55+ Gated communities are for those seniors who do not want to be around the younger generation. Intergenerational housing is for those seniors who need and want to interact with the younger generations.
They have shown intergenerational programs to benefit people across their lifespans. Children show more interactive and cooperative play, increased empathy and mood management, and improved academic performance. Adults—including parents of young children and caregivers of older relatives—experience better family communication, less worry and social isolation, and greater access to respite care. Older adults benefit from increased strength and balance, decreased social isolation, and improved quality of life. All ages become more accepting of differences and feel more connected to others. In the Seniors Association I am the President of, we are bringing back intergenerational programing and it seems to work.
There is an emerging model of new housing developments is experimenting with mixing older and younger people in one place. Although the two ends of the population spectrum are frequently portrayed as competing for limited welfare resources, pioneers see intergenerational housing as a solution to today’s most prevalent and persisting social issues: declining social safety net, loneliness, and poverty.
After all, there are some who do not want to be surrounded by older people when they grow old. Housing shortages and rental woes have led people to seek alternate options. Two of Canada’s three most expensive places to rent are in British Columbia — led by Vancouver, and closely followed in third place by Burnaby.
As a solution for students accessing affordable housing, Canada Homeshare, a non-profit organization, has partnered with several universities across the nation to devise alternate options. Besides students getting subsidized and safe housing options, this housing model also addresses another concern in our communities: deteriorating mental health in older adults because of social isolation. Having a helping hand in the house can be a benefit for older adults, both physically and mentally.
As the older adult population in Canada increases, it is imperative that there be adequate and appropriate older-adult housing available. Housing is a social determinant of health and is implicated in various health outcomes. A person’s living situation is interlinked with loneliness and social isolation, for which older adults are at higher risk. They correlate loneliness in older adults with a decline in function, lower self-reported health scores, and overall mortality. One way to address these challenges in BC is with an intergenerational housing model, where older adults live in communities that promote ties with younger generations. Several intergenerational programs exist worldwide, and they have significant benefits for all involved. Intergenerational housing projects are gaining traction in Canada and can serve as a method of improving the health and well-being of older adults while providing benefits to society at large.
The older-adult population in Canada will expand over the coming decades. Projections estimate that by 2068, this percentage will grow to between 21.4% and 29.5%. We expect that there will be over 5.5 million Canadians over the age of 80 in 2068, compared to 1.6 million in 2018. This situation requires considerable thought and action from the Canadian health care and political systems.
