Promising Practices for Enabling Aging in Place
Across Canada, aging in place programs are helping older adults age in place, in the community, with formal support. These promising practices lead to improved safety, health and quality of life for those who remain at home. They can also delay entry to long-term care, reduce emergency department visits, lessen demands on care partners, and make better use of health and social care resources.
Aging in place programs support older adults and their care partners living at home in many ways including:
- Addressing challenges with system navigation
- Reducing financial barriers
- Improving responsiveness (e.g., reliability of staff, consistency of staff, flexibility of services, respite services for care partners)
- Providing access to specialized services such as social and emotional support, on-call support, language and cultural services, and help with non-medical needs
- Creating connected communities where older adults and their care partners are engaged in health and social activities.
Healthcare Excellence Canada, in partnership with organizations delivering aging in place programs, has summarized some of these promising practices into short summaries to catalyze discussion about how similar approaches could be adapted and applied elsewhere. The summaries offer details about how each practice works, evaluation and impact, and key success factors.
Aging in place promising practice summaries
Better at Home (British Columbia)
The Better at Home program enables older adults to maintain independence and community connections by assisting with non-medical daily tasks. Developed from the successful Community Action for Seniors Independence (CASI) pilot, this initiative was launched in 2012 by United Way British Columbia in partnership with the Province of BC to address essential everyday needs beyond medical care.
Community Paramedicine at Clinic (Ontario)
The Ontario-based Community Paramedicine at Clinic (CP@clinic) Program is an evidence-based initiative, focusing on chronic disease prevention, management and health promotion. Implemented by local community paramedics, this program supports community social housing with a high concentration of older adults.
Compassionate Communities
Compassionate Communities (CCs) is a global movement emphasizing collective action and shared responsibility in supporting individuals experiencing aging, serious illness, dying and grief. There are now over 200 documented CCs across Canada, with provincial support in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec, and ongoing research nationwide.
Home ViVE (British Columbia)
Vancouver Coastal Health’s Home ViVE (Home Visits to Vancouver's Elders) is a program staffed by family physicians and nurse practitioners, that offers 24/7 care to frail older adults who cannot access traditional healthcare due to their condition. By providing essential care and support, the program aims to reduce emergency visits, hospital admissions, and the need for residential care.
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (Ontario)
Ontario's Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) represent housing environments in the community (e.g., apartments buildings, condos, trailer parks, residential neighbourhoods) that have organically adapted to the increasing population of older adults. These settings offer a unique opportunity to bring seniors together in one area, creating a supportive community that meets their needs.
Nav-CARE (British Columbia and Alberta)
The Navigation – Connecting, Advocating, Resourcing, Engaging (Nav-CARE) program is a national social innovation program providing quality of life navigation for adults with declining health at home. Experienced volunteers connect individuals with skilled navigators, addressing unmet needs which extend its reach to Alberta and British Columbia, enhancing the well-being of those facing health challenges at home.
KW4 Ontario Health Team Integrated Care Team for Older Adults (Ontario)
The KW4 Ontario Health Team Integrated Care Team for Older Adults (KW4 ICT) is an integrated primary care model supporting older adults with complex health conditions. By embedding specialized services within primary care, KW4 ICT reduces avoidable emergency department visits, streamlines waitlists, and enhances the well-being of older adults and their caregivers.
Nursing Home Without Walls (New Brunswick)
The Nursing Home Without Walls program optimizes nursing home resources to support older adults living in the community. It works to prolong home residency, minimize unnecessary emergency department visits and aims to combat social isolation, enhance health-related knowledge and empower local communities to meet the evolving needs of an aging population in New Brunswick.
Oasis (Ontario)
Oasis Senior Support Living Inc. is an innovative program that started in Kingston, Ontario, specializing in aging within Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs). Guided by onsite coordinators and utilizing communal spaces, the program empowers older adults to curate activities tailored to their community's needs.
Ottawa West Aging in Place Program (Ontario)
The Ottawa West Aging in Place program, serving Ottawa, Ontario, offers comprehensive support and home care services for older adults in social housing. This initiative addresses the challenge of premature long-term care admissions by providing affordable assistance, enabling seniors to stay at home for an extended period.
Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Community Services Seniors Social Prescribing Program (British Columbia)
The Maple Ridge/Pitt Meadows Community Services Seniors Social Prescribing Program provides a formal pathway for healthcare providers to address the social determinants of health of their older adult patients. The program connects older adults with community programs, services and resources that support their mental, physical and social well-being.
Why this work matters
Most people in Canada – 85 percent of adults surveyed and 96 percent of those aged 65 years and older – want to avoid moving into a long-term care home and age at home for as long as they can. Despite this desire, one in 10 people who enter long-term care could have potentially been cared for at home with formal support. Learn more about Enabling Aging in Place, an HEC collaborative focused on implementing promising practices that enable older adults to age safely in place.
