Welcome and Introduction - 23RD ANNUAL JOHN K. FRIESEN CONFERENCE "Housing Alternatives for an Aging Population" May 28-29, 2014

This video comprises an address to the attendees of the 23rd Annual John K. Friesen Conference, "Housing Alternatives for an Aging Population" held May 28-29, 2014, Vancouver, BC. The Simon Fraser University Gerontology Research Centre (GRC) and associated Gerontology Department are pleased to welcome you to the 23rd John K. Friesen Conference. This year’s conference, organized and hosted in cooperation with the Lifelong Learning Adults 55+ Program, explores a range of tenure arrangements, housing forms, and service models currently available and under development for adults 55+ in British Columbia, including cohousing popular in the USA; life-lease projects, popular in the prairie provinces; mixed-tenure models and models targeted to specific groups (e.g., Performing Arts Lodges; ethno-cultural housing). Assisted Living was discussed as well as housing and service options that do not require people to move from their current home (e.g., the Village Model, United Way’s Better at Home Program, retro-fitting or adding “smart” technologies). Keynote speakers, expert panels and poster presentations discussed the pros and cons of each housing option and the type of resident for whom it is best suited. The objective of the conference was to provide information that enable people aged 55+ to plan ahead and make informed choices. As well, it was designed to provide a forum for developers (private, public & non-profit) to learn what adults aged 55+ are looking for in the way of housing for their later years.Sponsors: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation; BC Housing; Retirement ConceptsWe also gratefully acknowledge a grant from the SFU Library's Scholarly Digitization Fund for videography and post-production editing.