THE ELDER BOOM & HOW THEY AFFECT SOCIETY

• A PORTRAIT OF CANADA’S SENIORS

• CANADA’S PENSION SYSTEM

• THEORIES OF AGING (4)

• TRENDS IN SENIORS HEALTH

• ISSUES OF INCREASING CONCERN

• ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF SENIORS

• SOCIAL WORK IN LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS

• SOCIAL WORK AND HOME CARE

All information taken from ‘Social Work in Canada’ (2010)

A PORTRAIT OF CANADA’S SENIORS

AS OF 2010:

• ONE IN TEN SENIORS IS 85 OR OVER

• MOST LIVE IN A HOUSEHOLD (THEIR OWN)

• 90% OF SENIOR HOMEOWNERS HAVE PAID OFF THEIR MORTGAGES

• 57% LIVE WITH A SPOUSE

THINGS FOR US TO THINK ABOUT…

1. SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT ELDERS IN THEIR HOMES OR SHOULD THEY INCREASE FUNDING TO INSTITUTIONS?

2. SHOULD THE GOVERNMENT PROVIDE FUNDING AND/OR TAX BREAKS TO FAMILIES WHO HAVE ELDERLY PARENTS LIVING WITH THEM IN THEIR HOME?

THE ELDERLY- WHERE DO THEY GET THEIR CASH?

CANADA’S PENSION SYSTEMRETIRED INCOME TYPICALLY COMES FROM 3

SOURCES:

• OLD AGE SECURITY AND THE GUARANTEED INCOME SUPPLEMENT

• CANADA PENSION PLAN (QUEBEC PENSION PLAN IN QUEBEC)

• PRIVATE PENSION PLANS

CURRENT CHALLENGES TO THE PENSION SYSTEM

• 2008 FINANCIAL CRISIS LED TO DROP IN VALUE OF RRSP INVESTMENTS

• MANY BUSINESS PENSION FUNDS NOW UNDERFUNDED; MAY BE UNABLE TO PAY OUT TO RETIREES

• CONCERN THAT OLD AGE SECURITY/GUARANTEED INCOME SUPPLEMENT ARE NO LONGER ADEQUATE

Article: ‘Major Transformations coming to Canada’s pension system, Harper tells Davos’

THEORIES OF AGING

THERE ARE FOUR THEORIES OF AGING:

1. ACTIVITY THEORY

2. DISENGAGEMENT THEORY

3. CONTINUITY THEORY

4. ROLE THEORY

1. ACTIVITY THEORY

AS PEOPLE AGE THEY HAVE A DECREASE IN LIFE SATISFACTION THAT CAN BE

RELIEVED BY ENGAGING IN VARIOUS ACTIVITIES.

2. DISENGAGEMENT THEORY

INDIVIDUAL ADJUSTMENT TO AGING IS ACCOMPLISHED BY A

NATURAL AND INEVITABLE WITHDRAWAL FROM SOCIAL LIFE.

3. CONTINUITY THEORY

TO AGE SUCCESSFULLY, ONE MUST CONTINUE ROLES

AND ACTIVITIES OF MIDDLE YEARS.

4. ROLE THEORY

SEEKS TO UNDERSTAND THE ADJUSTMENT OF AGING

PEOPLE TO THE NEW ROLES ENTAILED IN GETTING OLDER.

AGEISM

ANY ATTITUDE, ACTION, OR INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE THAT

SUBORDINATES OR OPPRESSES A PERSON OR GROUP ON THE

BASIS OF AGE.

TRENDS IN SENIORS HEALTH

• LIFE EXPECTANCY HAS DOUBLED OVER THE PAST 100 YEARS

• MAJORITY OF SENIORS DO NOT ENGAGE IN BEHAVIORS HARMFUL TO THEIR HEALTH

• THERE IS A HEALTH GAP BETWEEN SENIORS WITH LOW INCOMES AND THOSE WITH HIGHER INCOMES

HOW HEALTHY ARE SENIORS?• ACUTE PAIN

TEMPORARY PAIN THAT IS OFTEN SEVERE AND CAN LAST A FEW SECONDS TO SEVERAL DAYS OR WEEKS

• CHRONIC PAIN

ONGOING, LINGERING PAIN THAT CAN LAST FEW MONTHS TO MANY YEARS AND CAN BE MILD OR SEVERE, EPISODIC OR CONTINUOUS, INCONVENIENT OR INCAPACITATING

ISSUES OF INCREASING CONCERN

SENIORS FACE A NUMBER OF COMMON ISSUES:

• INACTIVITY

• ACCIDENTS

• VICTIMS OF FRAUD

• MANDATORY RETIREMENT

All information taken from ‘Social Work in Canada’ (2010)

THINGS FOR US TO THINK ABOUT…

1. AT WHAT POINT DOES LIVING ALONE BECOME A HEALTH IMPAIRING BEHAVIOUR FOR AN ELDERLY PERSON?

2. WHO SHOULD DECIDE WHEN AN ELDERLY PERSON SHOULD NO LONGER BE ALLOWED TO LIVE ALONE?

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly

All information taken from ‘Social Work in Canada’ (2010)

ABUSE AND NEGLECT OF SENIORSELDER ABUSE

THE MISTREATMENT OF OLDER PEOPLE BY THOSE IN A

POSITION OF TRUST, POWER, OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR

CARE. NEGLECT IS FREQUENTLY ASSOCIATED WITH ABUSE.

ABUSE MAY TAKE PLACE IN THE HOME OR INSTITUTIONAL

SETTING.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFHBfctstLQ (3:13) ‘Elder Abuse Awareness in Canada’

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly

“Two Stones tickets, please, senior discount”

Chapter 13: Social Work with the Elderly

Social Work In CanadaCopyright © 2010 Thompson Educational Publishing, Inc.