Berwick Retirement Communities

Last month the Active Living team took Berwick on the Lake residents to Beach Acres Resort in Parksville for a two-night stay! Residents loved sitting by the campfire and staying by the sandy beach at the resort.

Berwick on the Lake resident, Lynne, shares a special testimonial, "Every aspect of the trip was so great that it is difficult to pick a favourite part, but sharing this time with members of our 'Berwick family' stands out as a highlight for us." At Berwick our team members and residents enjoy spending quality time within our warm and welcoming community.

The Conversation No One Wants to Have! Here are 10 Things to Know Before Talking to Your Parent About Retirement Living

You’ve noticed it. Maybe it was a quiet holiday dinner, or a phone call where your mom mentioned she hadn’t spoken to anyone in three days. Maybe your dad is still in the family home, and doing fine, technically, but you can see things are starting to get neglected. You want to say something. You’re not sure how. You’re not alone. This is one of the most common conversations that adult children are navigating right now and one of the most emotionally loaded. The fear of losing independence. The attachment to a lifetime of memories. The quiet pride that says: I’m fine.

This isn’t about convincing your parent to do something they don’t want to do. It’s about having a conversation that’s grounded in sincerity, care, in honesty, and in what’s actually at stake.

Here are 10 considerations to think about before talking to your parent – click on the link below to read the detailed description for each point!

1. Start the conversation before there’s a crisis!
2. Understand what you’re actually asking them to give up
3. Name the loneliness & share the increased risk for diseases like Alzheimer’s, vascular dementia, depression, and social isolation.
4. Separate independence from isolation; they aren’t the same thing.
5. Don’t lead with fear, lead with value.
6. Make it a conversation, not a directive.
7. Go on a tour together. Let them see a community through their own eyes.
8. Bring in others when it helps
9. Acknowledge the grief, then focus on what they’ll gain
10. Remember who this is for!

https://berwickretirement.com/the-conversation-no-one-wants-to-have-10-things-to-know-before-talking-to-your-parent-about-retirement-living/

There's something truly special about sitting down to a meal where every bite tells a story of the land and sea around you!

Last week, our residents at Berwick by the Sea experienced exactly that. An intimate, reservation-only, 100-Mile Dinner on our Berwick by the Sea Crab Pond patio celebrating beautiful food and impressive local vendors.

Every element on the table was sourced with intention:
Beef Tenderloin -
Locally-caught Halibut & Prawns —
Smoked Salmon —
Blueberries —
Lavender Syrup —
Champagne —
Fresh herbs & garnishes were sourced by Chef Stephanie's from our very own Crab Pond Garden!!

A 100-mile menu is a way to honour all the local farmers, fishers, and makers who pour their heart into what they grow and catch. On Vancouver Island, we are genuinely spoiled. Amazing seafood pulled from waters we can see from our windows. Farms that tend their land with pride. Winemakers crafting something extraordinary in our own backyard.

To eat locally is to eat seasonally, sustainably, and with a sense of place that no imported ingredient can replicate. And our residents deserved every decadent bite of it.

Congratulations to the Berwick team graduating class of 2026! 🎓