FAQ

You are not required or permitted to purchase a suite when you choose to live at a Berwick community. We offer Independent Living in a monthly package of accommodation rental (an unfurnished suite that you can decorate to suit your tastes) and hospitality services, which includes chef-prepared meals, housekeeping, life-enriching wellness programs, transportation services and 24/7 emergency response.

Our comprehensive monthly package includes your suite rental and hospitality services. Heat, hydro, air-conditioning, telephone and basic cable TV/Internet are included (on-site parking is extra). You will enjoy delicious meals prepared by our Executive Chef and their team; weekly housekeeping with linen and towel laundry service; a full program of wellness programs for body, mind and spirit; and on-site emergency response 24/7.

At Berwick, we offer month-to-month rental accommodation, so you don’t have to worry about signing a one-year lease, and we only require a calendar month’s notice if you need to end the tenancy.

Your monthly rental package includes all your heat, hydro, air-conditioning, telephone, basic cable TV and Internet. Residents who wish to access additional cable television channels can have those services added. WiFi is available in most common areas and lounges in our residences.

An excellent question, and one we can only partly answer. We can provide you with up to date information on our current costs, but we recommend that you consult your financial planner, bank manager and/or family to determine whether or not your income is sufficient. You may be surprised when you calculate what it actually costs for you to remain in your existing home when you factor in utilities, groceries, insurance, taxes, housekeeping and garden help, transportation and all the other many expenses you may incur to keep your present home running well.

Our current rate for a second occupant in a suite is $800 per month. A second occupant could be a spouse, partner, sibling, other relative or friend who is sharing your suite with you. A studio or Brio Care Suite is not suitable for more than one occupant.

No need to worry. You can feel confident that help will be there when you need it. There are first aid trained emergency responders on duty in our residences 24/7. You will be provided with a pendant to use if you have an emergency such as a fall or chest pain, etc. By pressing your pendant, you will send an alert directly to the responder who will come to find you and assess what needs to happen next. If necessary, our responders will start first aid, call for an ambulance or contact your family.

Our program of Enhanced Living Services is available to provide residents with additional support if residents require some extra help to maintain their privacy and independence. These services will be scheduled into their daily routine through a support plan that is designed to meet residents’ needs. Additional services may include such things as medication reminders, assistance with bathing, dressing and grooming, eye drops, escort to appointments, etc. Enhanced Living Services can be used short term (during recovery from illness or surgery) or on-going should residents’ personal status change. Enhanced Living Services cannot provide on-call or 24-hour nursing care. Enhanced Living Services are delivered and billed in units of 15 minutes.

Berwick’s Brio Care Suites offer a supportive care option when residents need more than our Enhanced Living Services can provide. At Brio our team of licensed nurses and professional care aids offer on-going support, comfort and care around the clock. Brio Care Suites are located at our residences at Royal Oak and Gordon Head in Victoria, BC. Brio Care can be accessed for respite, short-term stays and post-hospital recovery assistance. Please contact your nearest Berwick for additional information about Brio Care.

Financial subsidies, which are administered through Island Health or Interior Health, are only available for Assisted Living and Complex or Residential Care in facilities with which Island Health has a working relationship. Subsidies go with the suite, not the resident. Berwick does not have subsidized suites in any of its locations.

Yes! We encourage your family and friends to enjoy our delicious meals and extraordinary service as your guests. We can accommodate your guests at lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch for a small charge. Simply make a reservation at Reception and our Dining Room Supervisor will reserve the perfect spot for you. For special occasions, or when family or friends wish to have a private get-together, we recommend our Private Dining Room as a special place to create great memories.

Absolutely! We love pets and our communities are all pet-friendly. Berwick also loves visiting pets, but in non-food service areas. For further information, please contact your nearest Berwick community.

Meals are served in all dining venues, and we provide delicious, nourishing food in a congenial, social setting for residents and guests to enjoy. From time to time, it may be more expedient for a resident to dine in the privacy of their own suite. If you are experiencing illness or infection, we can arrange for you to have a meal tray in your suite, and all residents are eligible to receive five free complimentary days per month for illness. Additional meal trays for illness can be delivered for a charge of $6.50 per tray. 

At other times residents may wish to dine in their own suite to accommodate an appointment or activity (Monday night football with family or Oscar Night!). On those occasions, residents may come to the Bistro and receive a meal in a to-go container, or pick up a quick meal from the Grab ‘n Go area.

All Berwick property is designated as “non-smoking.” This includes our residents’ suites, guest suites, corridors, elevators and all common areas inside the building, our gardens, balconies, patios, walkways and parking areas. If you’re anywhere on Berwick property, both you and your guests will be expected to comply with our “non-smoking” policy.

Our month-to-month tenancy means that suite availability can change very quickly. The more flexible you are regarding the size and location of your suite at Berwick, the less time you will have to wait to move in with us. If you’re interested in moving to a Berwick community, we recommend you contact us as soon as possible.

Our Community Relations team members are here to introduce you to our Berwick lifestyle and provide all the information you need to make an informed decision. You may contact any of our Berwick locations directly by phone, email or through our website and arrange to visit at a time that fits in with your schedule.

Come and meet the residents and team members, check out our beautiful purpose-built spaces and amenities that provide the foundation on which residents can create their ideal life, one characterized by freedom, choice, and independence. Have a good look around at our common areas and gardens; you may even choose to come for lunch! We want to provide you with all the right information, so you can make a decision that works for you. Family and friends are also welcome to join you when you visit.

Absolutely! We have a really great program offered to residents that gives them 10 free days to stay at the other Berwicks in British Columbia. What a great excuse to travel or go on a road trip!

Yes. All of our eight Berwick communities have at least one guest suite available so that friends, family members or other residents of other Berwick communities can come and visit.

We have our Berwick Bus and our BAT (Berwick About Town) courtesy car. We have frequent outings and adventures on the bus, and the BAT Car can offer transportation to and from appointments such as medical appointments and shopping.