Essential Features for Empowering NORCs in Your Community: Rapid Review

Background: Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) have the potential to promote aging in place and establish age-friendly environments. NORCs are geographical areas that have naturally become home to a large concentration of older adults (>30%) but are not purpose-built for older people. NORCs can be enhanced through onsite supports and services, driven by the needs of older residents, but to spread enhanced NORC models, information is needed on how to effectively implement these models across a range of contexts and settings. Current Study and Methods: To further spread and scale enhanced NORC models, we are studying their implementation in 10 sites across Toronto and Barrie. Learnings will be used to create a NORC Implementation Toolkit. In this poster, we outline foundational work to rapidly review and synthesize key features of implementation toolkits. Results: The rapid review illuminated six key elements to be helpful in establishing an enhanced NORC model, 1) Establishing roles and responsibilities of key knowledge users, 2) Conducting a community needs assessment 3) Resident engagement, 4) Optimizing communication strategies, 5) Sound evaluation procedures, and 6) Identifying and minimizing potential barriers. Conclusion: We showcase key features of a NORC implementation toolkit that positions residents as vital stakeholders and active participants in decision-making processes to shape their NORC community. The broader project will help identify how to successfully implement NORC-based interventions in local communities.