The majority of healthcare in the future will be provided in the community, and rapidly growing ageing populations are challenging community care delivery systems. Innovative models of collaboration between communities, healthcare providers and businesses are required to enable optimal health service delivery and ‘ageing in place’ in an economical way. With the ageing of populations worldwide, living and dying with dignity in one’s own home has become a global priority. The benefit is twofold: enhanced quality of life for individuals and substantial cost savings for healthcare systems. Currently, too many people nearing the end of their lives continue to experience preventable hospitalisation and struggle to access the services and support they need in a fragmented healthcare system. The goal of the Sam Katz Community Health and Aging Research Program, funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and directed by Dr Kloseck, is to develop and test innovative models of collaboration between communities, healthcare providers and businesses to enable optimal ageing at home, in an economical way, for frail, older individuals.