TY - JOUR
AU - M. Chang
AU - J. Recknagel
A1 - 
AB - The naturally occurring retirement communities (NORC) Innovation Centre (NIC) at University Health Network (UHN) is reshaping aging in place through the UHN NORC model - a scalable, values-driven approach that integrates health and social care in NORCs. Currently implemented in 30 sites supporting more than 4,500 older adults, the model builds capacity for adaptive leadership and relational care practices to ensure that older adults can age well at home. Guided by local leaders, inter-professional teams and community partners, the model brings together social support, health promotion and timely access to care. Early results show increased sense of belonging, reduced emergency visits, improved experience and outcomes and stronger system integration. The UHN NORC model offers a solution to enable community-based care for older adults and a viable path to relieve growing system pressure.
AD - Melissa Changsenior director, connected care and naturally occurring retirement communities (NORC) Innovation Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, has over 20 years in healthcare leadership. Melissa brings people and ideas together to deliver new ways to approach health and well-being. Her track record spans work across sectors (acute, mental health, primary care, home and community), addressing scale and sustainability for some of healthcare's most pressing challenges. Her expertise in change management, implementation science and digital health is currently focused on delivering integrated models of care working with communities and individuals most in need. Melissa has helped lead pivotal initiatives across the province, from improving wait times to advancing integrated care programs that connect services and create much-needed capacity. She also serves as board chair at Unison Community Health Centre, Toronto, ON, advocating for equitable access to care.; Jen Recknagel, director, NORC Innovation Centre, University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ON, is a human-centred designer focused on improving health and social care systems. For more than a decade, she has designed and advanced a community-led model of integrated care in naturally occurring retirement communities and developed the UHN NORC Program. She directs the Centre's design and innovation strategy, guiding the growth and evolution of this model. Under her leadership, the program has expanded to more than 30 NORC buildings across Toronto, reaching over 4,500 older adults. She also developed the NORC Ambassadors program, which supports older adults to lead peer support and local engagement for aging in place initiatives. With a background in systems thinking and social innovation, Jen brings over 15 years of experience in design research and strategy. Her work applies a human-centred lens to complex systems and now focuses on issues of scale and fidelity, implementation support and embedding community-led approaches in integrated care. Her work is grounded in participatory and relational ways of working.
AN - 42010386
BT - Healthc Q
C5 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
CP - 4
DA - Jan
DO - 10.12927/hcq.2026.27806
DP - NLM
IS - 4
JF - Healthc Q
LA - eng
N2 - The naturally occurring retirement communities (NORC) Innovation Centre (NIC) at University Health Network (UHN) is reshaping aging in place through the UHN NORC model - a scalable, values-driven approach that integrates health and social care in NORCs. Currently implemented in 30 sites supporting more than 4,500 older adults, the model builds capacity for adaptive leadership and relational care practices to ensure that older adults can age well at home. Guided by local leaders, inter-professional teams and community partners, the model brings together social support, health promotion and timely access to care. Early results show increased sense of belonging, reduced emergency visits, improved experience and outcomes and stronger system integration. The UHN NORC model offers a solution to enable community-based care for older adults and a viable path to relieve growing system pressure.
PY - 2026
SN - 1710-2774
SP - 61
EP - 68+
ST - Community First: A Scalable Approach to Integrated Care in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities
T1 - Community First: A Scalable Approach to Integrated Care in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities
T2 - Healthc Q
TI - Community First: A Scalable Approach to Integrated Care in Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities
U1 - Healthcare Disparities; Education & Workforce
U3 - 10.12927/hcq.2026.27806
VL - 28
VO - 1710-2774
Y1 - 2026
ER -