March 2026 Community of Interest Highlights
The Humber Aging in Community Education & Research (ACER) Community of Interest is a growing platform that facilitates the exchange of emerging trends, knowledge sharing, and the exploration of research opportunities.
This year, we have launched the new ACER Innovation and Impact Series, a dynamic speaker series designed to bring together researchers, community partners, industry experts, and innovators to explore practical solutions that create meaningful impact.
The highlights of our recent Speaker Series on Thursday, March 19, 2026, are as follows:
The session featured speakers Sue Bartleman and Soshana Hahn-Goldberg from the NORC Innovation Centre at University Health Network (UHN), who shared an innovative, community-led model to support aging in place for older adults, particularly in urban, high-density housing.
The discussion highlighted how Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) can be leveraged to improve health, social connection, and independence among older adults.
The NORC model supports aging in place in high-density housing, with 30%+ of residents aged 65+, currently reaching 30 buildings in Toronto housing over 44,000 older adults.
Over 100 resident ambassadors have been trained to co-lead programs, ensuring community-led initiatives that reflect the priorities and needs of the residents.
Informal support networks enable neighbours to assist with daily tasks, health needs, and social connections, helping older adults remain independent at home longer.
NORC programs run an average of four activities per month in each building, including health talks, fitness sessions, social events, and digital literacy workshops, improving both engagement and well-being.
By bringing services directly into the buildings, NORCs increase health system efficiency, create vibrant communities, and provide scalable models for policy and program development across urban settings.
Note:
The next Community of Interest (CI) gathering is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026, 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM, featuring Dr. Kim Bergeron, Assistant Professor at Queen’s University.
We invite all individuals interested in participating in this important dialogue. Whether you are a researcher, practitioner, student, or are committed to improving the quality of life for older adults in our communities, your insights and experiences are highly valued. Together, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of older adults and the communities that support them.