The population of Canada is aging. According to the National Research Council, Canadians 65 and older are the fastest-growing demographic and are expected to make up 25 percent of our population by 2050.<\/p>\n
A vast majority of these older Canadians would prefer to \u201cage in place,\u201d meaning, live in their own homes for as long as they can.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs Canadians enter their golden years, their housing priorities often change, but no one size fits all,\u201d said Caroline Baile, a real estate broker with Royal LePage Sussex, and accredited seniors agent. \u201c[They] are thinking about their long-term needs much earlier than previous generations. Even before retirement, many buyers are thinking about the features of a home that will help them transition into old age with ease.\u201d<\/p>\n
In fact, Baile says that many middle-aged clients have seen their elderly parents go through a transition, and this has encouraged them to consider their own future needs.<\/p>\n
Overall welfare and financial security play in important role in this decision-making. According to the Royal LePage survey, \u201cCanadians Aging in Place,\u201d 74 percent of respondents are increasingly interested in aging in place due to the cost of living in a senior care facility, and 59 percent are concerned for their health and well-being at such a facility.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Canadian Home Builders\u2019 Association says nearly 90 percent of Canadians wish to stay in their homes for as long as possible. Of course, as we age, our mobility and physical abilities change, making it challenging to navigate our homes. But there are adaptations homeowners can make to ease this transition, making their homes safer and more accessible.<\/p>\n
Common renovation solutions include:
\u2022 Snow-melt systems for driveways and walkways;
\u2022 Vertical platform lifts at front porchs or steps;
\u2022 Good lighting, especially hallways and stairways;
\u2022 Motion-sensor lights;
\u2022 Easy-to-reach electrical outlets;
\u2022 Elevator or stair lifts inside, for homes with multiple levels;
\u2022 Smart home systems for controlling various features (lighting, temperature, security) using voice commands or an app.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore and more, Canadians are choosing to right-size rather than down-size as they age,\u201d added Baile, noting that some will opt \u201cto renovate their existing properties to accommodate their changing needs\u201d.<\/p>\n
Getting in on the action<\/strong> The standards CSA B651 Accessible Design for the Built Environment, CSA\/ASC B652 Accessible Dwellings and CSA B651.2 Accessible Design for Self-Service Interactive Devices Including Automated Banking Machines have been developed to help improve the lives of those livings with disabilities, including the elderly.<\/p>\n Aging in place with dignity\u2026 and lots of tech<\/strong> Cameras and sensors can be placed unobtrusively around the home and feed their data back to caregivers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This team of Carleton researchers, in partnership with the Bruyere Research Institute and Age-Well Network of Centres of Excellence, is developing \u201csupportive smart home systems to help older adults age in place safely and with dignity,\u201d writes Carleton\u2019s Dan Rubinstein<\/p>\n So what does a supportive smart home system looks like?<\/p>\n Wallace stresses that \u201cambient sensing\u201d (sensors placed strategically throughout the dwelling) is key to aging in place. \u201cIf you look at sensors that are worn [on the body], people forget to wear them, so it can be hard to know if they are functioning properly,\u201d he explains. \u201cWith ambient sensing, you just live your life as always.\u201d<\/p>\n Looking at power, Wallace says you could have wireless, battery-based sensors (similar to today\u2019s home security systems) but that would involve a rather large battery count and would just be another challenging thing for seniors and caregivers to manage.<\/p>\n \u201cInstead, we\u2019re seeing companies using the wiring harness of the house but with USB power using USB outlets in house wall plugs,\u201d he explains. \u201cAlso, there are now sensor units that are placed directly within the outlet. That is, a licensed electrician swaps out an existing light switch or outlet for one of these units. It\u2019s still a switch or outlet but can have motion and temperature and odor sensors powered directly off 120-volt. Control of the switch is achieved by the switch itself with preset settings and\/or a motion sensor and\/or voice activation.\u201d<\/p>\n Back-up power is also very important for various critical systems, such as charging cellular devices, notes Jim Closs, national director at a Toronto-based firm called Age Safe Canada and owner of a consulting firm called Live Easy. He has 30 years of experience in accessible design and will be using emerging technologies in some upcoming aging in place projects.<\/p>\n Closs notes that if you\u2019re looking to add an accessibility product like a stairlift or home elevator \u2013 even if they are battery-operated \u2013 it\u2019s also important to have these devices on their own circuit based on the manufacturer\u2019s specification so they are charged at all times.<\/p>\n Ark Tsisserev, principal at Vancouver-based AES Engineering, adds the important note that if the electrical equipment in a home is upgraded or added upon, then the size of the service \u2013 including the rating of the service box and ampacity of the consumer\u2019s service conductors \u2013 might have to increase.<\/p>\n Solutions overview<\/strong>
All this represents a huge opportunity for renovation professionals to provide forward-thinking homeowners with the supports they need now (or will need down the road), but only if they understand how support systems related to mobility, cognitive challenges and medical conditions can make aging in place a reality.
Contractors should to be able to talk knowledgeably with both mature and older customers (and caregivers) about these considerations, then recommend the appropriate systems and solutions to enable aging in place.
And, because installations are guided by standards, what standards could apply to aging in place?
CSA Group says it is collaborating with industry partners, interested parties and persons with lived experiences to create \u201cworld-class standards and guidelines\u201d to help meet the needs of Canadians who choose to age in place\u2026 whether in their homes or within their communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re bringing together emerging technology, aging adults, industry partners and clinical expertise,\u201d says Bruce Wallace, executive director of the Sensors and Analytics for Monitoring Mobility and Memory (SAM3) Age-Well National Innovation Hub. \u201cIt\u2019s time to get this technology out of the laboratory and into the community.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"-\"](\"https:\/\/www.canadiancontractor.ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/altumview.jpg\")
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For years, contractors have been involved in running power for stair lifts, automated doors and additional lighting. (Lighting is especially important on stairs to prevent injury, says Wallace, but also in every room.) In addition, open\/closed sensors on exterior doors are already being installed in the homes of those with dementia.<\/p>\n