Aging in community: the case of Hesperus village in Vaughan in Ontario, Canada

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study focuses on the evolving notion of aging in community, by presenting findings of a qualitative, descriptive study conducted in Hesperus Village, a unique community for predominantly older adults located in Vaughan in Ontario, Canada. The purpose of this exploratory study was to gauge the benefits and challenges of aging in community, and develop conceptualization of the nature and form of attached social relationships and community concerns. Eight semi-structured, in-depth interviews with open-ended questions of residents and a manager were conducted. Findings indicated that aging in this community included a mix of resident co-caring and formal caring practices; that traditional forms of management style are shifting to democratic self-governance practices and that forging links with the wider community is linked to the sharing of resources and inter-generational bartering of services. The implications of aging in community point toward the notion of social responsibility as a potential strategy toward sustainable practices; and that sharing resources with the wider community may have cost-saving implications. This study serves as a call for further research and advocacy in addressing an all-encompassing service delivery model to age in community from birth until death, linking aging in place and dying in place agendas.