The evolution of Living Life to the Fullest
in an intergenerational active community
Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities
NORCs
The concept and label NORC was first coined in the 1980s by Michael Hunt, a professor of urban planning at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Based on extensive demographic research he defined NORC as a community that has a large proportion of residents over 60. He found that NORCs evolved in one or a combination of three ways that have a natural association with strong small towns, many with a rich heritage and "pocket communities", those special snug neighbourhoods in cities.
NORCS-Three Attributes
· Aging in place: The "silent generation" and "boomers" were either born or moved into strong small towns or "pocket communities" in towns and cities. The source of the strength and resilience of the small towns was frequently its heritage and legacy roots with a traditional neighbourhood parish culture they experienced. In the Canadian Maritime provinces the expression was that they felt they had "come home". Housing was affordable and in their prime working years they purchased a single family residence. The communities were frequently linked to a core industry (mining, manufacturing, forestry, agriculture, aquaculture) or activity (tourism/leisure).
As they transitioned into retirement in an aging society they wanted to remain in their affordable homes in intergenerational age- friendly communities with their "15 minute walk" to retail hubs with neighbourhood businesses owned and operated by locals.
· Emigration: Although seniors remained in the strong towns and "pocket communities" the emergent next generation moved out to urban centres. A "thundering herd" of boomers and millennials raised in these traditional active communities across the country emigrated to urban centres to pursue professional careers and preferred lifestyles. Canada was transformed from a country of "community of communities" to the most urbanized population in the western world with an estimated 80% of the population living in five urban centres.
· Immigration: The emergent aging population, now dominated by boomers and 55+millennials, is looking to relocate from urban centres and suburbia to intergenerational age- friendly communities.
NORCs with their rich heritage and parish life culture (neighbours look in on and care for neighbours) and their "15 minute walk"along a traditional main street hub with neighbourhood stores and amenities are intergenerational age- friendly.
In an aging society boomers and retirees are relocating from urban centre to NORCs. Former emigres are transitioning into immigrants who now want to return and "come home" as they age and transition into retirement. If they're in a fixed income retirement mode small town and pocket community living opens the door to residing in an attractive affordable residence.
The Transformation of NORCS into NOCS
Canada has evolved into an aging society.
NORCs are evolving into emergent naturally occurring communities "NOCs".
A combination of the "aging in place" population and boomers and 55+millennials either
"coming home" or relocating from urban centres to small towns and pocket communities are transforming "NOCs" into "best in class" places to "live life to the fullest".
The Multicultural Value Add
Canada has evolved into a model multicultural society.
The Canadian government has launched an aggressive immigration program to attract immigrants to fill the employment vacuum in the professional, para-professional, skilled trades and service workers as well as the traditional agriculture, aquaculture and forestry sectors.
NOCs have an employment void. Schools have declining enrolments. Immigrant families can fill these voids.
Immigrants are entrepreneurial. This is why they embraced a first attempt in learning (F.A.I.L) replete with risks to immigrate to Canada, "a land of family-friendly opportunity".
NOCs are the locus of family owned neighbourhood businesses with aging owners and operators receptive to transferring ownership to an entrepreneur wanting to take on the risk and responsibility of transitioning it to the next generation.
A emergent "silver economy" is creating a market for a new generation of "aged" focused businesses. Many immigrants have these entrepreneurial attributes and have the willpower and family support to embrace an entrepreneurial business opportunity.
The Canadian government is initiating programs to enable NOCs to evolve into strong multicultural active retirement towns (S.M.A.R.T.s.)
My Multicultural Mission
*I've taken on the mission to apply my expertise as a college law professor in multicultural educational and career development combined with my advocacy on active community living to mentor and counsel NOCs on how to evolve into smart multicultural active retirement towns (S.M.A.R.T.s) and mentor and counsel immigrant families attracted to these S.M.A.R.T.s on how to "ignite and/or reignite their passion" that encouraged them to make these communities their homes into personalized pathways for "living life to the fullest".
Get Smart!
Boomers, 55+millennials and immigrants are gravitating to S.M.A.R.T. NOCs
Contact me and discuss how I can develop a S.M.A.R.T. NOC profile of your community that will be posted on my blog and put you on the preferred list of intergenerational active community choices.
