Strohschein: We are getting older – and living longer

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Published on Thursday, June 19, 2014

By: Neil Strohschein

Manitoba is an aging province within an aging country.

According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, 14.5 per cent of this country’s residents are 65 years of age or older. That figure is projected to climb to 23.7 per cent by 2036. Manitoba’s figures are similar – 14.3 per cent today, projected to rise to 21.4 per cent by 2036. Our average age is increasing. We are getting older.

And we are living longer. Over the past 80 years, thanks to improvements in health care, nutrition and living conditions, the average life expectancy of one born in Canada has increased by almost 20 years — to 78 years for an average male and 82.7 years for an average female.

The economic implications of this demographic shift are staggering. Increased amounts of your tax dollars and mine will be spent on health care and funding government pensions (OAC, GIS, CPP and QPP). We should not be surprised at this. Nor should we be surprised to see taxes increase to cover these costs.

The economic implications are scary enough. What’s more frightening is the gradual increase we are seeing in cases of elder abuse. It is estimated that four to six per cent of seniors in Canada will suffer some form of physical, psychological or financial abuse in their life time. Sadly, most of these cases will never be reported and those who inflict this abuse on these vulnerable people will never be brought to justice.

Elder abuse is a world-wide problem. That is why, in 2012, the United Nations designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The purpose of WEAAD is simple: to call attention to the ways in which elders and seniors can become victims of emotional and other forms of abuse and encourage governments to enact policies that protect them and allow them to live out their days in safety, peace and dignity.

This past Sunday, my wife and I attended part of Neepawa’s WEAAD event. We enjoyed some entertainment, ate some good food, and came away with some excellent publications specifically for seniors. I found two of them to be very informative and I highly recommend them to my readers.

The first is an RCMP publication: the Seniors’ Guidebook to Safety and Security. It is a practical, easy to understand guide to safety at home, away from home, when driving and when traveling. It also has tips on protecting financial resources, recognizing fraud and dealing with end of life issues.

The second is a Manitoba Government publication: A Guide for the Caregiver (Information and resources for Caregivers of Older Adults). This publication helps link caregivers to agencies and publications that can help them deal with the unique challenges and stresses they face. It also provides a link to Manitoba’s Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat, where additional resources for seniors and caregivers can be found.
While the United Nations gave WEAAD its global focus, local committees like the one that organized Neepawa’s WEAAD event give it a personal touch.

Every activity, lecture, concert and hand out sent the same message. No one, no senior, no member of a senior’s family, no caregiver is ever alone. The resources are there to help you deal with the challenges you face and our communities have knowledgeable and caring people in them who will gladly help you access the support you need.

I encourage you to get to know who they are and where to find them in case you or someone you know becomes a victim of abuse and needs their help.