All Saints’ Westboro (ASW) launched another initiative last year aimed at better caring for and supporting older adult parishioners in their community.
All Saints’ associate incumbent the Rev. Chung Yan Lam and the pastoral care team conducted a survey of ASW parishioners asking how the church could best support them. Their thoughtful responses identified about 10 areas where additional support or conversation would be valuable.
To help bring these ideas to life, Donna Rourke was invited to facilitate a series of conversations and workshops. She brings both professional training and personal experience, holding diplomas in Gerontology and Palliative Care from Durham College and a certificate in Managing Conflict from Algonquin College. In an interview with Perspective, she shared that the topic is one of personal interest to her as well because she and her brothers are currently accompanying their mother as she navigates the complexities of the healthcare system. “Together, our goal is to help her age with grace—in the right place, which for her is the home of my youngest brother,” she said.
Rourke described the events that have taken place so far:
Exploring Ottawa housing options
The first interactive workshop, Housing Options in Ottawa, was based on a guide prepared by the Council on Aging’s Age-Friendly Housing Committee. The Council on Aging brings together older adults and community partners from across Ottawa to improve the wellbeing of seniors. The Age-Friendly Housing Committee, in particular, focuses on what are known as the four A’s of housing—ensuring that housing is affordable, accessible, appropriate, and available.
During the workshop, we invited participants to reflect on where and how they want to live as they age. “Aging in the right place” is not only central to personal wellbeing but also a cornerstone of an age-friendly community. We emphasized the importance of planning early—before a crisis forces a move—so that decisions can be made with peace of mind and a sense of empowerment. Ultimately, it is each individual’s decision where they want to call home.
Fostering connection and belonging
Our second event took a more social and experiential approach. Instead of a traditional workshop, it served as a model of the importance of connection and belonging—key elements of healthy aging. The goal was simple: to help participants feel less isolated and more engaged with their community.
Looking ahead: Resources to help you stay in your home
Our third session, Resources to Help You Stay in Your Home, was postponed due to an unexpected heating issue and subsequent flood at ASW but will be rescheduled soon. This workshop will explore a wide range of supports available to older adults who wish to remain at home.
Topics will include Ontario Health at Home, the Geriatric Assessment Outreach Day Hospital, safety and accessibility options, financial assistance programs, dementia-related supports, mental and emotional wellbeing, as well as food and transportation services. One parishioner will also share her family’s story about adapting their home to make it more accessible.
The goal of this session—and indeed the whole series—is to provide participants with knowledge, confidence, and encouragement to make informed decisions based on their own needs, preferences, and values.
Following the Rowe and Kahn model of Successful Aging, the Aging with Grace series invites participants to continue making positive lifestyle choices—embracing healthy eating, appropriate physical activity, active social engagement, mental stimulation, and the nurturing of spiritual life, however that looks for each individual.
Aging with Grace reflects the compassion and commitment that make All Saints’ Westboro a caring community. It is about learning, sharing, and walking together through the later seasons of life. While aging can bring challenges, it also opens opportunities for connection, reflection, growth—and, above all, grace.
Cathedral Deanery — Wallis sketching Christ Church Cathedral West Window Cartoon