Using Public Infrastructure to Care for Seniors
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons. Since its inception in 1990, the world’s population has aged dramatically. Today, virtually every country in the world is experiencing growth in the number of older persons in their population.
The 2019 United Nations report of World Population Ageing estimates there were 703 million persons aged 65 years or over in the world in 2019. The number of older persons is projected to double to 1.5 billion in 2050. That means 1 in 6 people in the world will be over the age of 65.
The story is much the same in Canada. According to 2019 Canadian population data, 17 per cent of our population – or 6.5 million Canadians – are older than 65. This number is growing rapidly. In comparison, children (14 years and younger) represent 16 per cent of the population, and this number has been steadily declining.
What Role Can CUPW Play to Help Seniors?
As life expectancy keeps increasing, life for seniors today is very different than our ancestors. Many seniors continue to live active, fulfilled lives, but sometimes they need a bit of extra help, and if they don’t have children or other family members to help out, they may be forced out of their homes before they’re ready.