York Region’s senior population to double by 2031

YorkRegion.com
February 14, 2014
By Sean Pearce

There’s no doubt about it: York Region is getting older.

The number of senior citizens residing in the region is expected to more than double by 2031.

That means in excess of 310,000 people, or about one in five, will be over age 65 by that time.

Just two years from now, seniors will outnumber youths aged 15 to 24.

That said, all age groups will continue to grow in the years ahead, explained Lisa Gonsalves a director in the region’s strategies and partnerships branch, it’s just that more people will be joining the ranks of seniors than any other age group.  

“One of the challenges will be continuing to provide services for all of our age groups,” she said, adding it will be important for all levels of government to balance the needs at both ends of the age spectrum.

Even those aged 65 and older will have very different needs depending upon which generation they belong to, she added.

The Baby Boomers, those currently between ages 45 and 64, will likely change how we think about seniors, Ms Gonsalves said. The statistics suggest the boomers will be better off financially than their parents and grandparents were and likely more active as well perhaps continuing or returning to work, furthering their educations or volunteering in the community to share their knowledge and experiences, she said.

The latter pursuit will be especially important in order to maintain our social fabric, she added. You can also expect to see many more seniors electing to age in place, she noted.

“One thing about the boomers is that they’ve changed every stage of life they’ve been apart of,” Ms Gonsalves said. “We don’t expect this to be any different.”

The seniors of tomorrow will likely be healthier than their predecessors and live longer with the average life expectancy being 82.2 years for men and 85.8 years for women.

In contrast, the region’s older seniors, those 75 and older, may face some significant challenges in the years to come.

Some individuals in this category may still be paying down a mortgage and/or have lower incomes, which could result in difficulties in securing suitable housing for their needs, Ms Gonsalves said.

Other concerns for older seniors include declining health, a greater risk for mental health issues and an increased need for care and services, she explained.  

The reality is the looming shift in demographics will impact every aspect of how the region delivers its services, Ms Gonsalves said.

For example, York Region Transit’s Mobility Plus service may well have to re-evaluate its operations as the population ages, she said, while the nine local-tier municipalities will likely have to re-tool their services also.

Ms Gonsalves recently presented regional council with an update on the status of the work on York’s seniors strategy and provided a draft copy of the profile on baby boomers and seniors in the area. Council approved the proposed research and consultation activities needed to develop the strategy.

Over the next six months or so, regional staff will complete its research with a goal of reporting back to council with a draft strategic framework for approval in September. Between October and July 2015 the task will be to develop strategic priorities and actions.

September 2015 has been earmarked as the month to present the draft seniors strategy to regional council for endorsement.