Reader Review: "Great Resource"

"I have just finished reading The Perfect Home For a Long Life. You have done an amazing job of laying out the stark realities of aging and accommodation with optimism and hope for people moving into this period of their lives.  I particularly liked the examples in the final chapter where you show how one's whole life is in fact a preparation for your growing needs as you age - the projects one puts effort into, the caring for others and the building up of a community. I am sitting on the board of my condo and finding out how things run. As I am interested in doing some renovations to join my two units together I realize that the Condo needs a defined process for something like this to happen as it has an impact on the 'Common Elements'. By being on the board and learning more about how a condo works I can shepherd such a bylaw through the next AGM  and so clarify things for myself and for others down the road. All of this takes time so I can see that I am doing some of the forward planning that you recommend.

I also work with Cornerstone here in Ottawa which is the reality of what you described in the section Religious/Ethnocultural/Spiritual Communities.

I have spoken of your book to many of my contemporaries - many have read your first book and are anxious to read this one.  I think it is a great resource. You have included many practical solutions but it is the voices and experiences of all those you interviewed that make it more than a handbook of facts."

Peggy Lister, Ottawa 

The Perfect Launch for The Perfect Home

Over 80 people gathered last night at the beautiful University of Toronto Art Centre to launch The Perfect Home For a Long Life. It was May Day, spring had finally arrived in Toronto, and the excited buzz in the room was a celebration of new beginnings. As one guest said, "Your launch is part of the joy and beauty of spring." Much credit for the joy-filled atmosphere goes to the talented jazz singer Shannon Butcher and her pianist Michael Shand who filled the room with hot sounds. Great music, provocative art, smart company - the book was launched in style.

Check out photos from the launch here.

Advance Praise for The Perfect Home

The Perfect Home For a Long Life is being shipped to bookstores across the country and we're planning book launches from coast to coast. Please keep an eye on Events for the details. I was delighted to receive the following feedback from one of the book's early readers, Cheryl Snider the Manager of Calgary HomeShare. Check out this PDF to learn about Cheryl's program and you'll read more about it in the book. Here's her book review.

“It is excellent reading – engaging and informative. Nothing works for everyone and I think that is the reason so many of us are opposed to the idea of “nursing homes”. This volume describes many options that people can consider for their homes. The examples and personal stories that Lyndsay includes give a good sense of what can work for different people. I was also impressed with the number of resources included with each option. I am certain that many people will find this a helpful and inspiring Book of Merit.”

Hang Out at Radical Resthomes

A growing number of people are recognizing that aging in the right place will be critically important, and they're prepared to do something to make it happen. You can watch the ideas flow on Janet Torge's blog Radical Resthomes. As Janet says, "It looks like we have a little movement on our hands..." Her blog is a follow up to the conversation she and Dorothy Goldin Rosenberg had on CBC Radio's Sunday Edition about the Paris senior women's home, Baba Yaga, which aired on March 17, 2013, you can listen to it here. On Janet's website there's a place for regional discussions to help like-minded people find each other. May a thousand flowers bloom.

Aging Successfully in Place

On March 1, I'll have the pleasure of presenting the keynote at Aging Successfully in Place, the 2013 Geriatrics Symposium organized by the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute. The day-long event for healthcare professionals and students working in the geriatrics field offers plenary sessions and workshops such as, Too Much, Too Little, Too Late: Care, Capacity and the Geriatric Client and Geriatric Medicine: Where Did We Come From, Where Are We Going? The day promises to be full of new ideas and inspirational strategies. Register here.

During Seniors' Week, February 12 - 15, TVOntario broadcast a series on Aging in Ontario on The Agenda with host Steve Paikin. The series can be viewed on the website of The Agenda. I prepared a guest blog for the series titled A Holistic Retirement.