By 2026, more than 20 percent of Canada’s population will be 65 and over. And yet the country doesn’t have a national plan to support our aging population.
Take the impact the pandemic has had on older adults living in long-term care homes, for one. Consider, too, that Canada has 304 geriatricians, notes Paula Rochon and Surbhi Kalia in their op-ed in the Toronto Star. That equals one geriatrician per 100,000. This is not nearly enough to meet the needs of Canada’s aging population.
The national aging strategy must be inclusive; consider that women make up the majority of the aging population and that they have specific health needs that are often not addressed by the health system; think osteoporosis and the fact that women are more likely to experience side effects from medications. The strategy must take into consideration these needs. Consider too that older women often don’t have access to non-insured health services such as dental and vision.
To learn more about what an effective aging strategy would be comprised of, you can read their piece in the Toronto Star.
Read more:
Canada Needs to Re-Envision Aging
Boomers Are Poised to Change the Long-Term Care and Senior Living Industry
UK-based Agetech Startup Mirthy Set to Grow Its Online Interactive Community for Those Aged 60+
