What this means
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) offer a unique opportunity to deliver integrated care within existing housing where older adults already live. In this context, NORCs are defined as high-rise buildings where at least 50 residents and at least 30% of residents are aged 65 and above.
A plain-English summary is on its way. Until then, this is the start of the authors' own summary.
- Who it was tested in
- Not stated
- Kind of research
- A study
The science
- Original title
- Supporting Aging in Place: A Relational and Preventive Approach to Integrated Care in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities.
- Authors
- Hahn-Goldberg S, Recknagel J, Chang M et al.
- Journal
- International journal of integrated care
- Published
- Oct 24, 2026
- Study type
- Study
- PMID
- 42921547 ↗
Abstract
Background
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) offer a unique opportunity to deliver integrated care within existing housing where older adults already live. In this context, NORCs are defined as high-rise buildings where at least 50 residents and at least 30% of residents are aged 65 and above. This paper presents an implementation case study of the NORC Innovation Centre's (NIC) integrated care model (The UHN NORC Program).
What they found
This model demonstrates how integrated care can be embedded within existing housing infrastructure using a relational, team-based approach that links health, social, and community systems.
Other details
The UHN NORC Program partners with housing, community, health, and social care providers to enable NORC buildings to adopt community-embedded care. An interprofessional care team collaborates with residents and local organizations to co-design building-level health and wellness programs. Across two Toronto NORCs, the program engaged 60% of residents, with 14% (n = 109) referred for individualized support. Relational care practices that emphasized trust-building, advocacy, and strength-based engagement were key enablers of success, along with the team composition and structure, system partnerships, and community leadership.
The authors' abstract, grouped under plain headings from its own section labels.
Hahn-Goldberg S, Recknagel J, Chang M et al. Supporting Aging in Place: A Relational and Preventive Approach to Integrated Care in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities. International journal of integrated care. 2026. doi:10.5334/ijic.10601. PMID: 42921547. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42921547/