Project 459805

Many older adults live clustered in buildings or communities, known as Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs). These communities provide an opportunity to deliver on-site social supports and health services in efficient and creative ways to prevent loneliness, improve health and well-being, and support older adults to age in place. Few NORCs, however, have been enhanced like this because little is known about how to create, implement or sustain these types of models. Our research will fill these gaps by identifying which NORC sites are best suited for enhancement, and what factors promote or hinder their successful implementation. We will also examine if the level of support (or degree of enhancement) provided by the model changes how it is implemented and its effectiveness. Exploring sex and gender differences in how the models work and their impact will be important as most older adults living in NORCs are women. We will implement three enhanced NORC models at 6 sites - first in Toronto, one of the most diverse cities in the world, and then later in Barrie, a quickly growing mid-sized city. The models will vary in the intensity of support they provide (low, medium, and high) to older adults. We will evaluate both the process of implementation to understand what works, for whom and in what circumstances, and the impact of the models on older adults and the healthcare system. The project will be guided by a strong implementation science team and researchers with expertise in aging. We will engage a diverse Stakeholder Advisory Committee of residents, building owners, municipal representatives, and program and research staff so that our findings are useful and actionable. This first of its kind project will reimagine aging in place and deliver practical tools - an implementation toolkit and a community of practice - to support the spread and scale of enhanced NORCs in ways that benefit all, across Canadian and international cities.