Providence Living at The Views

St. Joseph’s Hospital was built in the early 1900s and served as the community’s hospital for over a century. Today, the site is home to The Views at St. Joseph’s, a long-term care home owned and operated by Providence Living. The physical building reflects the standards of the day in which it was built, providing shared accommodations for as many as four people to one room. Inside the walls of The Views, staff provide great care, nurturing the residents’ physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Providence Living and its visionary leaders have taken hold of the opportunity to rebuild The Views and, together with Island Health, government, UBC, St. Paul’s Foundation (the Vancouver-based philanthropic partner of Providence Living) and Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation are bringing a groundbreaking new model for long-term care to our community. What is emerging will positively influence seniors’ care across British Columbia and beyond. The new building will be called Providence Living at the Views.

The vision is based on a model of care that originated in the Netherlands and is referred to as a Dementia Village. Embracing the concept of home, residents will be supported to engage in independent and meaningful lives to the full extent of their ability. They will have freedom of movement and access to nature. The care model will provide opportunities for spontaneity, community engagement and intergenerational connection. The two-storey building, which expects to welcome its first residents in 2024/25, will be home to 156 people whose residences will be organized into small, self-contained households of 12 private suites. It will continue to be owned and operated by Providence Living, a not-for-profit organization.

This is an exciting time. Comox Valley Healthcare Foundation is working with St. Paul’s Foundation to help fund the new facility and its new model for long-term care. Your local healthcare foundation is excited about what this means for seniors and families in our community and beyond.

Our giving options span broadly from funding research to funding a garden, a kitchen or way-finding signage.

While the rebuild is underway, The Views remains dedicated to excellent care for all residents within the original building.

To learn about our current fundraising for The Views and its rebuild, visit our Priorities page.