Don’t mess with seniors.
Particularly seniors who, rightly, are annoyed.
Our front-page story details a tale of, at the very least, a lack of good planning, or at the worst – a significant disinterest in the health and welfare of senior citizens.
And, although we still balk at the idea that those over 55 are considered seniors, many recreational programs are being tailored to attract the ever-growing senior population. And that is a good thing. With a growing senior population, it makes abundant sense to offer them as many opportunities to stay fit and active. A fit senior is better all around: for that senior, that senior’s family and our society.
The Canadian population is an aging one. According to Stats Canada, in 2011, the median age in Canada was 39.9 years, meaning that half of the population was older than that and half was younger. In 1971, the median age was 26.2 years.
Seniors make up the fastest-growing age group. In 2011, an estimated 5.0 million Canadians were 65 years of age or older, a number that is expected to double in the next 25 years to reach 10.4 million seniors by 2036. By 2051, about one in four Canadians is expected to be 65 or over.
We can already see the first wave of grey-haired citizens having a considerable impact on our communities. Accessibility is a big issue as cities try to make sidewalks easier for folks with scooters, walkers and canes.
Seniors on scooters are jockeying for space with young parents pushing big-wheeled strollers that look like they could navigate the terrain on Mars.
Affordable housing is another. And then there are the additional medical services and care homes that are needed.
Thankfully, we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. There are programs in place, according to Isobel Mackenzie, the B.C. seniors’ advocate; there just are not enough of them. Mackenzie is recommending that adult day programs, home support programs and respite beds (where elderly go to give their caregivers a break) are enhanced to keep pace with the growing seniors’ population.
We suspect Mackenzie would also support seniors keeping active in their communities in any number of ways.
Whether it’s with a good match of badminton, pickle ball, a walking group, yoga or tai chi, it makes sense to channel that grey power into social physical activity.
Game on!
