Facts at Your Fingertips

Your Opportunity

Yes! You have a wonderful opportunity before you. You have the pleasure of working with one of the finest group of people the world has known, today's senior population. Each has lived a very full life, contributing greatly to their families, their communities, province, and their world. Moreover, when we look around us, all the good that we see within our communities has much to do with their efforts and their ongoing contributions. Would you like some interesting facts?

Facts About Seniors

Source: http://www.@iyop-aipa.ic.gc.ca/english/facts#demographics

Demographics

In 1998, there were an estimated 3.7 million seniors; in that year, they represented 12% of the total population, up from 10% in 1981 and 5% in 1921. By 2041, an estimated 23% of the Canadian population will be over 65.

Women make up a relatively large share of the senior population, especially in the very oldest age range. In 1998, women constituted 57% of the population aged 65 and over and 70% of the population aged 85 and over.

Independence

The large majority of seniors live at home rather than in institutions. In 1998, about 93% of all people aged 65 and over lived in a private household. A substantial proportion of seniors, however, live alone. In 1996, 29% of all people aged 65 and over lived alone, compared with just 8% of those aged 15 to 64. Senior women, especially those in the very oldest age groups, are even more likely to live alone. In 1998, 58% of those aged 85 and over, lived on their own.

Health and Longevity

Canada's seniors are living longer than ever before. In 1991, a person aged 65 had an average continued life expectancy of 18 years, over one year more than 1981 and almost five years more than in the 1921 to 1941 period.

Among seniors, women have average life expectancies that are considerably longer than those of their male counterparts. A 65-year-old woman in 1991 could expect to live for another 20 years, on average, four years longer than a man of the same age. Seniors are living in better health, with increased vitality and quality of life. In 1994, almost three out of four seniors living at home rated their health as either good, very good or excellent.

Income

On average, seniors have lower incomes than people in most other age groups. Nevertheless, incomes for seniors have risen at a faster rate than other age groups over the past decade and a half. In general, Old Age Security (OAS) benefits, including Guaranteed Income Supplements (GIS), continue to provide the largest source of income for seniors. As in other groups, female seniors have lower incomes than their male counterparts, and unattached senior women have considerably lower incomes than unattached senior men.

Leisure

Seniors generally have more leisure time than people in younger age groups. In 1992, people aged 65 and over had an average of 7.7 hours of free time each day, two hours more than the 15 to 64 age group.

Seniors devote an average of almost an hour and a half a day to active leisure pursuits such as sports, socializing, hobbies and driving for pleasure. Seniors also spend a significant amount of their leisure time travelling.

Physical Activity

Retirement from the workforce doesn't mean retirement from life for Canada's seniors. Seniors are physically active. In 1997, close to 50% of all people aged 65 and over engaged in regular physical activity, while 12% took part in physical activity occasionally.

Contributions to the Economy

Collectively, seniors are a powerful consumer force whose participation in the marketplace and the service sector helps provide businesses with a significant and stable consumer base. Seniors devote somewhat greater shares of their overall spending to basics such as food and shelter than people under the age 65. Gifts and contributions also account for a relatively large share of the overall spending of seniors. In addition, seniors are major contributors to our economy through income, property and sales taxes.

Contributions to Family and Community

Seniors make significant contributions to their families and communities with 69% of seniors providing one or more types of assistance to spouses, children, grandchildren, friends and neighbours. Seniors are also the largest per capita donors to charity.

Volunteer Work

An estimated 23% of Canadian seniors contribute some time each week as unpaid volunteers. Many other seniors look after children. In 1995, just under 20% of seniors looked after children at least once a week.

The economic value of the volunteer work done by seniors is estimated at between $764 million and $2,3 billion annually. As care givers to spouses, family, friends and neighbours, seniors are also a vital force in reducing health care costs.

Canada's Veteran Population

In 1999, veterans represented just over 11% of Canada's senior population. One in four Canadian male seniors is a veteran.

Seniors and Computers

A growing number of seniors have computers in their homes. In 1997, for example, 13% of households headed by someone aged 65 and over owned a computer, compared with only 5% in 1990. Fewer seniors are familiar with the Internet but that, too, is changing. In 1996, for example, only 2% of households headed by a senior had access to an Internet service. One year later, that percentage had doubled.

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