The Aging in Place Challenge Program at the National Research Council Canada

A number of challenge programs to fund research have been initiated at the National Research Council of Canada in the past several years and the outcomes of the research is likely to influence the design of future dwellings and the retrofit of the existing housing stock in Canada. One of these challenge programs addresses the need to support an aging population. It is estimated that by 2051, adults over the age of 65 will represent 25% of the population of Canada. Most aging adults would prefer to age in place in the dwelling or community of their choice. The Aging in Place Challenge program was launched in 2021 with the goal of developing technologies and innovations to support an increase in the number of aging adults who remain in homes and communities of their choice by 2031. The program supports research projects in collaboration with older adults and family caregivers as well as partners in academia, industry, and government toward enabling advancements in AgeTech in Canada. In addition, a number of Aging in Place projects in the Construction Research Center are focused on developing guidance for the design of dwellings intended for successful aging in place. Acoustics, lighting, climate control and other environmental factors all play an important role support the wellbeing of aging adults. The results of the projects from the Construction Research Center will be publicly available guidance for new buildings and the renovation of existing buildings to support aging in place.