Oct.1 is National Seniors Day, a good occasion to remember that there are two categories of people: seniors, and people who will be lucky to become seniors eventually.
We often talk about seniors issues as if they are the domain of a small and exclusive group. But the proportion of seniors in Canada continues to grow. In 2022, almost 20 per cent of Canadians – one in five – was over 65 years old. By 2040, that proportion is expected to increase to almost one in four.
The question of what it means to be a senior in Canada is in flux. Our life expectancies are among the longest in the world. Seniors can expect decades of life experience after “retirement” age.
So what does it mean to be a senior? Is it a time for people to retire, travel, spend time with grandkids and friends? Is it a time to keep working or go back to school? To volunteer, take up new hobbies or enjoy sports?
There are as many ways to live as a senior as there are seniors in Canada.
It can be a reward for a long working life, or it can be a time of struggle due to illness, infirmity, or low income.
With seniors an ever-larger part of Canada’s mosaic, it’s time to ask how we can create a world that makes seniors safe, prosperous, and fulfilled.
Recent government increases to retirement supports such as CPP and Old Age Security are a help, but may not keep up with costs like rent and groceries.
We must resolve these issues in a way that allows people to live with dignity. After that, we can consider a Canada in which work, play, and education are all options for seniors.
