Aging and the Canadian Population

Aging and the Canadian Population

here is a great deal of talk these days about the aging of the Canadian population. Government policy makers worry about pensions and health care, television advertisements often feature older actors, and business people search for new products that will appeal to seniors. People are living longer, not only in Canada but around the world. Never before in history have people lived so long.
A Canadian born in 1960, for example, can expect to live 20 years longer than a Canadian who was born in 1900. Meanwhile birth rates have declined, so that a growing proportion of the population is over 65. By the year 2031, approximately 20% of Canada's population - one in five - will be seniors. This fact has important consequences for Canadian society. Who are these older Canadians? What are their roles in society? What are their needs? How will they be taken care of?