It seems as though the quality of care has diminished considerably since Retirement Concepts was…read morepurchased from China's Anbang Insurance Group last year. The amount of staff is lacking and the staff that are there are good, but getting overworked! The meals need to be improved and more options and laundry service needs to be better. It has been mentioned to me that some residents' family/friends, take their laundry and do it themselves. Ridiculous for the amount of that is taken from the residents' incomes.

The first thing you notice about Nanaimo Memory and Complex Care is the warm, friendly atmosphere…read morein pleasant, airy surroundings. Every member of the staff knows the names of all the residents, and greets them by name each time they encounter them. The staff constantly make every effort to care for, and support the residents - often under difficult circumstances, and they do an an outstanding job. My husband has been in the facility for ten months, and knowing that he is getting the best of care goes some way towards giving me peace of mind.

As people age, and particularly as a married couple, the prospects of where they can reside when…read morethey have different physical and cognitive needs looms in front of them in terms of the prospect of their ability to live together as a couple, in the same apartment or room, and share the same bed. In British Columbia, few facilities afford that option, generally, the couples end up separated and although they might be in the same place, they are not able to sleep together or even be in the same building. Particularly in the Greater Nanaimo area, as we searched for a "together home" for our friends, there was only one. That care facility was the Nanaimo Memory Clinic. They have simply been amazing in their willingness to be flexible and provide our friends with the ability to keep their dignity and happiness as a couple in their final home.... together. The quality of care from the staff and management is awesome. The surroundings and the food and all services remind one of a resort. I would like to recommend that anyone who has friends or relatives that would require a very personalized situation for care contact the Nanaimo Memory Clinic. You will not be disappointed! Jack Arnold/ Tammie Green

Review of Long Lake Château - A Disheartening and Hurtful Experience…read more Our experience with Long Lake Château has been deeply upsetting and disappointing. My aunt, who is living with Alzheimer's, was accepted into this independent living facility--a decision we hoped would bring her safety and support. Unfortunately, the opposite has been true. At the time of her admission, there were no long-term care homes available, and my aunt was placed on a waitlist for more appropriate medical support. Long Lake Château accepted her knowing her condition was precarious and that she required more assistance than a typical resident. We trusted they were up to the task. That trust was misplaced. While in their care, my aunt contracted lice. Instead of approaching the situation with compassion and understanding, the facility charged her an outrageous $8,000 in cleaning fees--a devastating cost for someone on a fixed pension income. They then repeatedly tried to withdraw these funds, causing over $1,000 in NSF charges from her account. After my aunt suffered a fall and was hospitalized, she could no longer remain at the facility. Rather than express concern for her well-being, Long Lake Château began aggressively pursuing payment--despite knowing that the sale of her condo (which would help cover these costs) has not yet closed. We continue to be hounded by messages, demands, and payment threats. Not once have they asked how my aunt is doing. Not a single well wish. No empathy, no humanity--just invoices and pressure. This year has been incredibly hard for our family, and Long Lake Château has made it even harder. It feels like they operate as a for-profit business first, care facility second--with little to no real investment in the health and dignity of the seniors who live there. To families considering this facility: Please be cautious. What you see on the surface may not reflect the reality once your loved one is vulnerable or in need of extra care.

Our experience with Longlake Chateau (October 2020 to January 2021) and its staff was horrific. The…read moregoal of this place seems simply to separate seniors from their money. The marketing agent will be relentless. With no interview or assessment process in place to see if a resident is an appropriate fit, her goal seems to be to get anyone with money into the spare rooms. Our 89-year-old relative suffered some health complications that left her with temporary mobilization difficulties. As a result, she spent all her time sitting on her couch in her room. No one knocked on the door to see if she was adjusting well. (They have a "hospitality manager", who was conspicuously absent at all times.) Bland meals were dropped off at the door, with no one noting that they were being returned uneaten. The manager claimed that the room was being cleaned regularly, but the reality was that the carpet didn't see a vacuum during the first two weeks of her stay. The garbage can ended up overfilling so badly that we took the garbage home with us after a visit. For any senior, moving into a different residence - be it independent living or not - can be stressful. You'd think an occasional knock on the door might be the human thing to do. Maybe see if she needed help with the TV or walk her into walking to the common room. They definitively showed their true colours when, after only two weeks, our relative's health took a turn and she ultimately ended up in palliative care. Two weeks of residency cost her ten weeks of rent. Not a hint of help from their Community Business Director and little sympathy from the manager. No break for the meals missed. Charging for housekeeping that was inadequate. In fairness, it could have been worse, as their first demand was to hold her to the full twelve weeks, ($10K from a senior on a fixed pension). If a senior becomes palliative during their initial three-month contract period, would be nice to see a bit of compassion. But compassion and caring are not what Longlake Chateau and Atria are about, and the dollar is the bottom line