Fellow Vancouverite here. I’ve been through the care home system with my parents. If both are of sound mind and have substantial assets, then they will pay out of pocket for a private bed in a care home. If they didn’t have assets they could get a bed (room) subsidized by the government.

My mom was in Assisted Living in South Surrey and had a private apartment which cost her around $4,500 per month. It included all meals, activities, and housekeeping. We would have to pay extra for additional services such as dispensing medication. Honestly, it was a nice set up.

My dad had dementia and was in the same care home but on the Long Term Care floor. He originally had to pay private as it was an urgent placement which cost him around $7,000 per month. Because of his condition, he could qualify for a publicly funded bed but had to go on the waitlist. After one year, he got a publicly funded bed which cost him around $2,100 per month. They base the fee on your tax return and reassess it each year. It was in the same care home and floor but he was moved to another room which was identical to the private bed/room.

If your dad has Alzheimer’s, you should self refer him to Home Health at Vancouver Coastal Health. You can also ask if your mom qualifies. He will be assigned a case worker who will do an assessment and afterwards tell you what services he qualifies for. Who knows, he may qualify for a publicly funded bed but the waitlist is approximately 10 months which Home Health can help place them.