Janet Torge, founder of Radical Resthomes thinks it’s time to rethink traditional senior-living models. “There’s this whole thing of staying in place, which is all fine and dandy, except if you start having health problems,” she said.
Torge is developing a pilot project for co-living, which she spoke about at a health fair hosted by the Eva Marsden Centre for Aging and Social Justice in NDG last week. “I call them homes with purpose,” she told CJLO. Torge wants to see the province think outside of the box and fund other solutions. “They give the money to the construction industry… they only think in terms of traditional housing.”
Ryan Backer, an age activist, is also challenging norms through their work at Old School, which takes an intersectional approach to combating ageism. “Our bodies are colonized to fear aging,” they said. Their workshops focus on introspection and the “universal” yet “unique” experience of aging.
