Healthy Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities: a Low-cost Approach to Facilitating Healthy Aging

Overview

Journal Am J Public Health

Specialty Public Health

Date 2006 Jun 1

PMID 16735634

Citations 14

Authors

Paul J Masotti

Robert Fick

Ana Johnson-Masotti

Stuart Macleod

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Naturally occurring retirement communities (NORCs) are broadly defined as communities where individuals either remain or move when they retire. Using the determinants of health model as a base, we hypothesize that some environmental determinants have a different impact on people at different ages. Health benefits to living within NORCs have been observed and likely vary depending upon where the specific NORC exists on the NORC to healthy-NORC spectrum. Some NORC environments are healthier than others for seniors, because the NORC environment has characteristics associated with better health for seniors. Health benefits within healthy NORCs are higher where physical and social environments facilitate greater activity and promote feelings of well-being. Compared to the provision of additional medical or social services, healthy NORCs are a low-cost community-level approach to facilitating healthy aging. Municipal governments should pursue policies that stimulate and support the development of healthy NORCs.

Citing Articles

A portrait of older adults in naturally occurring retirement communities in Ontario, Canada: A population-based study.

Savage R, Huynh T, Hahn-Goldberg S, Matai L, Boblitz A, Altaf A J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024; 73(1):74-87.

PMID: 39618101 PMC: 11734102. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.19278.

Factors associated with transition to a nursing home in older adults living in naturally occurring retirement communities.

Sheth M, Rochon P, Altaf A, Boblitz A, Bronskill S, Brown K J Am Geriatr Soc. 2024; 73(1):88-100.

PMID: 38888381 PMC: 11734099. DOI: 10.1111/jgs.19038.

Understanding the travel challenges and gaps for older adults during the COVID-19 outbreak: Insights from the New York City area.

Gao J, Lee C, Ozbay K, Zuo F, Chippendale T Transp Res Interdiscip Perspect. 2023; 19:100815.

PMID: 37020705 PMC: 10060205. DOI: 10.1016/j.trip.2023.100815.

Identification and engagement of naturally occurring retirement communities to support healthy aging in Canada: A set of methods for replication.

DePaul V, Parniak S, Nguyen P, Hand C, Letts L, McGrath C BMC Geriatr. 2022; 22(1):355.

PMID: 35459126 PMC: 9028895. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-022-03045-z.

Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities: Scoping Review.

Parniak S, DePaul V, Frymire C, DePaul S, Donnelly C JMIR Aging. 2022; 5(2):e34577.

PMID: 35436204 PMC: 9052023. DOI: 10.2196/34577.

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