As Ontario’s population ages, our high-rise residential buildings are becoming Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) — buildings where a significant proportion of residents are seniors who aged in place. Recognizing this shift, Ontario Health Teams (OHTs) are pioneering integrated home care delivery models specifically designed for NORC environments, promising enhanced care coordination and significant cost savings for both residents and the healthcare system.
What Are These Pilot Projects?
Several Ontario Health Teams are currently testing innovative approaches to deliver home care services within NORC buildings. These integrated models focus on bringing coordinated healthcare services directly to where seniors live, rather than requiring multiple appointments across various locations. The pilots represent a fundamental shift from fragmented care delivery to a streamlined, building-focused approach.
Significant Cost Benefits
The financial advantages of these integrated models are substantial for both residents and the broader healthcare system. Traditional home care often involves multiple service providers making separate visits, creating inefficiencies and increased costs. The NORC-focused approach reduces these expenses through:
Economies of scale: By serving multiple residents in one building, providers can reduce travel time and administrative overhead, lowering per-visit costs by an estimated 20-30%.
Reduced emergency department visits: Better coordinated care and on-site services help prevent health crises that lead to costly emergency interventions.
Decreased hospitalization rates: Early intervention through integrated care models can prevent conditions from escalating to require expensive hospital admissions.
Impressive Efficiency Gains
The pilot projects are demonstrating remarkable improvements in care delivery efficiency:
Streamlined care coordination: Instead of residents managing multiple healthcare providers independently, integrated teams work together, reducing duplication and communication gaps.
Faster response times: On-site or building-dedicated care teams can respond more quickly to resident needs, often within hours rather than days.
Improved medication management: Coordinated pharmaceutical services (medication dispensing and monitoring) reduce errors and adverse drug interactions.
Enhanced care transitions: When residents move between care levels — from independent living to requiring additional support — the integrated model ensures smoother transitions without service gaps.
Benefits for Condo Management
Property managers are finding these models advantageous as well. Coordinated care delivery reduces the number of different service providers accessing the building, simplifying security and access management. Additionally, healthier, more supported residents tend to remain in their units longer, reducing turnover and vacancy rates.
Looking Forward
These pilot projects represent the future of senior care in urban environments. Early results suggest that NORC-focused integrated care models not only improve health outcomes but also create a more sustainable and cost-effective healthcare delivery system.
The success of these initiatives depends on collaboration between healthcare providers, building management, and residents themselves. As these models continue to develop, they offer hope for aging in place with dignity, comprehensive support, and financial sustainability.
Take Action
To learn more about how these innovative care models might benefit your building or to explore integrated home care options, visit www.affinityhealth.ca.
For additional resources and information:
- Ontario Health Teams: www.ontariohealth.ca
- NORC Innovation Centre: www.norcinnovationcentre.ca
- Home and Community Care Support Services: www.healthcareathome.ca
- Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils: www.ontarc.com