The elderly feel they are viewed as a burden to society, “ageism, like all forms of discrimination, is rooted in a lack of knowledge or in a wrong appreciation of the facts about aging.” (Liberal Task Force on Seniors, p. 17) Today's seniors are volunteers, run marathons, are grandparents, and have overcome many life challenges. However, stereotypes of the elderly still prevail. To explain ageism, one might ask themselves if they have ever been driving behind a vehicle that is driving to slow for their liking as they rush through their day, only to observe assume an elderly person is driving to slow and should not be driving, ageism does happening in society.
Canada does not have an exact plan to defeat ageism, however, programs have been introduced to
| Table 3.1 Canada's senior population | ||
| Note: More detailed information can be found in Appendix C: Definitions and Data Sources for Indicators. Sources: Statistics Canada. | ||
| | | Year |
| Population (thousand people aged 65+ years) | ||
| Population | 4,335.3 | 2006 |
| Aboriginal | 56.5 | 2006 |
| First Nations | 32.0 | 2006 |
| Métis | 20.0 | 2006 |
| Inuit | 1.8 | 2006 |
| Immigrant | 1,215.3 | 2006 |
| Recent (<= 10 years) | 78.3 | 2006 |
| Long-term (>10 years) | 1,137.0 | 2006 |
| Living in private households | 4,011.9 | 2006 |
| Living in health care and related facilities | 301.3 | 2006 |
| Urban population | 3,208.6 | 2006 |
assist the elderly and to help them live well within the community. Programs such as “the WHO’s Age-Friendly Cities Project advocates specific and practical community development and policy change in order to create age-friendly communities.” (PHAC, 2010). In Canada they have also introduced a program for the support for the First Nations, Inuit and Metis communities. The “Canadian Council for the Arts Elder/Youth Legacy Program recognize the important role of Elders in Aboriginal culture.” (PHAC, 2010).
One day, we will all be part of the elderly population so it is important to spare one’s judgment and learn to have a new way of looking at the elderly and accept that they are an equal part of our society. I think it is important for society to address the treatment of the elderly in Canada, as this population will grow in numbers in the next century. Statistics Canada shows that the elderly population in Canada “according to the 2006 census, of the 3.6 million people who live in Canada, 4.3 million (14%) are 65 years and older.” (PHAC, 2010) It is predicted that “they will make up more than one-quarter (27%) of the population by the year 2050.” (PHAC, 2010)
Brenda,
References,
PHAC. (2010). September 2010-The Chief Public Health Officer’s Report on the State of Public Health in Canada 2010. Setting Conditions for Healthy Aging.
Retrieved from
Government of Manitoba, Liberal Task Force on Seniors.
Retrieved from
http://carolynbennett.liberal.ca/files/2010/07/seniors_report_en.pdf?93122
unlike other pensions, supplement is non taxable and there for goes a little further then for those seniors that have other pension income such as cpp and old age which are taxable. I liked that you brought up the issue of the sandwich generations, a job that is generally left to women members of the family. Lisa
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