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A research project co-led by researchers at Queen’s University and Western University, Aging in Community Partnership, supports older adults to age well in the places they most want to be – their homes and communities.
With $2.5 million in new funding through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)’s Partnership Grants, the national network of Oasis Communities for Aging Well will expand and continue to support older adults.
The project is led by Queen’s researchers Catherine Donnelly and Vincent DePaul and Western occupational therapy professor Carri Hand in the Faculty of Health Sciences.
“Our research looks at which parts of the Oasis program are most effective in supporting aging in place, including building strong social networks, providing opportunities to do meaningful activities together and helping older adults stay active,” said Hand.
“At Oasis sites, people make connections where they live, creating authentic networks of support right within their own buildings.”
A community-led approach to aging well
Designed by older adults and built around their priorities, Oasis operates within Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) such as apartment buildings, neighbourhoods and small communities where many older adults already live. Rather than providing a one-size-fits-all program, each Oasis community develops activities based on the interests and needs of its members. Programs can include movement and exercise classes, arts activities, cards and video games, making or eating food together and learning sessions with guest speakers.
An on-site coordinator works with community members to develop and implement activities and engage experts from the broader community. Student volunteers may provide support, such as with technology, while also joining activities, creating opportunities for students and older adults to learn from one another.
The model began in 2011 when older adults living in a Kingston apartment building partnered with the Frontenac-Kingston Council on Aging to create a new approach to aging in place. Since then, a longstanding Queen’s community partnership has helped Oasis expand to 23 communities across Canada serving diverse populations. Today, Oasis operates two sites locally — one in London and the other in St. Thomas. Over the past eight years, the team’s research has found Oasis has helped address loneliness, increased physical activity, and decreased health services utilization among participants. This latest grant marks more than $13 million awarded in support of the initiative to continue expansion and long-term implementation across Canada.
“Supporting people to age in their communities requires a multi-sectoral and interdisciplinary approach,” said Donnelly, director of Queen’s Health Services and Policy Research Institute. “This national partnership will create the first coordinated pan-Canadian network focused on understanding NORCs and strengthening Oasis and related models, allowing us to co-create solutions, learn from one another, and build the collective knowledge needed to support older adults to stay connected in their communities.”
Research with national impact
The Partnership Grant will strengthen and expand the Oasis network while bringing together researchers, older adults, housing providers, municipalities, community organizations and advocacy groups to co-create research that can inform policy and practice.
The partnership includes researchers from seven Canadian universities, international collaborators in Manchester, U.K., Scotland and dozens of community partners. Together, they will examine how communities can better support diverse older adults to age in place and generate evidence to guide neighbourhood, municipal, and provincial strategies.
“Working directly with communities is fundamental to our approach,” said DePaul. “This ensures that the research reflects real-world priorities and produces practical solutions that matter to the people most affected. This collaborative approach also helps build trust, relevance, and sustainability, increasing the likelihood that research findings will lead to meaningful improvements in everyday life.“
Building capacity for the future
The partnership will also help to build the next generation of leaders in healthy aging. The team aims to provide interdisciplinary and practice-based training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and early-career researchers in the fields of aging, gerontology, housing, planning and community development. At the same time, older adults, housing providers, municipalities and community organizations will help build the knowledge and resources needed to co-lead, implement and evaluate NORC-based programs.
“It’s important to make communities more supportive of aging so people can remain in their own communities as they grow older. We know Oasis is helping reduce loneliness and build community, and this project grant will help us uncover even more of its impacts,” said Hand.
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