Aboriginal Patients Lodge

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The Aboriginal Patients Lodge is a sanctuary for the chronically ill and their families

Chronic illness can be stressful for both those suffering and their families. And it can be even more overwhelming when travel for treatment is required. Since 2004, the Aboriginal Patients Lodge (operated by the Lu’ma Native Housing Society) has been helping Aboriginals living in towns and villages throughout British Columbia; offering affordable housing during this trying period.

Situated in the Art Zocole Aboriginal Patients’ Lodge & Family Housing Project, the Lodge occupies eight units while the Housing Project has 14 units. Each apartment is completely furnished and comes with a full kitchen, allowing those receiving treatment to bring with them traditional healing foods from home.
 

Evidence of the Lodge’s motto—“we’re a healing place”—can be seen through the physical and spiritual comforts offered. The rooms are beautiful and warmly decorated. Housekeeping services use green cleaning products, and in situations of hypersensitive immune systems, they will use good ol’ fashioned lemon and vinegar and a little bit of elbow grease.

Spiritually, there is a healing centre on site that offers courses in holistic nutrition, life skills and coping with chronic illness; among others. The Lodge is the first of its kind in Canada.
 

Heather Lochner is a stay at home mother and a freelance writer. She loves combing the neighbourhoods of Vancouver to find locally owned shops and restaurants. Together with her two children, husband and dog, she lives aboard her sailboat in Vancouver. When not at work or school, the Lochners are out cruising the B.C. coast.