About Us
The Seniors Empowering Seniors website aims to inspire and support older adults to lead the development of inclusive aging communities.
Our story
Today, more than ever, we need to rethink how seniors can better age in their own homes. Older Adults are the fastest growing segment of the Canadian population, and two-thirds live in cities. Many are living in apartments, co-ops and condo buildings that were not originally built for older adults, but have become home to a high number of older residents. These buildings, sometimes called naturally occurring retirement communities or NORCs, present a distinct opportunity to work with older adults to better understand what they might want and need to age in place, and to support them in building the communities they need to thrive.
This project is a direct response to the community leaders that desire change. It reflects our research to date, but also years of experience on the ground collaborating with older adults in NORCs
The NORC Ambassadors program is part of a larger NORC program being developed at the University Health Network to advance new models of social connection and accessible care for older adults living in the community. Our goal is to partner with older adult leaders to bring health, wellness and community building solutions right to their homes.
Our vision and goals
We aim to work alongside residents to transform NORC buildings into mutually supportive, connected communities. We believe in a community-led, strengths-based approach that is:
Resident-led: empowers local older adults to lead change in their own communities.
Collaborative: fosters an open, safe environment for addressing aging in place goals.
Strength-Based: appreciates that everyone in the community is valuable and has something to offer.
Inclusive: honours the diversity of communities and the voices and cultures that have historically been excluded from decision-making.
Accessible: accommodates those with language, mobility, hearing and vision impairments, and cognitive issues.
Who we Are
UHN OpenLab
UHN OpenLab is a design and innovation hub within University Health Network, Canada’s leading academic research hospital. Our trans-disciplinary team addresses the most complex challenges at the intersection of health and its social determinants. Projects range from improving the process and experience of care in hospitals, to developing and supporting new models of aging in the community. Since 2015, OpenLab has been working with older adults to transform high-rise apartment buildings into naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs), taking advantage of the concentration of seniors to mutually support aging in place and gain efficiencies in service delivery.
This project was made possible by a generous donation from the Slaight Family Foundation.