We’re getting excited — and we still need your help!
Wendy can’t wait to move in.
You may remember Wendy from prior years’ features. She’s super excited about moving to her new Home! She’d like to ask you to help the people who live at Nigel House get the equipment and furniture they need to put the nishing touches on this beautiful space. Inside, you can read stories about some of her neighbours at Nigel House, and how each of them contributes to the Broadmead Care family. Stories by Je Bell, the Times Colonist.
Jimmy is looking forward to having his own room
With a newer, larger Nigel House set to be completed next June or July, the current Home’s longest-term resident is excited about making the move.
e new building is steadily taking shape next door to the present Home, which dates back to the 1970s and wasn’t built for its use as a complexcare residence. ere were updates in the 1990s, but even they are inadequate now.
James Trendell, 68, has lived at Nigel House for 32 years. Known as Jimmie by some, he came to Nigel House a er living in a series of foster homes when he was younger.
He currently shares a room, and is looking forward to having his own space when the new building opens.
“To have your own room I think is a big deal,” said recreational therapist Rob Richter, who has worked at Nigel House for 27 years, and says he and Trendell have developed a close bond.
“It’s a unique relationship with health care, I would say,” he said. “Very seldom do you get to be with your clients for that length of time.”
Trendell has multiple conditions including cerebral palsy and is nonverbal, but is able to communicate with an iPad, said Richter.
“He can’t speak but he’s very much part of the community here.”
e people who live at Nigel House range in age from 23 to 74, and have varying levels of disability. ey receive 24-hour care, and most use wheelchairs.
Trendell likes to get out and go for walks with Richter, especially when communal dog Clover comes along.
“One of our favourite things to do is go and look at the new Nigel House and see the progress,” Richter said.
Trendell also likes being on the Galloping Goose and Lochside trails, which are nearby, and enjoys special events that bring everybody at Nigel House together.
“Halloween is, I would say, his favourite,” Richter said.
Trendell dressed up as the Joker for the Nigel House Halloween party.
Richter said that Trendell has done a lot of volunteering over the years, including at the Beacon Hill Park petting zoo and the SPCA.
“He loves animals,” Richter said. “He’s always giving money to the SPCA.”
“To have your own room I think is a big deal.”
– Rob, Recreational Therapist
Mandy Parker, vice-president of philanthropy and communications for Broadmead Care — which owns and runs Nigel House — said one section of the new Nigel House already has the windows in and drywalling is underway, while the long-term care side has overhead li s in place.
“ ey’re coming along really nicely in terms of construction,” she said. “We’ve been through and it looks tremendous.”
e rst few oors of the six-storey complex in particular are starting to have a more nished look, Parker said. “ ey’re working from the bottom up.”
e $50-million project — a partnership between Broadmead Care
and B.C. Housing — got underway in March 2022 o Vernon Avenue, between Saanich Road and Ravine Way.
While the old building has 26 residents, the replacement will have room for 41 people needing complex care, as well as 37 independent-living units and 10 units of a ordable housing.
With construction progressing well at the new site, attention has turned
to a campaign to raise $1.5 million for furnishings, xtures and equipment that will enhance people’s safety and comfort — things like custom-designed beds and communication devices.
e campaign includes a focus on “inclusion and dignity” for the younger adults who will live there, Broadmead Care said.
PHOTO:
Steve’s pumped for more space for residents’ activities
Resident Stephen Cornock is known around Nigel House for his quirky sense of humour, and for being up for anything.
“Every now and then he just blurts out silly things to people that come out of nowhere,” said his mother, Dawn Stewart.
She said he likes to be involved in pretty much whatever comes up at the complex-care Home, from board games to bowling and poker. “He gets along with everybody.”
Stewart, speaking on behalf of her son because he has limited ability to talk, said he has progressive multiple
sclerosis and possibly su ered a stroke at some point, as well.
Now 44, he was on his own until his early 30s, but when he was diagnosed with MS, his symptoms came on quickly, she said.
Nigel House has been his home for about a year and a half. His mother was his caregiver for a long time, but he eventually needed a place like Nigel House where people are looked a er 24 hours a day.
ose who live at Nigel House are a unique population that can’t live at home, can’t work and require specialized care, said Mandy Parker, vice-president of philanthropy and communications for Nigel House owner/operator Broadmead Care.
ey have a range of physical and mental challenges, so recreational therapist Rob Richter said the goal is to ensure their activities make the most of their abilities. “ ey’re treated with respect and they get a lot of individual attention.”
Now residents are looking forward to expanded options as a bigger, better version of the existing 1970s-era building is constructed on an adjacent site. Work began in 2022 o Vernon Avenue, between Saanich Road and Ravine Way.
e new Home will provide people such as Stephen a lot more space and amenities, Parker said.
Right now, he goes to the gym twice a week in an exercise area with limited equipment, but the new building will have a large space dedicated to physical tness.
It will also o er improved access to the outdoors, with pathways that lead to both open and covered patios.
Getting to nearby places like the Lochside Regional Trail and the Uptown shopping centre will be easier, as well.
A $1.5-million campaign is currently underway for furnishings, equipment and other needs at the new Nigel House, a $50-million project that brings together Broadmead Care and B.C. Housing.
“ e fundraising is going very nicely,” Parker said. “We’ve seen some great support but we still need more. Every donation helps.”
e plan to replace Nigel House goes back several years. Even back then, the narrow halls, elevators that are too small for wheelchairs and other limitations in the building were already an issue.
Renovation was considered but it was decided that too many major repairs were needed.
When the new building is completed, there will be room for 41 complex-care residents, up from 26 currently, along with 37 independentliving units and 10 units of a ordable housing.
Broadmead Care chief executive o cer Derrick Bernardo has said it will be a “beautiful, sustainable, integrated community.”
“The goal is to ensure their activities make the most of their abilities.”
– Rob, Recreational Therapist
Anticipation builds for Island’s unique Home
When completed, the new Nigel House is expected to have private rooms for everyone, overhead li s in every room and the ability to use the latest technological advances, such as voiceactivated lighting, says the executive director of the Home.
e building, now under construction next to the existing Home near Saanich Municipal Hall, is expected to be nished next summer.
Nicola Murray said everyone is looking forward to the new Home, noting the existing one, which was built in the 1970s, is quite dark and full of small spaces that are awkward for wheelchairs.
“ e new building, the ceiling height, it’s going to bring in a lot of light, and common areas are all together.”
Murray said Nigel House, which provides care for adults with brain injuries, neurological disorders and
genetic disabilities, is “really one of the only organizations on the Island that supports this population.”
“Nigel House... is really one of the only organizations on the Island that supports this population. ”
– Nicola, Nigel House Executive Director
Its 26 complex-care residents range in age from 23 to 74, with the average stay 12 years. e new Home will have room for 41 complex-care residents, along with 37 independent-living units and 10 units of a ordable housing.
e new building will have a private room for everybody — right now six people are doubled up — and considerably improved technology and access to therapy, Murray said.
“Having individualized space will mean a lot to them — they’re very excited about that.”
e majority use power wheelchairs and require overhead li s to get out of bed, but only a small number of the current bedrooms have li s that are built-in, she said.
ose that are available frequently break down, Murray said.
“My understanding is the new Nigel House will have li s in every bedroom, and that the tracks will be regressed into the ceiling to ensure a more home-like feeling for our people.”
ere will also be more activity areas, instead of a single lounge that serves as a gym, TV room, activity room and conference room. “We kind of put it all in together,” Murray said. “It’s not ideal.”
New technological advances like voiceactivated lighting are harder to install than they would be at a new facility, she said.
Air conditioning can also be problematic because the electrical system is so old.
e $50-million replacement project is on schedule, under the close watch of many of the people who live and work at Nigel House during their outings, which take them to the nearby Galloping Goose and Lochside trails and the Uptown shopping centre across Vernon Avenue.
e project is a partnership between Broadmead Care — which owns and operates Nigel House — and B.C. Housing.
ere have been fundraising projects along the way for key aspects of the new building, with the latest a $1.5-million campaign for furnishings, xtures and pieces of equipment.
at includes installing overhead li s in bedrooms, expected to cost a total of $205,000 — $5,000 per room.
Also needed are 15 electric beds at $2,800 each, and 15 specialty mattresses at $670 each.
Volunteers are being sought, as well, for tasks such as being a companion for residents to help get them to medical sessions and other appointments.
For more information about the Nigel House project, visit broadmeadcare. com/nigel-house-donations/
PHOTO: DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST
Kyle’s using his computer skills to help others
The youngest resident at Nigel House, a Saanich complexcare Home, is also the most adept with computers — and is using his knowledge of programming to help two of his peers with physical challenges.
Twenty-four-year-old Kyle, who did not want to use his last name, has been at Nigel House since the summer of 2022 a er an unknown condition le him unable to walk or stand.
It began with having trouble with coordination and movement while he was a student at the University of Victoria, majoring in computer science and psychology.
e precise cause of his symptoms has yet to be determined.
“We’ve kind of gone on a diagnostic odyssey,” Kyle said. “ ey’ve determined that there’s a problem with my spinal cord and it’s likely from a genetic disorder.”
He said he spends much of his time working with computers and electronics, and is currently trying to develop a
system for a pair of residents so that they can write using their eyes.
“Right now it works with head movements by using a webcam, but I’m trying to expand that by tracking eye movements,” he said. “It’s coming along.”
e exibility of sta to meet individual needs and depart from the daily schedule as things arise has been crucial to his e orts, he said.
“I very much want to underline this would not be possible in a lot of care homes elsewhere.”
Life was normal before his symptoms began, Kyle said, although he had some minor issues that now seem to have been linked to his present state.
He said he was active and enjoyed running.
Kyle said his family is mainly in Edmonton, and while he has lived all over B.C., he considers Victoria his home.
He said he hasn’t decided whether he will try to get back to his studies.
“I probably need a little bit of time.”
Finding Nigel House was lucky, since people with his issues at his young age don’t have a lot of options, he said.
“ ere actually aren’t really places for people like me, not many at all, so I spent a long time in the hospital where I didn’t need to be,” he said. “I just didn’t have a place to go to.”
A few other Nigel House residents had a similar experience before arriving there, he said. “I’m not the only one in that boat.”
He said Nigel House is not what he originally thought of in terms of his long-term care, but it has worked out well.
“ ey have been very exible in adapting to my evolving needs and they have also been supporting me in having a life apart from all of this.”
He has maintained a level of independence that some of his fellow residents don’t have, and gets out of the Home o en in his electric wheelchair, using regular buses as well as HandyDART service to get where he wants to go.
His outings involve things like spending time with friends, some of them from his time at UVic, and getting to meetings of his chess club, he said.
Kyle said he accepts the direction his life has taken.
“I think humans are inherently extremely adaptable,” he said. “A situation presents itself and you just have to go with it.
“I don’t really think about my situation or even my disability during the day at all because I’m occupied with other stu .”
e new, bigger, better-equipped Nigel House under construction adjacent to the current facility gives him optimism — and a few reservations.
“Mostly I hope that with the change we don’t lose the things about Nigel House that make it such a unique program, like how adaptive they are to people’s needs.”
He said some people need help with all aspects of their day-to-day life while others, like him, need much less — and Nigel House has room for all of them.
“They have been very flexible in adapting to my evolving needs and they have also been supporting me in having a life apart from all of this.”
– Kyle, Resident
The mystery of Nigel
Who is the Nigel Valley named after?
Have you ever wondered who the ‘Nigel’ of Nigel House is?
Despite having a building, street, and valley named a er this enigmatic gure, the origin of the name remains a mystery. We’ve searched archives, visited municipal o ces, asked locals, and even consulted ChatGPT, but no de nitive answers have surfaced.
According to ChatGPT:
“ e origin of the name ‘Nigel’ in relation to Nigel House, Nigel Avenue,
Be part of something lasting. Your name could be the legacy that inspires care and compassion for years to come.
and Nigel Valley in Victoria, British Columbia, does not seem to be clearly documented in public records or local histories.”
e District of Saanich bears this out. ey reported that they couldn’t say for certain why the name ‘Nigel’ has been used.
“ e street seems to have been created and then designated as such in 1976, but this appears to be a er the plans and request for Nigel House were already under discussion.
“Additional records including our Property Information Report, newspaper articles, and our directories show that Nigel Avenue only exists once discussions for Nigel House are underway, and that the residents at Nigel House were the rst occupants of the entire street.
“What we do know is this: Nigel House, situated in Victoria across from Uptown and Save-On-Foods, opened in the late 1970s. Originally a two-story building, it underwent renovations in the 1990s and was acquired by Broadmead Care in 2011.”
As we prepare for this new chapter, a question has emerged: Should we retain the name ‘Nigel’, or explore a new naming opportunity?
We’ve decided to embrace the latter. is is your chance to make history. Imagine your name – or the name of someone you wish to honour – on a building that will serve the community for generations to come. Interested? We’d love to hear from you! Call or email Mandy Parker at 250.658.3226 or mandy.parker@ broadmeadcare.com to learn more about this incredible opportunity. Be part of something lasting. Your name could be the legacy that inspires care and compassion for years to come.
Here are some of the important furnishings, fixtures, and equipment Nigel House needs.
• Appliances and equipment for the main kitchen ($586,000)
• Overhead lifts and motors ($215,000)
• Beds, mattressses, tables, and chairs for resident rooms ($111,500)
• Aquarium for the foyer ($15,000)
• Wheelchair washer ($12,000)
• Tables, chairs, and lights for the recreation room ($4,000)
• Fridge for the medication room ($1,800)
• Bookshelves for the lounge ($250)
Visit www.broadmeadcare. com/nh- e to see the full list, and find out how your donation will help!
Ralmax is a locally owned group of 11 industrial businesses; we invest in our businesses to remain competitive, to protect and grow jobs and to be responsible stewards of the environment. We also invest in initiatives that advance community wellbeing.
We are proud to be among those who stepped forward to champion a new Nigel House. Congratulations to Broadmead Care Society for creating a beautiful new home where people live full lives with dignity, compassion, and respect.
After 23 years, Shirley is excited about her new Home
The chief executive o cer of Broadmead Care says he expects people to come from “far and wide” to see the sustainable, integrated community being created in the Nigel Valley, where a new Nigel House complexcare Home is under construction.
“Many partners have come together with a vision to redevelop the entire nineacre Nigel Valley to create a world-class neighbourhood of housing, care, services and beautiful green spaces,” Derrick Bernardo said.
“We believe it’s going to be something our city will be very proud of. It takes a community to create something this wonderful, and we are grateful for the many people, partners and organizations who have pulled together to make this happen.”
In the new Home, which is under construction next to the existing one and is expected to be ready by next summer, the number of complex-care spaces will increase to 41 from 26.
ere will also be 37 independentliving units and 10 a ordable-housing units.
e $50-million project is a partnership between Broadmead Care, which owns and operates Nigel House, and B.C. Housing.
As construction of the new Nigel House continues, Broadmead Care is conducting a $1.5-million fundraising campaign to out t the new digs with furnishings and equipment, including overhead li s for every bedroom, at a cost of $205,000, and 15 electric beds at $2,800 each.
For one resident, 65-year-old Shirley Dehr, Nigel House has been home for 23 years.
Dehr has a rare genetic condition called Laurence-Moon-Bardet-Biedl syndrome, which is seen in about one person in 100,000. It can a ect many parts of the body and cause neurological and vision issues, as well as hindering growth and mobility.
Dehr attended regular school growing up, but her symptoms progressed and she eventually moved into a long-term care facility. A social worker there knew about Nigel House and got Dehr on the waiting list.
She moved in about 16 months later. Dehr said she enjoys living at Nigel House, where people receive 24-hour care and can take part in exercise programs
and community outings, and has established lasting friendships there over the years.
“It’s a good place to live,” she said.
Despite her vision problems, she said she can still take part in activities like bingo, thanks to Braille bingo cards. Dehr said she doesn’t like it when it’s assumed there is something she can’t manage.
“People say you can’t do this or that, but I can do it in a di erent way,” she said.
Dehr said she is looking forward to the new Nigel House, since the current facility has limitations like narrow doorways that can be hard to get through with her walker.
She said she is fortunate to have family living in Courtenay, and enjoys visiting and spending time with her nieces and nephews.
Dehr said she is fairly independent with her walker and wheelchair, with the nearby Uptown shopping centre and Hillside shopping centre among her favourite destinations.
To donate to the campaign, go to broadmeadcare.com/ nigel-housedonations/
“People say you can’t do this or that, but I can do it in a di erent way,”
– Shirley, Resident
Thank you to our $10,000+ donors
Rudi Hoenson
Sisters of St. Ann
Ralmax Group of Companies
JAYMAC Fund through the Victoria Foundation
Peninsula Co-op
Mr. and Mrs. P.A. Woodward Foundation
TELUS Friendly Future Foundation
Charlton L. Smith Foundation
100+ Women Who Care – Saanich Peninsula
100+Women Who Care – Victoria
Erb Technical Contracting Ltd.
Suburbia Studios
Pinch Family Fund through the Victoria Foundation
Henry Foundation Drilling
VI Rentals
Anonymous x 5
Thank you to our Community Partners
BC Housing
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
Capital Regional Hospital District
Durwest Construction Management Inc.
Island Health
Drop o at:
Broadmead Care, 4579 Chatterton Way, Victoria BC, V8X 4Y7 or at any of our Homes
Donations can also be made by phone to (250) 658-3274, or on line at our website.
