is there visitor parking available?

Due to limited internal building parkade space we are not able to offer on-site parking to visitors. Visitors must find available street parking.

Columbus Residence is located within the Marine Drive Permit Parking Zone. As a result there is only limited street parking outside of our building on the south side of West 69th Avenue and the west side of Ash Street between the hours of 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Mon-Sat). Please use the link to the permit zone to locate the available street parking in our area.

Our front driveway and courtyard area is reserved to allow access for emergency vehicles, Handi-Dart & taxis, our bus, and family drop offs and pickups only.

As a courtesy to our residents and tenants, visitor are asked to turn off their car’s engine when stopping to drop off or pick up from our Front Courtyard.

 

What are your policies regarding alcoholic beverages and smoking?

If it is a resident’s practice to consume moderate amounts of alcoholic beverages, there is no need to change this practice. If there are medical reasons why a change should be made, we will cooperate with the doctor, the family and the resident. To view our policy regarding the service of liquor, please view our Service of Liquor PDF.

Columbus Residence is a smoke free premise.  Smoking is not permitted anywhere inside the building or outside on Columbus Residence property.  If agreeable to resident, we will assist them in a Smoking Cessation program.