On Business...Cowichan Bay

I made a visit to "The Island" a couple years ago on business. 

When you are living in my province, "The Island" means Vancouver Island.

There are many beautiful places in the world, but none so beautiful as this province.

If you ever get a chance to tour around these parts - make sure you visit The Island.

Project in the Works / Happy Canada Day!

 Got home from the AGM and am very pleased at the way things are going. Nice to know we, as a non-profit, are doing really well financially and continue to be not only self-sustainable but can move forward with expansion plans.

We have a project in the works for building another high-rise apartment in downtown Vancouver to supply the demand for low cost housing for seniors....which will add more than 100 extra apartments to what we already have - more than 1000 units all told.

Here is another one of our present buildings:

188 units, spectacular view......

RETIREMENT LIVING

Retirement can be a frightening thing for many people. What do you do when you finally get to that age where you retire and find you can't afford a place to stay never mind the expenses of daily living?

One of my first jobs as a nurse was the Extended Care Unit. I loved those old people as much as the babies I looked after later on in my career. There were some great stories to be told by "very experienced adults", as I like to call them.

So, it wasn't a stretch when five years ago, I became involved in a non-profit society that provides inexpensive housing for seniors.

I volunteer my time, sitting on the Board of Directors for a Non Profit Society that owns and operates 10 apartment buildings in the Vancouver/Victoria area. The "Lower Mainland" as this area is known, has some of the most expensive real estate in Canada and also one of the most expensive places to live in Canada. Unfortunately, if you are elderly, living in this area is not affordable, unless you have done some long term financial planning.

Anyone 55+ with a limited income can apply to live in our Society's apartments - some are independent living and some independent with services such as meals, laundry etc. Rents start in the $475 per month range for a studio apartment, which, in an area whose rents in a similar apartment start at double that, fills a niche that is in high demand. This shows by the length of our waiting lists.

As our population ages, there is an increasing need for Supportive Retirement Living and I am happy to serve in this small way, providing a service for the needs of the elderly.

So, today I am driving to Vancouver for our AGM. I won't be posting for a few days. Meanwhile, here is one of our buildings. It has fantastic views over the Pacific ocean. Definitely somewhere I would LOVE to live......eventually.

Maybe I could apply? :)