Preparing Health Systems for the Shifting Needs of Older Adults to Age in Place

A new evidence report from Canada’s Drug Agency identifies key factors that influence the ability of older adults in Canada to age in place and the systematic factors to consider when implementing initiatives that can allow people to age at home or in the community.

Aging in place is the ability of older adults to access the health and social supports needed to live safely in their own homes or communities for as long as they wish and are able. Many older adults have a strong preference to age in place and, in response, health systems are exploring innovative models of service and health care delivery to meet the changing needs of an older population.

Our Evidence Report is the first part of a larger project that includes guidance from an expert panel on strategies to inform equitable aging in place initiatives. Read the report.

The panel’s draft guidance is posted on our website for feedback from interested parties until July 23. The final guidance report will be published in August and a launch event will be held in September.

Key Findings

Some of the key findings in the report include:

• 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; adequate housing, accessible transportation, and spaces for socialization; and community health infrastructures.
• 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.