Show Notes
Five years ago, Coming of Age launched during a global pandemic that exposed deep fractures in how we care for older adults. For this milestone episode, host Donna Duncan reunites with our very first guest, award-winning journalist and author Moira Welsh to reflect on progress, persistent challenges and the future of aging in Ontario.
Moira’s new book, The Astonishing Lives of Older Women, shines a light on the gendered realities of longevity. Women live longer. They are more likely to experience financial vulnerability in later life. And too often, we fail to plan for what longer lives actually require. So what has changed in the past five years? Are we better prepared for aging culturally, financially and structurally? And what would it take to shift from fearing aging to planning for it?
This conversation explores the evolving landscape of long-term care, the power and resilience of older women, and why aging well is not a private issue but a societal responsibility.
This episode was generously sponsored by our Sector Champion, PointClickCare.
Books and more by Moira Welsh: The Astonishing Lives of Older Women: How to Create Pleasure Over Peril in Peak Longevity (available April 7, 2026) How to live to 100 (or Die Trying) a new podcast with Moira Welsh The Third Act, an ongoing first-of-its kind project that partners research expertise, thought leadership and journalism the Toronto Star is producing in collaboration with the National Institute on Ageing and Toronto Metropolitan University. Happily Ever Older: Revolutionary Approaches to Long-Term Care
Other resources mentioned in this episode: The Data: Long-Term Care in Ontario with insights on wait times, who lives in long-term care and more Learn about the many ways Schlegel Villages is working to support its residents and neighbours – from sky-diving and other moments of living well.
More from Coming of Age: Meeting the needs of our aging population
Canada is aging, and that asks all of us to think differently about care, our communities and what it truly means to age well. Season 6 of Coming of Age brings researchers, policy leaders, residents and families into conversation about the choices, practical ideas and lived experiences shaping the future of aging and care.
Care doesn’t start with policy — it starts with people.
Ontario is home to more than 330,000 people living with dementia today, a number expected to reach one million within a generation. Behind these staggering statistics are real people navigating profound changes in cognition, communication, and identity.
In long-term care, the workforce is the heart of every home. When we invest in long-term care as essential economic infrastructure, we not only provide compassionate care, we also strengthen Ontario’s GDP, create recession-proof jobs and provide reliable support for our aging population.
Primary care is often called the heartbeat of healthcare, and in Ontario’s rural and northern communities, it’s a lifeline. As more than half of long-term care spaces await redevelopment, local care teams are stepping up with new ideas and strong collaboration to help older adults age with dignity and connection. In this episode, host Donna Duncan speaks with 3 inspiring women who are reshaping seniors’ care from the ground up: