What Did We Do?
To support decision-making, in this report we:
- identify and describe the current context of aging and hinderances to aging in place in Canada
- describe considerations relevant to aging in place for equity-deserving groups, highlighting perspectives of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and communities
- describe and appraise strategies and initiatives intended to address unmet needs and improve outcomes of importance to older adults in Canada
- describe some systemic considerations related to implementing initiatives that support aging in place in the country.
What Did We Learn?
- The reasons people are unable to age in place in Canada are interrelated and disproportionately impact members of equity-deserving groups, such as First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and other communities experiencing historical, structural, and systemic factors that cause lifetime disparities in social determinants of health.
- Several interventions have been shown to improve outcomes associated with aging in place, including strategies to support chronic disease prevention and management, dementia prevention and support, and falls prevention.
- First Nations, Inuit, and Métis organizations and Peoples have similarly prioritized increasing the availability of, and access to, culturally safe and trauma-informed care in the home and community; social connections and belonging; and adequate housing, accessible transportation, and spaces for socialization, and community health infrastructure in their communities.
- Cost considerations of the affordability of implementing these initiatives may include those related to infrastructure, health care services (formal and informal), social support systems, and potential cost savings as a result of changes in resource use.
- Health policy researchers and implementation specialists informed us that implementing initiatives to support aging in place requires a shift from traditional paradigms that prioritize consistency, standardization, and efficiency.
Linking Patient-Centred Outcomes Measures to the Health Systems Context in Canada
The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement (ICHOM) developed a standard set of outcome measures about aging and health care that matter to older people. In Canada, a consensus process involving pan-Canadian health organizations and federal, provincial, and territorial governments established health system indicators on shared health priorities, including those relevant to the care of older adults.
The Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging and various pan-Canadian health organizations in Canada, such as the Public Health Agency of Canada, Statistics Canada, and the Canadian Institute for Health Information, are measuring or have reported on some of these outcomes and indicators.