Planning to age in the ‘right’ place: Opportunities, challenges, and lived expert inclusion
Weldrick, R. (2023, September 21). Planning to age in the 鈥榬ight鈥� place: Opportunities, challenges, and lived expert inclusion [Paper presentation]. Ontario Professional Planners Institute Annual Conference. Ottawa, ON.
Abstract
Policy and planning agendas promoting 鈥渁ging in place鈥� are increasingly being challenged in their ability to support diverse older adults, including homeless and housing-insecure older adults. Emerging research and practice are recognizing the importance of aging in the 鈥渞ight鈥� place. That is, an approach recognizing that secure, optimal housing should support an individual鈥檚 unique vulnerabilities and lifestyles. This approach has gained prominence in recent years among gerontologists, geographers, and community development experts. This session presents a framework for aging in the right place and explores the challenges and opportunities facing planners attempting to promote age-optimizing communities in Ontario鈥檚 urban and suburban regions. It also considers the ways in which lived experts (i.e., older adults with lived experience of homelessness and/or housing insecurity) can inform planning policy and community development.
