Upon learning about data which estimates Canada will see a surge in the percentage of the population being represented by seniors, a 67-year-old Windsor woman is calling for more housing and community centres catered specifically to seniors
“So they can have their own place — with other seniors who have things to do and can share their interests,” said Wendy Carruthers, a regular visitor of the Life After Fifty community centre on McEwan Avenue
About one in four Canadians will be 65 years of age or older by 2043, according to an analysis performed by Environics Analytics for CTV News
While the statistic is “staggering,” Life After Fifty executive director Tom Wilson said he is not surprised by it
“I’ve been in the field of working with older adults for over 20 years and this is something that we’ve been talking about for quite some time,” said Wilson
“There is a big concern for what we’re going to do with these this population of people as we move forward throughout the rest of the years.”
According to Carruthers, the numbers point to an urgent demand for neighbourhood builds which are geared toward older populations — not to be confused with long-term care or retirement homes
She said the latter can be quite extensive and come with long wait lists
“Because right now, it’s very lonely. You’re in your house. You’re by yourself. You work hard all your life and now, all of a sudden, you’ve got nothing. Finding friends at this age is not that easy either,” said Carruthers
She credits the Life After Fifty community centre for filling that gap. The organization is geared toward the development of programs which encourage socialization and physical fitness for seniors
Wilson refers to these as the “foundational building blocks of wellness” for people getting older
“As we age, there’s going to be complications that we’re going to come across. But being socially and physically active, and engaged in your community, is going to prevent some of those little ailments that we will seek health care for,” said Wilson
“If we can figure out ways to keep these people active and engaged in the community, I think that’s the first place we need to start.”
The many programs offered at Life After Fifty can only be facilitated with adequate funding
Previously, Life After Fifty ran a “community outreach” program since some seniors could not physically make it to its two centres on Windsor’s east and west end
“We would actually go out to low-income retirement communities and run some of our programming on a regular basis,” said Wilson, referring to bingo nights, exercise classes and health presentations.
“But that program had to stop based on funding.”
For Wilson, upper levels of government need to prioritize funding for organizations which are focused on “having an impact” with the senior population — considering how fast it is growing around the country
“For a non-profit, funding is everything for us. We’re doing the best that we can with what we are given,” he said
The cost of public transit can be a major setback for seniors to get around the city, according to Carruthers
Transit Windsor offers 30-day passes to adults (20 to 59) for $104.90 a month. For seniors (60 and older), that monthly cost is reduced to $52.45
That equates to a yearly cost of around $630 for seniors
While Carruthers appreciates the discount, she said there are other regions which offer yearly bus passes to low-income seniors for a fraction of the cost
“The prices of bus fare for seniors are not affordable. We need better service and lower fares for transportation,” she said
In Edmonton, the cost of an annual bus pass for seniors who earn between $29,381 and $32,318 annually is $139. For Edmonton seniors making less than that, annual bus passes are free
According to Environics Analytics, the senior population in Canada is expected to exceed 11 million people by 2043
