Hamilton Aging in Community
Our group (founded in 2013) is an aging-in-community group of community-minded individuals, mostly between our mid50s and our mid80s, residing in the Hamilton, Ontario area. One member lives in a retirement home; quite a number have downsized to condo homes or seniors buildings. We are committed to learn and inform others about lifelong learning, intergenerational connections, housing alternatives and other mutual support strategies for maturing adults and seniors. We are committed to getting to know each other and relying on each other in times of need.
What We Do
Since 2014, Hamilton Aging in Community (previous name: Hamilton Aging Together) has sponsored an annual community event in seniors’ month to promote Aging in Community approaches in Hamilton. These resilient aging events have been cosponsored by Hamilton Council on Aging and Age-Friendly Hamilton. These events have focused on Mutual Support, Seniors Cohousing, Home Sharing, and Strengthening Connections for Older Adults in Faith Communities.
Members of Hamilton Aging in Community have been invited to speak about social participation and aging in community by the Hamilton Council on Aging, the Hamilton Seniors Advisory Committee, Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre, Halton Seniors Advisory Committee, and various programs at McMaster University.
Our Team
The website team – leadership of Hamilton Aging in Community – includes Ellen Ryan, Loretta Jaunzarins, Judy Shepalo, and Sarah Ayerst.
ELLEN RYAN
Ellen Ryan leads the Hamilton Aging in Community project and mutual support group. A gerontologist and semi-retired professor, she sees later life as a time of opportunity for reflection, creativity, growth, connectedness, and contribution. She has been invited to speak about social participation and resilient aging in community internationally and by Hamilton Council on Aging, Hamilton Third Age Learning, Hamilton Seniors Advisory Committee, Ancaster Senior Achievement Centre, Halton Seniors Advisory Committee, Na’amat Hamilton (Jewish Women’s Group), local churches, and various programs at McMaster University. See her nine-minute video on Aging in Community and also her Writing Aging and Spirit website.
LORETTA JAUNZARINS
Loretta Jaunzarins has been a Lutheran pastor in Hamilton since 2005. Over the years she has developed a keen interest in alternative housing and food sustainability and the role faith communities can play in being active participants in meeting the needs of congregational members and the local community. Her vision is to partner with community groups and organizations to better the housing and food security of Hamiltonians. Her passion is to encourage faith communities to go beyond being welcoming to being learning centres where people gather to learn about physical and spiritual health especially in the aging process.
JUDY SHEPALO
Judy Shepalo is a real estate agent with a focus on seniors, a demographic she has always loved working and volunteering with. Her goal is to provide housing options for older adults, assist with the transition and to remove as much of the stress of moving as possible. Becoming progressively more interested in co-ownership and home sharing as viable housing alternatives, in December 2019 she founded Cohousing Hamilton, an additional housing option for all ages and she continues to promote housing alternatives particularly to seniors. She has held several events and spoken to various groups on housing options for seniors. An active member of the Rotary Club of Dundas, she also volunteers with Dundas Community Services and chairs the annual Dundas Seniors Day event.
SARAH AYERST
Sarah has a broad multi-disciplinary background including business owner and working overseas with a relief and development organization. For many decades she lived in extended family, communal and cooperative housing.
As a professional and volunteer caregiver for brain-injured and physically impaired people, her most treasured successes were when people felt enabled, and in more control of their lives.
As an active volunteer in social justice and community building, her core passion is research and development of affordable housing models that encourage interdependence between neighbours and generations.