Several models of housing for older adults exist nationwide, together creating tiers for the delivery of care that can be used based on an individual’s specific needs. In general, these tiers include independent living, assisted living, long-term care, and hospice care, with respite care serving as a temporary option at almost all levels to provide caregiver relief. Independent care options involve minimal professional assistance, while assisted living is suited for older adults who are able to make decisions but require support due to physical and functional health challenges. Long-term care is designated for medically complex patients who require 24-hour nursing care. Hospice care is for patients who are at end of life and require symptom management, and it is one of many palliative care options.
Intergenerational
housing facilities could employ a uni or multi-tiered approach to older-adult
housing, depending on community needs and available resources. The premise of
intergenerational housing is that seniors’ needs are met in a similar way to
the housing options mentioned above, with the added opportunity to reside with
or among younger individuals who do not require these services.
The BC-based
company Happipad is a housing solution that frequently facilitates
intergenerational housing. Through its website, Happipad often connects seniors
looking for social connections and additional income to younger tenants looking
for affordable housing. Purpose-built intergenerational-housing spaces also
exist in Canada, such as the newly established Generations facility in Calgary,
which integrates assisted, long-term, and palliative care in a
multigenerational environment. Similarly, Harbour Landing Village in Regina is
a care centre for older adults that promotes personalized care and
intergenerational activities. Similar housing schemes are seen worldwide. For
example, the Netherlands has housing plans in which students are offered free
accommodation provided they spend 30 hours each month with their older-adult
housemates. In Fujisawa, Japan, Aoi Care houses elderly people with dementia,
and is unique in that its residents decide on their daily activities,
frequently choosing to interact with children by playing ball or selling tea
made at the centre. Generally, studies show that living and spending time with
family, and specifically caring for grandchildren, serve as protective factors
against older-adult loneliness, further supporting the concept of
intergenerational housing.
Existing intergenerational programs demonstrate an improvement in seniors’ health and well-being, suggesting a similar benefit would be realized through intergenerational housing. One study conducted in Japan noted that older adults who actively participated in an intergenerational program that involved regularly reading to school-age children over an 18-month period reported improved subjective health and social networks compared to controls. A follow-up study based on this program was conducted 7 years later and demonstrated that the control group had higher odds of having decreased intellectual capacity as well as lower levels of interactions with children. Additionally, at follow-up, the intervention group demonstrated higher levels of physical function related to fine motor skills, as measured through functional reach and grip strength. Functional limitations are also a risk factor for loneliness; therefore, intergenerational programs may help address this underlying issue.
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