Moving Into Long-Term Care

Publicly Subsidized/Funded Care

Contact your local Home & Community Care/Health Authority to book an appointment. Only a case manager, hospital discharge, or transition services coordinator can help you find out if you qualify for subsidized Long-Term Care.
Home & Community Care Manager completes a health care needs assessment, determining needs and eligibility.
Once accepted, we recommend you tour several local communities before making a decision on your preferred choice(s). You may need an appointment to tour, so it is best to call ahead.
You may be offered to move to an interim community if your preferred choice is not available. You will maintain your spot on the preferred waitlist. Once your preferred location becomes available, you will be given an option to accept and move location or decline it and stay at your current community.
When offered a bed in your preferred community, you will be expected to move with very short notice – often within 48 hours of a bed becoming available.

Private Pay Care

Contact your preferred community (https://siennaliving.ca/long-term-continuing-care/british-columbia/) to discuss the services you require and to schedule a tour. The team will be happy to assist you directly or connect you with a Community Relations Specialist who can work with you to find the most appropriate private pay suite within our complement of communities in BC. They are also a great resource for navigating long-term care in general and are happy to assist with any questions.
If you decide private pay care is the right decision for you, our team will meet with you for an assessment, ensuring we understand your care needs and advise if the services we provide are aligned with the care you require.
Once accepted, our team will work with you directly to schedule the details and timing for your transition. If we do not have immediate availability, you will have the option to be added to our wait list.

Requirements to be Eligible for Long-Term Care

To be eligible for publicly subsidized long-term care you must:

Have a healthcare need that requires 24-hour nursing and personal care
Be a citizen of Canada or have permanent status, or be a landed immigrant or are on a Minister’s permit approved by the Ministry of Health
Be 19 years of age or older
Have lived in BC for ninety (90) days or longer
Agree to the assessment process, including the release of financial information
Have tried all of the avenues available for receiving care at home

To be eligible for private pay long-term care you must:

Be a citizen of Canada or have permanent status, or be a landed immigrant or are on a Minister’s permit approved by the Ministry of Health
Be 19 years of age or older
Agree to the assessment process and have the financial means to pay for private pay care independently, or through other third parties, i.e. Veterans Affairs or Health Insurance