The need is to be safe and independent while maintaining a shared sense of community, companionship, and purpose, on a limited income.
Covid sparked the need to re-evaluate moving to a long-term care residence or retirement home. Many of you would prefer to stay in your own home and “Age in Place”, as we call it. At a stage of life when many of you are experiencing changes in strength, stamina, health, and mobility it is important to reduce or avoid loneliness, isolation, and depression. I have said for years Baby-Boomers identify new solutions to facilitate “living life well” and you are!
Staying in your home and living in buildings and communities is known as a naturally occurring retirement community or NORC for short. Dr. Paula Rochon, senior scientist and founder of the Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital are researching how to “successfully create, implement and sustain supportive service programs in NORCs”. The NORC Innovation Centre at the University Health Network, the City of Toronto, and the City of Barrie, have all been awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). The hope is to design a model(s) which would “deliver onsite social supports and health services in efficient and creative ways”. Learn more about NORCs research at https://www.womenscollegehospital.ca/naturally-occurring-retirement-communities-what-works-best-to-support-older-adults-to-age-in-place/
You will have choices. Let’s talk about your goals & concerns and plan for you to have options.
