Planning to age in the ‘right’ place: Opportunities, challenges, and lived expert inclusion

Weldrick, R. (2023, September). Planning to age in the ‘right’ place: Opportunities, challenges, and lived expert inclusion [paper presentation]. Ontario Professional Planners Institute Annual Conference. Ottawa, ON.    

Abstract

Policy and planning agendas promoting “aging in place” 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 “right” place. That is, an approach recognizing that secure, optimal housing should support an individual’s 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’s 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.