Tim Rudkins is the founder and chief doer of HSS Toronto. Along with his practical experience in providing home services, Tim is a certified aging in place specialist (CAPS), a designation focused on understanding and implementing the changes required to allow seniors to live safely and comfortably in their own homes. Tim is also certified by the Canada Green Building Council – LEED AP and by the Project Management Institute – Project Management Professional. Tim has approximately 35 years experience in project, business and building management.

HSS Toronto was started due to personal experience we had with our own parents and seniors in our community. Finding someone to come by and inspect our parents’ homes proved more or less impossible and even though we had the building skills to make the changes, there didn’t seem to be a service out there that was professionally trained to recommend and carry out the various projects. Both us and our parents wanted to live in their homes – however, it didn’t seem like there were many services to help us!

As well, in our neighbourhoods, we were involved in helping our aging neighbours do anything from shoveling their walk to helping them get their TV and heating systems working. Even in the case where they had children, distance and lack of time made it difficult for the family members to respond to everything in a timely fashion. We figured there had to be a better way!

After doing some research, we came across a study by Johns Hopkins University called CAPABLE – Community Aging In Place – Advancing Better Living For Elders. Essentially the study was focused on the results of combining a nurse, an occupational therapist and a handyman “to address both the home environment and use the strengths of the older adults themselves to improve safety and independence.” The results were impressive. In short, a $3,000 investment resulted in $20,000 in savings in medical costs. On top of that, people got to live longer and more comfortably in their homes.

Toronto had an already existing group of home care services that was improving every day. What it lacked was a company that was specialized in assessing the home for seniors, recommending improvements, and carrying out these improvements and other ongoing home maintenance tasks. This was the genesis of HSS Toronto. We think it was a good idea whose time had come. Improving the ability of seniors to live comfortably and safely in their homes!