Latest News
October 1, 2025
Thank you to Doug Downey for meeting with members of the Seniors Housing Alliance - Simcoe County to discuss legislative assistance for expediting initiatives focused on seniors and housing insecurity.
https://lnkd.in/g-6gs687
From left to right: Marshall Green, Gwen Kavanagh, Doug Downey
Seniors Housing Alliance - Simcoe county
Introduction
The Seniors Housing Alliance – Simcoe County (SHA-SC) on Creative Options for Aging Well is a group of passionate citizens dedicated to addressing the current and impending seniors’ housing crisis in our region. We are concerned with the current and projected lack of suitable senior housing options, to meet the needs of a growing seniors’ population in Ontario. Our goal is to concentrate our efforts within this area of Ontario - Simcoe County. Our diverse team brings together expertise from community development, policy, and housing – united by a common vision for aging with dignity, safety, and community. We hope to share best practices with like-minded efforts and organizations across Ontario, Canada and other countries. By developing inclusive housing options, as an alternative to LTC institutions, we will assist our growing seniors’ population to age gracefully with dignity in a suitable, healthy, more affordable, safe, socially connected, and caring environment.
Our Vision
The SHA-SC on Creative Options for Aging Well is responding to the senior housing crisis with creative, community-based alternatives to institutional care. We believe in helping seniors age with dignity, safely, and by enabling them to remain in their community they will continue to be socially connected and close to the services they need. We support meaningful and measurable research to provide maximum impact on the quality of life of seniors. By working together with residents, organizations, developers and all three levels of government (federal, provincial, and municipal), we aim to promote and encourage actions to identify land, plans, and designs for developing housing options that are well-located throughout Simcoe County.
OUR FOUR PILLARS OF ADVOCACY
SHARED ACCOMMODATION
SHARED ACCOMMODATION
SHARED ACCOMMODATION
Promoting students renting a room in a senior’s house or seniors renting to seniors using a supervised platform to ensure suitable matching.
HOME MODIFICATION
SHARED ACCOMMODATION
SHARED ACCOMMODATION
Modifying existing homes to provide the options a senior might need such as an access ramp, wider hallways and doorways to accommodate a walker/wheelchair, lower light switches, grab bars in bathrooms, lower kitchen counters and under counter drawers providing easier access to contents, and perhaps stair lifts/elevators. Another option would be to build/establish a suitable separate unit on the same property with all conveniences while the original house could be rented for income.
Co-housing
Support Services
Support Services
A Co-house can be a renovated or purpose-built home to accommodate up to 6 tenants or owners (think Golden Girl TV series). Each Co-home consists of a common area (kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry and outdoor spaces. Everyone would have their own private suite consisting of a bedroom bathroom and sitting area. The counterpart to a private home would be a Co-housing Pod or Unit to accommodate up to 6 seniors on a floor in a condo or apartment building. Co-housing is self-regulated and administered by the seniors. Importantly, Co-housing addresses a recognized human need for social interaction which promotes better health.
Support Services
Support Services
Support Services
Establishing Supportive Services for Activities of Daily Living (ADL) which can include property management, homemaking, and other support services. Aging in place is not a one-size-fits-all journey. Through education, advocacy, and partnerships, SHA-SC helps seniors and their families map a realistic, step-by-step pathway that promotes dignity, independence, and safety at home.