1. Aging in Place and Nursing Homes
A Major Collaborative Research Initiative funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Aging in Place and Nursing Homes
Martha MacDonald
Economics, Saint Mary’s University
Presentation for Demographic Shift and Future of Work and Housing conference,
ARGEAID, Saint Mary’s University, November 17, 2017

2. Overview of Project 7 year project funded by SSHRC; in final year
International interdisciplinary team led by Dr. Pat Armstrong, York University
Academics from 5 Canadian provinces, 3 American states, the UK, Sweden, Germany and Norway
People trained in sociology, medicine, social work, history, media studies, philosophy, architecture, health policy and more
4 theme areas: approaches to care; financing and ownership; work organization; accountability
Project website:
Perspectives of workers, residents, families

3. Methods Ongoing secondary data and policy analysis
Team case studies in each jurisdiction ( )
6 countries, 4 provinces; > 2 sites each
Selection based on promising practices
Three small books offer popularly written ‘lessons learned’ from these site visits
Promising Practices in Long-term Care
Physical Environments for Long-term Care
Exercising Choice in Long-term Residential Care

4. Implications for ‘Aging in Place’
What is ‘Place’?
Where do nursing homes fit in the vision?
Minimize or delay need for nursing homes?
Make them positive ‘places’ to age?
Managing and minimizing transitions

5. Considerations… Integrating the ‘places’ ‘Place’ as community
Non-linear transitions, shared services
The question of size, structure