United Way - May 2006 Newsletter

Welcome to the United Way's first research newsletter! The Social Planning Program is pleased to provide this important resource that includes timely information on social services in our community. In this issue we start our series on seniors.

Look forward to future issues delivered to your inbox regularly! And if you'd rather not receive Research News, please click on the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of this email.

David Douglas, Chair, Social Planning Committee .

Healthy Aging

Research shows that people today live longer than ever before. Most Canadians will spend nearly one third of their life as “retirees” or “senior citizens”. Four and even five-generation families are no longer unusual. Most seniors are in better physical and mental shape than their predecessors, and their economic situation is much improved. New generations of seniors differ from earlier generations. They have higher education levels, more varied work experiences, a better knowledge of community and government programs and services, and are more open to health promotion messages, more inclined to participate in educational, political and voluntary activities, and more likely to demand their rights.

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Economic Status of Seniors

With increasing life expectancy and continuing medical advances, many Canadians live for two or more decades after retirement, and more of these years are spent in good health. This appears to be reflected in the rising proportion of working seniors.

A study on working seniors conducted by Statistics Canada found that 8.4% of Canadians aged 65 and over (305,000) were employed in 2001, up from 7.4% (255,000) in 1996. This was a 19.6% increase, nearly twice the 11% growth in the total senior population during the same period.

In Guelph-Wellington, 8.7% of the elderly population is employed (2001 Census).

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Demographic
Profile of Seniors

Research shows that the post-war baby boomers (i.e. individuals born during the two decades following World War II) outnumber both the previous generation and the one that followed them. Today, over 12% of Guelph-Wellington’s population is over 65 years of age (2001). Statistics Canada’s projections indicate that by 2026, one in five Canadians will be 65 or older.

In Guelph-Wellington, the population 65 years and older is expected to increase by 24% between 2001 and 2011. In contrast, the overall population of Guelph-Wellington is expected to grow by 12% during the same time period. The fastest growth is occurring among the population aged 85 and over.

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