Download Video
(Quicktime, 684 KB, 49 sec)

More thoughts from Mary Ann...

• Older Persons
• Sustainability Questions

Older Persons

• BC's Okanagan Valley is spectacular in every sense. The landscape is stunning, the weather is temperate and the Okanagan offers a range of recreational opportunities found in few other places in the country
• We are also "spectacular" for our higher proportion of older persons (OPs)
• BC is the second "oldest" province in the country
• 19% OPs in Kelowna, making it the oldest Census Metropolitan Area
• Three of the top six Census Agglomeration areas in the country are in the Okanagan, including Penticton and Salmon Arm
• One out of every three Canadians is a Boomer
• We can now expect to live 82.5 years (women) and 77 years (men)
• Demographically, these data put us 25 years ahead of the rest of Canada and therefore, it is fair to say that we are the bellwether for the future of Canada's aging

Proportion of OPs in the population
2026: 21.2%
2036: 9M
2050: Canada 29% Europe 34%

The proportion of older persons increasing, while the proportion of under-15s shrinks. Canadians are having fewer children, marrying later and not even leaving home until after they are 30! Thus, not only have we extended adolescence, but we have also extended old age, with 60 being the new 40 as people like to say - or even that 80 is the new 60.

Return to top xxxxxxxxxxxParticipants xxxxxxxxxxxRound Table

Sustainability Questions

1. How will the increasing number of older newcomers - who leave kin and community behind - network into a new community and what can we do to support that? How can we tap into this "crown jewel" of the Okanagan, which is the incredible talent, expertise and experience that these relatively well off newcomers are bringing? Further, we have a great need for social innovation in numerous social areas here and these people can bring both a fresh perspective, energy and TIME to contribute.
2. Much of the social and recreational development in the Okanagan depends heavily on volunteers - and already 40% of seniors in BC do volunteer. But we need to rethink our existing models of volunteerism and its rewards - as one quarter of the present work force is now working over 50 hours a week. The future generation may not be so inclined to contribute if they have been burnt out. Further, we need to look to the provincial and federal levels of government to provide core funding for these voluntary organizations that have their finger in the dyke of many social services. THEY CANNOT BE SUSTAINED ON IMPOSSIBLY UNPREDICTABLE FUNDING.
3. We already have almost 15,000 seniors over 70 in Kelowna alone. With increasing age comes increased acuity of disease, higher risks for dementia and special concerns about the vulnerability of being older, female and poor. E.G. Alzheimer's rates will double by 2050.
4. Around 10 to 15 per cent of seniors are considered low-income in BC and we need to look at a number of housing issues, including lack of affordable rental housing, long waits for subsidized units, the potential to increase the supply of secondary suites for this purpose and the vulnerability of those residing in mobile home parks. In addition, we need to anticipate an aging-in-place society and use our local gi tech firms to develop new products to assist this.
5. The Okanagan is rife with issues around seniors' transportation. Inadequate bus schedules, long delays and numerous problems with Handi-Dart availability and transport times are constantly reported. Without a doubt, expansion of public transportation is key, but my question is how will we ensure that those systems are truly elder-friendly?
6. Obesity has doubled in those over 75 since 1978 in Canada and this raises serious issues about the overly optimistic attitude of Boomers when it comes to predicting their own longevity. THese high rates of obesity are associated with higher rates of diseases like type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. We will certainly need far more programs like Kick Start, in Kelowna and Penticton, which have dramatically increased walking among some seniors.
7. We need to rethink how the changes to the BC Human Rights Code and abolition of mandatory retirement at age 65 will and can be used to offset our regional skills gap and labour shortages.
8. Senior citizens are saying that medical systems need to be reset to focus more on chronic disease versus acute care, integrating treatment around the world person and emphasizing a focus on prevention and early intervention, especially in the area of dementia. Seniors are demanding new systems that are integrative, preventative and rehabilitative versus the old focus on acute intervention. Seniors are demanding active, healthy aging and we know that BC seniors are very healthy and active compared to the rest of Canada. So, how do we convince our politicians and health administrators as well as the public, to allow a larger percentage of health funds to be freed up for prevention?
9. We need more models to encourage intergenerational communication and tackle ageism in our community.
10. We need to promote a community for all ages.

Return to top xxxxxxxxxxxParticipants xxxxxxxxxxxRound Table