Interview with Berwick Parksville resident, Chris Neeter

My life changed when I moved into Berwick Parksville. I had been very active with Newcomers. I was the chair of the Events Committee and was due to graduate from Newcomers. I had a good social life, and then, like everybody else, got affected by COVID. I had all sorts of plans for after graduating from Newcomers because you can only be in for a certain number of years. But then, with being restricted as a single person to not mixing with other people, I was feeling pretty desperate as far as not having any social life face-to-face.

I’d heard about Berwick, and I knew Karina, our Community Relations Manager, from another area, and started going to meetings, and thought, this is going to offer me exactly what I want. I signed up. I was one of the first group that moved in here in July, 2022. It was like a whole different life now because I could sit with people and have coffee, I could sit with people for lunch or dinner, and I wasn’t restricted the way I had before. There was so much more social life going on with the different amenities as well.

I was thrilled to see that we have a theater with a stage because I’ve always been involved in the arts, and I love live theater. We started a drama group last year, and we performed one show last year and one this year, and we’re in the process of doing another one that will be performed in January. Because this is our generation, it’s stage reading. We have our scripts there if we need them, but we’re not totally off-book, as they call it, which I think attracts people to join us because there’s not so much stress, since they don’t have to learn lots and lots of lines.

I also enjoy different games. We have a very diverse gym which has all sorts of exercise classes every day. There’s a different one every day and high-class equipment. It’s anything from move and groove to bean bag toss, table tennis, you name it, probably we’re doing it.

Because we have quarterly meetings with our active living team, the residents get a chance to say if there’s something that they want to do, go somewhere, or have an activity they want to do. Many of the activities that are now in place are ones that the residents have suggested.

The sense of community is great. Everybody comments on the fact that they love the idea that you can sit with different people when you go for meals. You don’t have to sit at the same table, and you don’t have to go at the same time. For me, as a single person, I often sit at a table and see who comes to join me. That works really well for me.

We have a great ambassador system here. It’s a great way to introduce people. Community relations tries to match up people that are coming in with current ambassadors so that if they’ve got something in common, they will introduce them to different people and take them for a couple of meals, depending on what the new resident wants to do and how comfortable they are. Some feel comfortable after the first meal, and some like company for a bit longer, or they might take them to different activities.

At this stage, where we’ve now been open for more than two years, some people might feel intimidated because a lot of people already know everybody. But because we have the ambassador system, I think that really helps.

Staff at Berwick Parksville are absolutely amazing. Top to bottom, I’ve never come across a staff member throughout the whole building that wasn’t impressive. Anybody that we talk to in here is amazed. Anybody that I bring in as guests is amazed as well. The attention to detail. As Nick, our general manager, says, we’re a family. Everybody knows everybody’s names.

In the dining room, if you have some of the same wait staff, they know that you like decaf coffee or you want regular coffee, or this is what you want to start off your meal. Housekeeping is amazing. The front office is really helpful. Active living, maintenance, you name it. I think they’ve done a first-class job in staffing here. I think that makes a huge difference.

I live in Parksville. I like the fact that this was brand new. I’ve not actually personally lived anywhere brand new, so for me, that was attractive. I can walk most places.

I actually gave up my car when I moved in here, and the reason for that was because the insurance was due. I looked at how often I would be using it because there is a bus stop right outside that will take us into Qualicum Beach, 10 minutes away, or into Nanaimo, where there’s a shopping center, maybe half an hour away. But we also have the BAT car, which is the Berwick About Town car, and that’s available to drive us three days a week by appointment. Medical appointments come first, but if I want to go to the hairdresser, they will take me. So between those and friends and walkability, it suits me perfectly for this particular community.

I like the vibe that this one has been decorated in. Chris and Gordon Denford, who came up with the concept of the Berwicks, have a different decorating theme for each one. Because we’re close to the ocean here, it’s more of a beachy theme, and that appeals to me, too. It’s very light and airy.

The fact that we’ve got three different places to choose to eat each day, with choices in each, how can you go wrong with that?

It was easy. Because it was after the pandemic and there were supply shortages for everything, things were a little delayed, but the staff was amazing in helping and everything went really smoothly.

We’ve seen a lot of changes since our first small group moved in because it wasn’t complete at that time. The landscaping hadn’t been done and various other areas. We’ve noticed a lot of changes, and it’s just wonderful. I’m glad I came when I did.

For any prospective new people, sometimes different people help out by going around with the tours, because that way, if the prospective new residents have any questions, they can ask us from our experience, and I think that’s a great addition to community relations.

For anybody who says, oh, it’s so expensive, if you look at what your costs are, particularly since the pandemic, when food and electricity and things like that have gone up so much, it really isn’t that much different. As I said to my financial planners, when considering it, this is a lifestyle that really, really appeals to me.

We have an art studio now as well. We have outdoor areas and pickleball courts and all the different activities. We have the opportunity to go on different bus trips, and so they may be to a concert or a show. We also have performers here in our theater. There literally is nothing that I can think of that I’d like to see that we don’t have.

Pretty much right away. I think because there were 26 of us, I think, who moved in at the same time, that was almost a bonding thing right away. Because not everybody knew everybody else at that point, it was very comforting.

Definitely look into it. Before I came here, a friend took me into Nanaimo to look at a couple of other places that weren’t Berwick. She kept saying to me, well, it’s near a shopping mall. I thought, well, I don’t go to a shopping mall myself much. Why would I choose to find a place just for that? In some of those places, people seemed older. I also think I didn’t want to be in a place where I had to sit at the same table all the time with somebody and not be able to change, because what happens if you don’t get on with those as well?

I like the fact that we have light housekeeping as well. You can choose if you want to make your own bed or if they just take the sheets and towels for you. It’s just nice to have that opportunity.

There are so many places to eat and so many different activities. In fact, sometimes you have to choose what you want to do because there are two different things on at the same time that you want to do. But it’s the only way they can get them into the calendar, knowing that not everybody likes the same things. The variety that we have is amazing.

For me, coming in from a condo, it was easier, I think, than for some people who might have a house. However, as we get to our age, and I’m one of the younger ones, I think people are finding that taking care of the yard and taking care of maintenance of a house is proving to be possibly too much. For us, this works out really, really well to have that opportunity. We do have parking here as well if you want to keep your car, but really, I don’t know that you use it that much.

I think for somebody coming in or considering it, they should come for a tour and then have an opportunity maybe to ask questions of residents, but come back for another tour if you’re not quite sure, because there may be things that you didn’t notice the first time around or things that you want to ask. Make a list of the pros and cons. Oftentimes, as in life, when you’re trying to make a decision, that sometimes is the best way because are you making a decision with your head or your heart? A lot of times, our hearts take over. But if you’ve put down the pros and cons and really worked out the costs and what you’re paying currently, I think that will show you that this is a great idea.

I think sometimes when there’s been so much in the last couple of years, where there have been different viruses going around, that has affected staffing sometimes, as it has also affected residents. Some people—not myself, because I understand—get a little impatient if they have to wait a bit longer for their meal or something like that. But the best part about that is that if you’re not well and you’re confined to your room, you can have meals delivered. That’s a great thing, too, because certainly as a single person, if you’re by yourself and you’re not feeling great, you don’t want to have to cook something for yourself and then clean up afterwards.

My biggest challenge is having put on a bit of weight because of the food, because it’s good. But I really can’t think of challenges otherwise.

I think because we’re so vibrant that we have people in the community who would put people 20 years younger to shame with how active they are. That certainly helps. That rubs off on everybody, I think, when you’ve got such a vibrant community who are enjoying this situation.

We’ve had a few instances, unfortunately, where a spouse has passed away, and the remaining spouse has been so thankful to have the community, and literally, it’s a family community around for support that they may not have had elsewhere. Because in some instances, someone else in the building has gone through that, they can understand. They give us the space to either take some time to yourself or embrace the community of others to give support. I think that’s one of the bonuses for people who are couples here. For singles, if they’re sick for any length of time, friends will stay in touch and ask, how are you doing? Can I bring up anything to leave at the door? It’s a whole different system from outside.

I probably would have done it sooner, which I would never have thought of. For me, the blessing about COVID was that I got to move in here. It actually wasn’t even on my radar at that time. I think knowing what I know now, I might have decided sooner. Once I started the process of coming to meetings, I wanted to be 100% sure because it’s such a big change in anybody’s life. I think the fact that in some cases you get the opportunity to come and stay in the guest suite for a couple of days to decide if you like the environment is really helpful.

Do your research for several different ones. Have visits, ask lots of questions, and if you get a chance, as I say, to have more than one visit, and if you get a chance to talk to any of the residents there and get their viewpoint, sometimes that’s easier than others doing a tour. But I think certainly from what I’ve seen and heard from other places, I would rate Berwick as the top, and I’m glad that I chose them.