By 2046, older adults will represent nearly a quarter of the total Ontario population. More than 92% of current older adults live in the community and want to remain living this way for as long as possible, yet it is not without challenges – loneliness and social isolation have demonstrated adverse impacts on older adults’ health and well-being.

Oasis Senior Supportive Living is a unique aging-in-place model, originally developed by a group of older adults living in an apartment building in Kingston more than ten years ago. In collaboration with the public sector, non-profit, and private sector organizations, Oasis builds and sustains healthy communities of older adults by uniquely addressing essential determinants of healthy aging, including social engagement, nutrition, physical activity, and self-determination. Oasis members drive the program and direct the programming, including communal meals, social events, and exercise and activity programs. An onsite program coordinator is critical to work with the members and support all aspects of the program delivery. A community board offers oversight and governance support and has been instrumental in supporting Oasis.

The success of the Oasis model has led to its expansion to new communities in Kingston, Quinte West, London, Toronto, and Hamilton, Ontario, as part of a community-focused research project led by Drs Catherine Donnelly and Vincent DePaul of Queen’s University, and with colleagues from Western and McMaster Universities. For the past two years, the project team has been working with older adults in the community to establish new Oasis sites and begin a longitudinal evaluation of the impacts of Oasis. Further contributions to Oasis will support each existing Oasis community and further evaluation to demonstrate Oasis’ potential to support aging-in-place in communities across the province.

Check out our interview on CKWS . https://globalnews.ca/video/6635219/oasis-supportive-living-visits-global-news-morning