Long term care facility Cairnsmore Place

Cairnsmore Place is a long-term care facility located half of a kilometer away from our acute care facility. It offers long term care with a variety of amenities and services.

Supporting an active and healthy lifestyle

Cairnsmore’s Activities Staff plan and manage a wide variety of activities and events at Cairnsmore as well as bus outings around the Cowichan Valley for the residents. Volunteer support continues to maintain the landscaped grounds and wheelchair friendly walkways. Community funds also provide special activities for the residents with live performances from favourite local musicians and theatrical groups. The local Auxiliaries support the Activities Staff and provide much appreciated work improving the gardens and also run a Tuck Shop. There is also an on-site beauty salon which continues to be popular with the residents! Overall, the facilities, staff and volunteers support a more active and healthy lifestyle for the residents.

How to volunteer at Cairnsmore Place

If you are interested in volunteering, please call the Volunteer Resource department.

250-737-2000 ext 43005

The History of Cairnsmore Place

  • 1910 King’s Daughters Hospital

    Pioneer Angus McKinnon donated the first acre of land for King’s Daughters Hospital in 1910, with the provision that a hospital always be on site.

  • 1917 The original hospital was destroyed

    Fire destroyed the original hospital in 1917 and another was soon built on “Hospital Hill”.

  • 1967 Cowichan District Hospital was built

    When a modern hospital was built on Gibbins Road in 1967, Cairnsmore Place was built on the old site to provide residential facilities for seniors and others needing long term nursing care.

  • 1972 Cairnsmore Place opened

    Cairnsmore Place opened July 1, 1972. Today, its 100 complex care beds include 3 respite beds, 20 transitional (activation) care beds and 1 palliative room. The transitional residents are patients awaiting placement in a long-term care facility and those who need additional time to recuperate before returning home after surgery or illness. And the respite beds provide a short-term stay for 1 to 2 weeks so that a spouse, child or other family member in the community can have a needed break from care-giving.

  • 1996 Cairnsmore Place fire

    A midnight fire in January 1996 severely damaged Cairnsmore Place, and over 200 neighbours rallied to help evacuate the residents. The Hospital Foundation appealed to the community for funds and the facility was restored.

  • 2005 Cairnsmore Place renovation

    In 2005, Cowichan District Hospital Foundation appealed again to the community for funds to update the facility and add additional living space. VIHA and the Foundation partnered to renovate Cairnsmore Place with VIHA funding over $2million to expand and furnish the dining and activities area, and modernize the kitchen and servery. The Foundation with the community’s support contributed $262,000 for a new living room and covered patio areas, and ran an additional campaign to help furnish the new space.

  • 2008 A palliative room was approved

    In 2008 the Foundation and Cairnsmore Place Manager worked with VIHA to approve a Palliative Room for families to be with a beloved family member in the last stage of life. The Foundation’s appeal to the community to help create a private, comfortable area led to a warm and generous response from many service groups and families throughout Cowichan Valley.

  • 2009 The palliative room was opened

    The Palliative Room was opened December 1, 2009. The room is designed with a foyer for extra privacy and features a new private bathroom with double shower, a day bed for family or friends to sleep over, a small sitting area, a bar sink with a small refrigerator, and french doors that open into the garden. A specialized air mattress was donated providing the resident the most comfortable bed possible. And internet connection is available in the room for family and friends to share photos and live web cam get-togethers with those far away or near. A plaque in the foyer recognizes all the community groups and families who contributed to the room.

Historical Images