Vancouver Coastal Health unveils ‘small care homes’ plan as some facilities warn funding is drying up

Vancouver Coastal Health is unveiling a new plan to create hundreds of long-term care beds for seniors in need—as some existing facilities say their funding is

Vancouver Coastal Health is rolling out a new model it says will create hundreds of additional long-term care beds for seniors across the region, but the announcement comes as some existing care facilities warn their funding situation is becoming increasingly uncertain.

The initiative, called “small care homes,” involves purchasing and converting existing houses into licensed long-term care homes—a model Vancouver Coastal Health says can expand capacity faster than building larger facilities.

“It’s really about creating that small home environment,” said Yasmin Jetha, Vancouver Coastal Health’s vice-president of community services.

“Individuals have their own room, and then there’s shared space, like a living room, kitchen, backyard, etc.”

VCH says each home will house up to 10 patients, with staff on site around the clock. The health authority says four houses have been purchased so far, and the goal is to create 200 new long-term care beds by 2029. The first three small care homes are expected to open this spring.

The model is being positioned as another option within the long-term care system, particularly for seniors who may benefit from a quieter, more home-like setting.

“Because of the pressure on the acute care system, because of the pressure on family members, this is one more option available for seniors who need long-term care and need a specialized environment,” said B.C. Seniors Advocate Dan Levitt.

However, Levitt cautioned the small home approach won’t be suitable for everyone.

“So, the medically complex senior who really needs transferring and who needs a lot of support probably wouldn’t fare well in that environment,” he said.

Jetha added it’s best suited to certain patients.

“It really works well for individuals, particularly those who might have frailty, Alzheimer’s, dementia,” she said.

The rollout comes as some organizations in the long-term care sector say they’re facing serious financial uncertainty, including Vancouver’s Louis Brier Care Home.

“Our cash is going to run out by end of March,” said CEO David Keselman.

Keselman said the facility is just weeks away from finalizing its budget, without clarity on future government funding.

“Many of us in this sector are facing significant challenges,” he said. “And here we are introducing new initiatives. And that’s great. But shouldn’t we first resolve, you know, current issues and concerns before we go ahead and invest in new initiatives?”

CTV News asked Vancouver Coastal Health about concerns raised by existing care facilities.

“We are working very closely with all of them to really understand what their cost pressures are, and to re-look at what sort of collaborative solutions can we come up with,” Jetha said.

Vancouver Coastal Health could not provide an exact cost figure for the small care homes model.