Golden oldies

Those Canadians who will eventually swell the ranks of the elderly so significantly are the very same people who, when they were babies, precipitated an unprecedented demand for diapers, baby food, carriages and cribs. From there, they filled up the schools, putting pressure on Canada's education system. Upon graduation, they flooded the labour force and created a heavy demand for automobiles, family homes and household appliances. Born between 1946 and 1966, these people make up a generation of such a size that for decades they have collectively wielded significant influence over Canada's economy, society and politics. There were so many of these baby boomers, in fact, that despite their low fertility rates, the births of their own children created a mini or 'echo' baby boom.

In 1961, with the baby boom well underway, 8% of all Canadians were aged 65 or older. By 2002, this proportion had risen to 13%. This figure is projected to reach 21%, for a total of roughly 7.8 million Canadian senior citizens in 2026.

This 'greying' of the population is a phenomenon shared by other developed countries. United Nations figures for 1999 show that Canada has a lower proportion of elderly people than France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and Japan, but a similar proportion to the United States. Less developed countries such as Chile, Mexico and Paraguay have much lower proportions of senior citizens than Canada. It is predicted that because of the profound impact of the baby boom on Canadian demographics, Canada's population will age faster than most western countries in the near future.

As they approach old age, our boomers should be more financially secure in their retirement years than their parents were. While seniors generally have lower incomes than working-age Canadians, their economic situation has been improving. In 2001, senior citizen incomes were 27% higher in constant dollars than in 1981. As the number of seniors with discretionary income increases, more specialized goods and services such as adult lifestyle communities, recreational clubs and specialized tour packages are being introduced. Also, more than ever before, retirement isn't necessarily leading to a sedentary lifestyle.

The ability to enjoy a leisure lifestyle after retirement is of course highly dependent on an individual's health. In 2000/01, about 13% of the general population aged 12 and over had high blood pressure, compared with 39% of those 65 and older. Nevertheless, in 2000/01, more than 70% of persons aged 65 and older described their health as good, very good or excellent.

Almost 30% of the elderly lived alone in 2001. Slightly fewer than 2% lived with unrelated persons and the balance lived with a spouse or other relatives. When elderly people did move, it was most often because their homes became too big, they had retired, they had poor health, or they wanted to be closer to recreation and leisure activities. Seniors seldom relocated more than 10 kilometres away from their previous homes.