Seniors and health

This article is an up-front look at some of the pressing issues facing seniors today. Illustrates a general dissatisfaction with doctors and the quality of health care services.  

This article explores the housing needs of seniors, who are predominantly women, and illustrates some new and traditional housing options designed specifically for seniors.  Introduces the term Granny Flat. 

Discusses how, as the baby boom generation begins to turn 65 in 2011, the aging of Canada's population will accelerate, and the health care system will need to adapt to meet the future needs of a growing senior population. Shows striking differences between women and men. Notes, "Most seniors are women, especially among the older age groups. For example, women accounted for 52% of seniors age 65 to 74 and 60% of seniors age 75 and older in 2010. Women will continue to outnumber men into the future; however, this gender split will become more even as the age gap in life expectancy narrows for men and women."

Study of 130,000 seniors (age 65 and older) who received publicly funded long-term home care in 2007–2008 including many with complex health conditions. Found that, in 2007-2008, one in five seniors (20%) receiving long-term home care had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease or other dementia. Nearly one in six (17%) of these clients with dementia were suffering from moderate to severe impairment in cognition and daily functioning yet still managed to remain at home.

Also found that one in six (17%) seniors with dementia living in residential care facilities (such as nursing or long-term care homes) in 2008-2009 had relatively low levels of impairment or could still perform basic functions quite well on their own. The odds of a senior with low impairment being placed in residential care were seven times more likely if the senior had a tendency to wander. Marital status was also a factor in determining whether a senior with low impairment was newly admitted to a care facility rather than at home with home care.

Presents a model for a comprehensive, integrated mental health service system for older Canadians, as well as service benchmarks to provide concrete reference points for planning purposes. The model and benchmarks are considered within the context of guiding values and principles important to Canadian seniors, as well as key concepts such as mental health prevention, promotion, and recovery.  Intended to support policy makers, service planners, and advocacy organizations working to ensure that older Canadians (both those living with a mental health problem or illness and those at risk of developing one) receive the range of supports they need.

Study that finds the total expectation of life for women is 26% greater than that for men, but women's expectations of life with dementia and of life in institutions are more than twice the corresponding expectations for men.

Website operated by the British Columbia Seniors' Healthy Living Secretariat that provides information about government programs and services for older adults. Included on the website are sections on health care, finances, benefits, housing, transportation and more.

Study that says it may be misleading to view gender as a risk factor for social isolation among older people, and suggests that the stigma associated with loneliness is stronger for men and may result in them being less likely to report feeling lonely than women.

Examines medication use among the elderly using both sex and age disaggregated data, finding that older women are more likely than older men to use medication.