Aging Your Way Expo 2026: Aging Well Should Still Feel Like Living

Jenna Hilchey, BScN RN CPHCN(C)

What this article covers

• Why the Aging Your Way Expo is about much more than healthcare

• What aging well can actually look like in everyday life

• Why movement, dance, recreation, hobbies and social connection matter

• How we can change the way we talk about getting older

• Why people living with disabilities belong in conversations about community, recreation and independence

• What we learned from the 2026 Halifax Aging Your Way Expo

• Why planning ahead should protect the life you enjoy—not replace it

• How families across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island can think differently about aging well

• Frequently asked questions about the Expo, daily living supports and finding fun things to do

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There are a lot of conversations about aging that begin with what might go wrong.

Can you still manage the stairs?

What happens if you stop driving?

Who will help if you need something?

Should you move?

Do you have your paperwork in order?

Those are important questions. We talk about many of them ourselves through our free community workshops at Remember When HealthCare.

But there is another question we don't ask nearly enough:

What do you want the next part of your life to look like?

Maybe you want to travel.

Maybe you want to dance.

Maybe you want to learn something new, spend more time outside, volunteer, go to basketball games, garden, paint, join a walking group, keep working, see your friends more often or finally make time for the hobby you've talked about for 20 years.

Maybe your perfect Saturday is coffee with a friend and wandering around a community event with absolutely no agenda.

That counts too.

That is the idea behind the Aging Your Way Expo.

On October 17, 2026, we welcomed the community to Cedar Events Centre in Halifax for a day built around a simple belief:

Aging well should still feel like living.

Not managing.

Not slowly giving things up.

Living.

Why did we create the Aging Your Way Expo?

Working in healthcare gives you an interesting view of aging.

We meet people when they are planning ahead, but we also meet families during some of the most stressful moments of their lives.

A hospitalization happens unexpectedly.

A daughter realizes her mother isn't managing quite as well as she thought.

Someone becomes overwhelmed trying to navigate a system they have never had to understand before.

A spouse has gradually taken on more and more responsibility without ever really stopping to think about how much they are doing.

Those conversations matter.

But over the years, they have also made our team think about something bigger.

Why do so many conversations about aging begin only when there is a problem?

Why aren't we talking just as much about what people want to keep doing?

What do you enjoy?

Where do you want to go?

Who do you want to spend time with?

What makes you laugh?

What keeps you moving?

What would you like to try that you haven't tried before?

Those questions matter too.

The Aging Your Way Expo grew out of that idea.

We wanted to create something where health, planning and practical information could exist in the same room as recreation, movement, community, food, conversation and fun.

You might come because you have a very specific question.

Or you might come because your friend said, "There's a free Expo on Saturday. Want to go?"

Both are perfectly good reasons to be there.

What does aging well actually mean?

There isn't one answer.

That is probably the most important part.

For one person, aging well might mean staying in the house where they raised their family.

For someone else, it might mean downsizing so they have less maintenance and more freedom to travel.

One person might love organized fitness classes. Another would rather never set foot in a gym but will happily spend three hours gardening.

Someone might want a full social calendar.

Someone else might prefer two close friends, a good book and a quiet house.

Aging well is personal.

Canadian healthy-aging research increasingly reflects this wider view. Healthy aging includes more than physical health. Personal well-being, mental health, social relationships, physical environment, safety and social engagement can all contribute to how people experience later life (Mansell et al., 2024).

That matters because it changes the question from:

"What do older people need?"

to:

"What does this person want their life to look like?"

Those are very different conversations.

And frankly, the second one is much more interesting.

How does the Aging Your Way Expo make aging well feel different?

One of our goals with the Aging Your Way Expo has always been to change the atmosphere around conversations about aging.

We didn't want a room that felt clinical.

We didn't want every conversation to be about declining health, needing care or preparing for something bad to happen.

Of course there was healthcare information.

There were organizations discussing hearing, vision, physiotherapy, sleep, accessibility, dementia, home safety and other important subjects.

But that was only part of the room.

There were also conversations about recreation, exercise, community programs, food, clothing, hobbies, financial freedom, home projects, wellness, technology and ways to stay engaged with the world around you.

You could learn something.

You could grab a coffee.

You could meet people.

You could eat lunch.

You could discover something you had never heard of.

You could walk into a presentation because the topic caught your attention.

You could laugh with a vendor at their booth.

You could come with your mother, your sister, your spouse or a friend and simply make a day of it.

That mix is intentional.

Because if we are going to talk about aging well, then enjoyment needs to be part of the conversation.

Why should movement, dance and recreation be part of conversations about aging?

Because people do not suddenly stop wanting enjoyable experiences when they reach a certain birthday.

Movement doesn't have to mean training for a marathon.

It can be dancing.

Walking.

Stretching.

Gardening.

Playing a sport.

Swimming.

Moving to music in your living room.

Taking part in an adapted activity.

Going out with friends.

Finding something that makes you forget for a while that you are technically "exercising."

Canadian researchers studying the Sharing Dance Older Adults program found that community dance can contribute to both physical and psychosocial outcomes for older adults (Sodums et al., 2024).

Another Canadian study examining community dance programs found that participants were drawn not only to movement itself but to the authentic experience and social connection surrounding it. Researchers also emphasized the importance of making programs adaptable and inclusive rather than allowing assumptions about age or ability to become barriers to participation (Paglione et al., 2024).

We love that idea because it gets at something we sometimes lose in health messaging.

Movement does not only have value because it may improve a health measurement.

Moving your body can also just feel good.

Music can be fun.

Dance can be social.

Walking somewhere beautiful can make your day better.

Playing a game can make you competitive in the best possible way.

Learning something physical that you didn't think you could do can make you proud of yourself.

Those experiences have value.

What if you've never considered yourself an "active" person?

Then don't start by trying to become one.

Start with something you might actually enjoy.

One of the mistakes we make when talking about healthy aging is turning everything into homework.

Exercise more.

Eat better.

Socialize more.

Get more sleep.

Reduce stress.

Do your balance exercises.

Drink water.

It's good advice.

It's also a lot.

Instead, maybe the question is:

What sounds fun enough that you'd actually want to do it again?

If you enjoy music, maybe it is dance.

If you like being outside, perhaps it's a walking group or gardening.

If you are competitive, maybe there is a recreational sport that fits.

If you like making things, try an art, woodworking or craft program.

If you're curious, take a class.

If you don't want a structured activity at all, call someone you like and make plans.

Healthy choices have a much better chance of becoming part of life when they don't constantly feel like obligations.

Why does social connection matter as we get older?

There is a health side to this conversation, but there is also a very human side.

People need people.

Research using data from more than 50,000 participants in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging found that more frequent social participation was associated with greater social support, higher life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms (Reynolds et al., 2022).

Notice the wording: associated.

That doesn't mean going to one community event is some magic prescription for happiness.

Human lives are more complicated than that.

But it does reinforce something many of us recognize instinctively: having opportunities to participate, connect and feel part of something matters.

More recent Canadian research has also found a relationship between functional limitations and reduced social support, highlighting how barriers to participation can contribute to social isolation (DiTommaso et al., 2026).

This is particularly important when we think about accessibility.

Sometimes a person isn't isolated because they don't want to participate.

The environment may simply make participating difficult.

Transportation can be a barrier.

Mobility can be a barrier.

Cost can be a barrier.

Accessibility can be a barrier.

Not knowing what is available can be a barrier.

Feeling like an activity "isn't for someone like me" can be a barrier too.

That is why age-friendly and accessible communities need more than healthcare.

They need places to go and things to do.

Why should aging well include people living with disabilities?

Because enjoyment, independence, relationships and personal goals do not belong to one age group or one level of ability.

This is something we feel strongly about at Remember When HealthCare.

A person living with a disability isn't simply a collection of tasks they may need assistance completing.

They have favourite places.

Friends.

Goals.

Interests.

Pet peeves.

Things they love doing.

Things they absolutely do not want to do.

And opinions about how they want their life to look.

Canadian research published in 2026 found that functional limitations were associated with lower levels of social support. The authors argued that efforts to reduce social isolation should pay attention to barriers affecting participation rather than focusing only on someone's diagnosis (DiTommaso et al., 2026).

That distinction is important.

Instead of asking only, "What help does this person need?" we should also be asking:

What do they want to participate in?

Where do they want to go?

What are they interested in?

What would give them more choice?

What makes a good day for them?

This thinking carries over into our own work. For example, our Individualized Funding services in Nova Scotia can include community access and social or recreational activities when those supports are included within someone's approved DSP Support Plan.

But the larger message goes well beyond one service.

People deserve access to community life.

What did you see at the 2026 Halifax Aging Your Way Expo?

You saw a little bit of everything.

And that was exactly the point.

More than 80 exhibitors and community organizations came together representing different pieces of the aging-well picture.

There were organizations connected to health and wellness.

Recreation.

Hearing.

Vision.

Physical movement.

Home and accessibility.

Food.

Financial planning.

Community programs.

Products.

Safety.

Housing.

Technology.

And more.

Our educational stage brought another layer to the day, with presentations designed to teach something useful rather than simply sell something.

You could learn about hearing health.

Hear from professionals working in geriatric mental health.

Learn how to better recognize scams and fraud.

Explore other topics connected to living safely, independently and confidently.

Then you could get up, walk around, talk to someone new, find lunch and keep exploring.

That's how we wanted it.

Not six hours of being told everything you should worry about.

A day where serious subjects could be discussed without making the entire experience feel serious.

Why is fun actually an important part of healthy aging?

This might sound like an odd question.

It shouldn't be.

Somehow, when we discuss aging, we become very comfortable talking about risk and surprisingly uncomfortable talking about fun.

Falls.

Medication.

Finances.

Advance directives.

Housing.

Chronic illness.

All important.

But ask a 72-year-old what she has planned this weekend and she may be much more interested in telling you about the concert she's going to than discussing fall prevention.

As she should be.

Research around healthy aging increasingly recognizes social engagement and personal well-being as meaningful parts of the overall picture (Mansell et al., 2024).

Community dance research in Canada has similarly highlighted enjoyment, authentic experience and social connection—not simply physical outcomes—as reasons people participate (Paglione et al., 2024).

So yes, we can talk about blood pressure.

But we can also talk about getting out of the house because you heard there's live music somewhere.

We can talk about balance exercises and dancing at the same time.

We can talk about accessibility while making sure accessible activities are actually enjoyable.

We can talk about planning for the future without acting as though the future is something to fear.

Aging well should contain things you're excited about.

What does aging your way look like when life changes?

Aging your way doesn't mean nothing will ever change.

Bodies change.

Energy changes.

Families change.

Health can change.

Sometimes routines have to change too.

The goal isn't to pretend otherwise.

The goal is to adapt without unnecessarily giving up the pieces of life that make you feel like yourself.

Maybe you don't garden the way you did 15 years ago, but raised garden beds make it possible to keep doing what you love.

Maybe you no longer feel comfortable driving at night, so the dinner reservation moves earlier.

Maybe the exercise class needs to be adapted.

Maybe you need someone to accompany you somewhere.

Maybe a home modification makes it easier to continue hosting Sunday dinner.

Maybe you need some assistance with personal care in the morning so you have the energy to go out in the afternoon.

Support should make life bigger, not smaller.

That is one reason we are so careful about how we talk about homecare.

Care shouldn't become someone's whole identity.

When it's needed, the best support should fit around someone's life.

It should help protect routines, preferences, relationships and independence wherever possible.

Our team may know that someone needs help preparing a meal.

But we also want to know what they actually like eating.

We may know someone needs transportation.

We also want to know where they want to go.

We may know they would benefit from companionship.

But companionship should mean more than sitting in a room together.

Maybe they want to go for coffee.

Maybe they want to bake.

Maybe they want to shop.

Maybe they want to walk along the waterfront.

Maybe they want someone to go to a community event with them.

The person comes first.

The task comes second.

What did our Remember When HealthCare team learn from the Expo?

Organizing an event like this is a huge undertaking.

There are months of phone calls, emails, floor plans, vendor registrations, presentations, signs, social media posts, menus, tables, measurements and last-minute changes.

Then the doors open.

And suddenly all of those spreadsheets become people.

People laughing with vendors.

People stopping because they recognized an organization.

People asking questions they had been thinking about for months.

People bumping into people they knew.

People learning something.

People taking photos.

People eating lunch.

People wandering around simply because they wanted to see what was there.

Those are some of our favourite moments.

Our Remember When HealthCare office team, nurses and caregivers spend a lot of time talking with people during difficult or uncertain moments.

The Expo gives us a chance to connect differently.

Not every interaction needs to begin with a problem.

Sometimes we can simply ask, "What are you interested in?"

That feels much closer to what Aging Your Way was meant to be.

How can families talk about aging without making everything about "getting old"?

Start with life rather than logistics.

Instead of opening with:

"What are you going to do when you can't manage the house anymore?"

Try:

"What do you love most about living here?"

Instead of:

"You need to start exercising."

Try:

"Is there anything active you'd actually enjoy doing?"

Instead of:

"We need to talk about your future."

Try:

"What would you really like the next few years to look like?"

Y

ou may eventually arrive at the practical questions.

That's okay.

But now those decisions have context.

If travelling is deeply important, financial and health planning can help protect that goal.

If staying connected to a particular neighbourhood matters, housing decisions can consider that.

If weekly dance classes are the highlight of someone's week, transportation plans matter.

If continuing to volunteer gives someone purpose, accessibility decisions should make room for it.

Planning becomes less about anticipating decline and more about protecting the life a person values.

What can Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island learn from this approach?

Across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, our communities are having bigger conversations about aging.

And we need those conversations.

But as the population ages, We hope we resist the temptation to talk about older adults primarily as people who need services.

They are our business owners.

Volunteers.

Neighbours.

Parents.

Grandparents.

Caregivers.

Artists.

Athletes.

Mentors.

Friends.

Employees.

Travellers.

Musicians.

Gardeners.

People who still haven't decided what they want to be when they grow up.

Community planning for an aging population shouldn't only ask:

"How will we care for people?"

It should also ask:

How will people participate?

Where will they gather?

How will they move around their communities?

What will they do for fun?

How will activities remain accessible when abilities change?

How will we make sure people living with disabilities are included from the beginning rather than accommodated as an afterthought?

Those are aging-well questions too.

Where can we read more about aging well and community connection?

Before this year's Expo, we introduced several of the people and ideas attendees would meet throughout the day.

If you enjoyed this article, read our earlier post, Fresh Ideas for Aging Well: Meet the Speakers at the Halifax Aging Your Way Expo.

It is another example of what we want Aging Your Way to become: a place where people can encounter ideas they might not otherwise go looking for.

And if you want to know what is coming next, visit our Aging Your Way Expo page.

We plan these events around community.

So keep an eye on what comes next.

Bring a friend.

Bring questions.

Or don't bring any questions at all.

You are allowed to come simply because it sounds fun.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Aging Your Way Expo, and who is it for?

The Aging Your Way Expo is a free community event created by Remember When HealthCare around the idea of aging well on your own terms.

It brings together local businesses, community organizations and speakers covering health, wellness, recreation, housing, accessibility, finances, movement, community participation and other parts of everyday life.

It is for older adults, persons living with disabilities, caregivers, adult children, friends and family members—and really anyone interested in what living well can look like as life changes.

You do not have to be looking for homecare or experiencing a health problem to attend.

Is there a cost to attend the Aging Your Way Expo?

No. Admission to the Expo and its educational presentations is free.

Food, refreshments and any products available for purchase are separate.

We want people to be able to walk in, explore the event and learn without an admission fee becoming a barrier.

What types of daily living support are available for seniors in Nova Scotia?

Daily living support in Nova Scotia can look very different from person to person.

Some older adults may want practical assistance with meals, housekeeping, personal care, transportation or errands. Others may want companionship, opportunities to get out into the community, support attending activities or temporary help after an illness or surgery.

The goal should not simply be completing tasks.

Good support should help someone continue living in a way that feels familiar and meaningful to them.

That might mean getting ready in the morning so you can meet friends for lunch, having transportation to an activity you enjoy, preparing meals you actually like or having someone accompany you into the community.

Where can I get daily living support for disabled people in Nova Scotia?

People living with disabilities in Nova Scotia may access support through provincial programs, community organizations, private providers or a combination of resources depending on their eligibility and circumstances.

Daily living support can include personal care and household routines, but it may also include transportation, community access, skill development, employment or educational goals and participation in social and recreational activities.

Remember When HealthCare is approved to provide services to participants receiving Individualized Funding through Nova Scotia's Disability Support Program when those services are included in the person's approved DSP Support Plan.

The important part is that support begins with the person's own goals.

What are some fun things seniors and people living with disabilities can do in Nova Scotia and PEI?

A lot more than can fit in one answer.

Depending on where you live and what you enjoy, you might find dance programs, adapted recreation, community fitness, walking groups, arts and crafts, music, library programming, community meals, gardening groups, volunteering, sports, social clubs, educational workshops, festivals and accessible community events.

Start with what you enjoy rather than what you think you "should" be doing.

If you've always liked music, look for music.

If you like competition, look for a game or sport.

If you're happiest outdoors, find something outside.

If you're curious, take a class.

And if you've never tried something before, getting older is not a reason not to start.

A final thought: don't make your life smaller just because you're getting older

If there is one thing we hope people took away from the 2026 Halifax Aging Your Way Expo, it is this:

Aging is not an instruction to slowly remove things from your life.

Sometimes life requires adaptation.

Sometimes we need more help.

Sometimes we have to do something differently than we did before.

But different doesn't automatically mean less.

You can learn something new at 65.

You can start dancing at 72.

You can make new friends at 81.

You can travel.

You can date.

You can volunteer.

You can change your mind.

You can wear something bold.

You can go to the concert.

You can take the class.

You can try something and decide you hate it.

You can still make plans that have absolutely nothing to do with your healthcare.

And if you need a little support along the way, that support should help you keep doing those things—not become the centre of your life.

That is what Aging Your Way means to us.

It isn't a slogan about getting older.

It's a reminder that your interests, choices, personality, relationships and goals still belong to you.

At Remember When HealthCare, we may work in healthcare.

But ultimately, the reason care matters is because life matters.

The Sunday dinners.

The trips.

The dogs.

The grandchildren.

The garden.

The card games.

The music.

The ridiculous inside jokes.

The traditions.

The new experiences.

The ordinary Tuesday afternoon when you decide to go somewhere simply because you feel like it.

Those are the things worth protecting.

And that's the kind of aging conversation we want to keep having in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and every community we have the privilege of being part of.

In summary

The Aging Your Way Expo was created around a broader idea of healthy aging: people should have opportunities to stay involved, keep learning, move in ways they enjoy, connect with others, discover new interests and make choices about how they want to live.

Healthcare, accessibility, planning and daily living support are important pieces of that picture—but they aren't the whole picture.

Aging well is personal.

It can involve planning ahead while still being spontaneous. Getting support while remaining independent. Adapting something you love instead of giving it up. Taking care of your health while also doing things for no other reason than they make you happy.

Most importantly, aging your way means there is still a your in the conversation.

References

DiTommaso, D., Robibaro, F., & Spence, N. D. (2026). Chronic disease and social isolation among Canadians: Evidence from the 2022 Mental Health and Access to Care Survey. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 46(6), 237–244. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.46.6.03

Mansell, B., Summach, A., Molen, S., & O'Rourke, T. (2024). Utilizing the determinants of healthy aging to guide the choice of social prescriptions for older adults. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 44(9), 385–391. https://doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.44.9.05

Paglione, V., Morrison, L., McDonough, M. H., Downie, A., & Kenny, S. J. (2024). Bringing dance to older adults: Program experts' perspectives on the role of community dance classes to support older adults. Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 43(4), 482–490. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980824000084

Reynolds, K. A., Sommer, J., Mackenzie, C. S., & Koven, L. (2022). A profile of social participation in a nationally representative sample of Canadian older adults: Findings from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 41(4), 505–513. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980822000150

Sodums, D. J., Kim, S., Gallucci, C. E., Natadiria, M., Bar, R., Gardner, S., & Tafler, M. (2024). Impact of Sharing Dance Older Adults on physical and psychosocial outcomes. Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement, 43(2), 297–310. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0714980823000570