Seniors in Rural and Remote Canada:
Position Paper

The opinions expressed in this document are those of the Advisory Committee on Rural Issues and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the Government of Canada.

Introduction

Around the world people are living longer and having fewer children. In Canada, governments and organizations are paying attention to the social, economic and cultural implications of having larger numbers and a greater proportion of the retired and elderly in the population. In Quebec, for example, the government is researching and developing innovative models of providing service. Federal, provincial and territorial ministers are preparing studies of possible policy issues. Seniors themselves are a growing political force. They vote, recognize bad service, are mobile, and may be your parents!

Sociologists and others identify a continuum of individual capacities, needs and well‑being in later life. These are often characterized as young‑old (65 to 74), medium‑old (75 to 84) and old‑old (85 and older). The patterns of the near‑elderly (55 to 64), some of whom are retired, are also important to considerations of seniors. In general, seniors are active and healthy much longer than they were in the past. This means that the question of adapting policies, programs and services to an aging population is much more complex than issues of care‑giving. It is the old‑old that are most likely, as a group, to require care and services that create pressure on the health and other support systems.

Vision and Principles for Policies

In a Vision Statement, the National Framework on Aging states that:

Canada, a society for all ages, promotes the well-being and contributions of older people in all aspects of life¹.

The five principles for achieving this vision include:

1. Dignity—being treated with respect and having a sense of self-esteem
   
2. Independence—being in control of one's life, being able to do as much as possible and making one's own choices
   
3. Participation—getting involved, staying active and taking part in the community
   
4. Fairness—having real needs of seniors considered equally to those of other Canadians, having equitable access to available resources and services, no discrimination based on age, and treated so as to maximize inclusion
   
5. Security—having adequate income as one ages, access to a safe and supportive living environment

Common Issues

There are a number of important issues for all seniors:

• Income and financial—private pensions, transfers from governments such as Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement; cost of living (inflation), and specific costs such as utilities, public transportation, and shelter costs;
  
• Family effects—the pressures when a spouse/partner dies; loneliness and isolation, possible abuse by caregivers and family;
  
• Shortage of appropriate and affordable housing;
  
• Lack of home care services forcing seniors into long‑term healthcare facilities before they are ready;
  
• Access to health and physical care services;
  
• Adequate transportation, particularly if without an automobile;
  
• Links and cumulative effect of all of these issues.

In this paper, we have set out to answer four major questions, as a device for framing the analysis of seniors in rural and remote areas. We then close with specific recommendations. In this process, we will consider the principles and vision statement above through a rural lens.

Why is the issue of seniors important to rural and remote areas?

The proportion of seniors is growing faster in rural and remote areas than in urban areas due to a variety of demographic changes. In some cases, the young people in a community have moved to other areas in search of work, education and training, or adventure. Seniors have moved to some rural communities in anticipation of a better life in retirement. Other communities have aged in place, with the baby-boomers of the post-war period now becoming seniors.

Many rural and remote communities, and in particular those that are not located near urban centres, are facing challenges to their sustainability over and above those of geography, sparse population, reliance on primary industries and distance to markets. These challenges arise from the need to diversify economies and address social and cultural transitions, and from the loss of people to larger centres and to regions with strong economies.

Seniors can be both part of the solution and part of the challenge in rural and remote areas. They represent an important part of the consuming base in a rural or remote community. Their transfer income can sustain others. Provision of services for seniors can be a source of jobs in the community. Seniors can actively contribute to the life of the community as leaders, volunteers and workers. With stable or declining population in many rural and remote areas, widespread loss of seniors would be the end of many rural and remote communities. At the same time, communities are challenged to provide the infrastructure and services required to address the needs of an aging population.

How is it different for rural and remote seniors and their communities compared to urban seniors and their communities?

Many of the issues facing rural, remote and northern seniors are common to those experienced by urban seniors, but the specifics of the issues and the potential solutions vary. This is because not only are seniors a diverse group, but rural and remote communities are diverse. Social, economic and cultural history and traditions can make a significant difference to the quality and availability of supports and to opportunities for participation. However, common challenges that take on different aspects in rural and remote areas and some unique opportunities for rural and remote areas can be identified.

Income and financial
In the North, particularly, higher costs of food, utilities and transportation are an issue for seniors. Rural and northern senior women are particularly likely to be poor, as are senior women throughout Canada who are single/unattached.

Access to services
In essence, more seniors will increase service demands in communities that are already under-serviced. Access to a range of services - health, physical, home care - is very limited because of low population densities and large service delivery areas. Home care nursing is almost impossible in the North. Lack of services is forcing seniors into long‑term care facilities before they are ready or before it is necessary. These facilities are often at a distance from the home community, contributing to loneliness and depression. Higher time and dollar costs for families and friends to visit reduce interactions. Such premature moves are quite costly to governments as well in terms of the relative resources required to deliver health care.

Regions with different industrial structures have supported various pension systems in the past. Rural and remote areas with a history of unionized employment in resource areas may generate sufficient income through pensions to support better services including extended housing options for the retired, although we note that such pensions are not shared equitably by all seniors (i.e. senior women are much less likely to be collecting a pension from unionized employment).

The health status of Aboriginal seniors at a given age tends to be lower, reflecting living conditions in the past, and leading to long-term health care needs at a younger age, another example of regional variation.

Family effects
Rural seniors depend more on their families and social networks for many forms of support including household help and transportation to medical and business appointments and social events. A change in these networks when someone dies or moves away can cause significant hardship.

The role of the elder as guide and counselor is decreasing in Aboriginal communities and many Aboriginal seniors now find themselves isolated, with little opportunity to contribute to their own community as they did in the past. This is a loss to the culture and traditions of the community.

Housing
There is a shortage of appropriate housing for seniors in rural and remote areas. Therefore many seniors find it difficult to live independently. Homes where people raised their children may be too large or require too much maintenance for living alone during retirement. However, no smaller houses are available and rental housing is often limited and unsuitable for seniors (e.g. stairs, no elevator, etc.). Overcrowding remains an issue in the North.

Transportation
There is a need for support of less formal transportation systems in rural and remote communities. This includes support for those who volunteer to transport others, and for appropriate insurance coverage.

The cumulative effects of facing these challenges can lead to isolation, abuse, alcoholism and other conditions that affect the health and well-being of rural and remote seniors and their communities.

Opportunities for rural and remote communities

In addition, employment for younger members of the work force can be generated through the development of community services for the elderly including personal care services and home maintenance.

Leadership and skills
Rural and remote leaders are usually older than urban leaders. Some are emerging from the pool of young retired; others were always active in their communities and have more time to be so, once they reach retirement. Every senior was previously a child, a young person, and a middle-ager. They have often lived in many different places, and had a variety of jobs and positions. The cumulative experience in all of these roles is available to the community, if they are asked. A good starting point in rural and remote areas would be for one or more NGOs in the community to undertake discussions with seniors towards how their contributions to the community might be enhanced.

Socio-economic diversification
There is a mobility window offered by retirement. People approaching retirement age will be asking questions about their future homes. Should we be encouraging seniors in urban areas to move to rural and remote areas? Should those in some rural and remote areas be encouraged to move to urban areas? To other rural and remote areas? Does the approach depend on the assessment of their health needs in the near future? These questions go to the heart of policy.

Seniors are consumers with varying amounts of income. Some communities have recognized this potential and set out to attract seniors as an economic development tool (Tumbler Ridge in BC and Elliott Lake in Ontario). When Chatham Air Base closed in New Brunswick, Retirement Miramichi emerged as an imaginative alternative use for the living quarters.

These projects target the young‑old who are active, healthy and interested in exciting cultural and physical environments (especially baby boomers), and who have relatively greater disposable income. These communities must also consider the medium‑old who have some maintenance needs. The old‑old tend to migrate back to places of family history, and high‑quality health care. Rural and remote communities may not be able to gear up for this group.

Why are the differences important for public policy?

• There is a greater role for governments in rural and remote service delivery for seniors because the private system is less likely to participate in rural and remote service delivery.

• There is a need for succession planning within the health and social services system. There will be a drain on the system if expertise is lost when providers retire or move to urban centres where resources are more readily available.

• A one‑size‑fits‑all approach doesn't work. There are many variables among provinces and territories. Rural and remote communities are diverse in their histories, cultures, and economies. Their demographics reflect different trends and may require different responses.

• Defining seniors based on a particular age may be a limiting approach. Health and income play a role in seniors' independence, as do culture and tradition in Aboriginal communities.
  
  
• Communities need support in adapting to new demographics. Many rural and remote communities are already struggling to meet the needs of young people and families and will be stretched to manage civic infrastructure relative to the aging population. Communities need to discuss the role of seniors: are they prepared to do what is needed in order to gain the benefits? Those looking to attract seniors need to understand the benefits and costs.
  
  
• Seniors can help seniors and there is a need to support rural and remote seniors' groups to facilitate this mutuality. The delivery of this support must respond to rural and remote conditions including long distances and less access to agency facilities and supports.
  
  
• The Rural Lens needs to be applied to uphold the principle of fairness. There are issues of uneven treatment from region to region and province to province. The diversity of rural and remote areas and of senior residents means that the whole system needs to think about different stages of aging/support and different needs.

What are the public policy options?

Independence

• Help active, healthy seniors to stay in their homes, or provide housing that is an attractive alternative, freeing up their homes for other families. If provision of adequate housing allows for home care, it may contribute to cost savings on the health budget.

Security

• Enable seniors to continue working at current jobs through provisions for flexible work time past 65, job sharing, or special mentoring roles. At present, CPP and QPP contributions disappear after age 64 and CPP or QPP benefits are received even if work continues. However, Employment Insurance contributions are still required even though the receipt of benefits may be difficult. High marginal tax rates reduce the value of GIS, pension allowance, and other senior benefits paid by the provinces.

• Enable seniors to help other seniors, through voluntary work or paid work in public service areas.
  
• Support seniors' groups, encourage their participation in the community, and empower them to make decisions.

• Support development and implementation of innovative local solutions for housing, services, and transportation.

Recommendations

In order to enable the specific challenges of rural and remote seniors and their communities to be addressed and the opportunities to be explored and realized, the Advisory Committee on Rural Issues makes the following recommendations:

1. Provide flexible service availability that supports seniors in their own homes and communities longer while at the same time taking advantage of new forms of connectivity to access a range of services and care needs.
   
   
2. Assist rural and remote communities to develop retirement homes with graduated levels of support services, ranging from independent living to full nursing care. This can be coordinated with other housing developments to free up existing housing units for new families.
   
   
3. Provide flexible programming to facilitate participation of rural and remote seniors in their communities. Accessibility issues may require additional funding.
   
   
4. Increase the incentives for continuing participation in the labour market and reduce the disincentives.
   
   
5. Support research that examines the issues around seniors in rural and remote areas, keeping in mind their multiple dimensions in order to develop innovative options for solutions. This should entail ongoing dialogue with rural and remote seniors, service providers, and communities. Enable, monitor, assess, and communicate results of implementing various options in diverse communities.

Endnote
¹   F/P/T Ministers Responsible for Seniors, Principles of the National Framework on Aging: A Policy Guide (March 1998: Health Canada) Vision, p.6, Principles, p.10 -21.

ANNEX—Advisory Committee on Rural Issues: List of Members, April 2005