Canada’s population is turning grey.
When baby boomers start retiring in the next 20 years, government and health care professionals want to be prepared for the special needs of this population bulge.
To get ready, Alberta is setting up focus groups to define what services will be needed when the number of older people rises from 289,000 in 1999 to 497,000 in 2016. Alberta’s total population will rise from 2.9 to 3.3 million in that time.
“This is a trend that is occurring not only in Alberta but in other provinces and around the world,” said Calgary MLA Karen Kryczka.
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“We don’t want to wait 20 years from now when there is a huge need to shift things.”
Kryczka and Leduc MLA Albert Klapstein are leading the study.
The focus groups are asked to look at health care with a focus on gerontology, community services like housing and transportation, and attitudes toward older persons.
A special meeting to discuss seniors’ needs is planned for Nov. 18-20 in Edmonton.
A report will be prepared for community development minister Stan Woloshyn in March. It will combine comments from the focus groups and the November meeting.
Alberta is in a unique situation because more people from other provinces are choosing to retire there.
There is no sales tax, property values are better and seniors’ benefits are relatively generous, said Kryczka.
As of October 1998, nearly 180,000 Alberta seniors received government benefits that varied depending on marital status, income and dwelling type.
More than half receive a full Alberta Health Care premium subsidy. A special needs program, which covers extra expenses such as dentures and home repair, paid $2,400 each to 4,400 seniors.
Statistics Canada forecasts that one in four Canadians will be 65 or older in 2041.
The fastest growing age category is 85 years and older as health care and quality of life improve.
