Canadians aged 65 and older want to decide where they live and most prefer that place to be their current home. The concept of an older adult aging in the place of their choosing emphasizes that preference. Preference, however, does not guarantee that aging in that place will be possible. Feasibility depends on an older person’s circumstances and supports available where they live.

John Amagoalik’s story illustrates the gap between preference and possibility when it comes to aging in place of choice. A lifelong advocate for Inuit self-determination and one of the key figures behind the creation of Nunavut, Amagoalik recently spent 16 months in an assisted-living facility in Ottawa after an infection resulted in the amputation of part of his leg.

Being more than 2,000 kilometres from Iqaluit, Amagoalik told the CBC, “The worst part was the loneliness.” Friends eventually helped arrange the housing and care that has allowed him to return to his home for now.

Although Amagoalik’s circumstances are particular to Nunavut, where some elders must leave the territory to access specialized services not available closer to home, his story raises a question relevant across Canada: What does it mean to say older persons have a choice about where they age if the supports they need are not available........

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