There is a reality on the Sunshine Coast that concerns all of us, which we — all levels of government and the citizens of our little Eden — continue to ignore at our own peril.
Just what is this elephant in our collective rooms?
Well folks, it’s that little number on our driver’s licences we’d like to ignore — our age. None of us want to face the obvious — we are not getting any younger. And along with receding grey hairlines, expanding waistlines and physical challenges, seniors now have the stigma of being the sucker uppers of community assets.
Many seniors (or older adults, a term one 80-plus woman prefers) retired with pensions that barely cover one trip to the grocery store. Never mind a healthy diet, they’re lucky to afford the generic brand of macaroni and cheese. It’s no surprise that the fastest growing segment of our population now regularly using the food banks is women over 60. Many devoted their lives to bringing up their children and never worked outside the home. They don’t qualify for Canada Pension, and as anyone dependent on Canada’s Old Age Pension alone will tell you, there just isn’t enough money to live on.
It’s easy to glance sideways at the older people in our communities and smugly think of how we’ll never be in the same boat. But the statistics tell a different story.
Another large concern on the Coast the Grey Tsunami brings is medical care. We’re rusting, folks. All that fancy talk about anti-oxidants aside, Mother Nature has a way of daily reminding us we’re aging. And while most of us can live with the little aches and pains, the medical reality is that seniors, regardless of what title they wear, need more attention than the rest of the population. However, just as the 20 years between an infant and a young adult span myriad different needs, so too do the 20 years between a 65-year-old person and one celebrating 85 years on the planet.
Are there plans in place to help older adults live their best healthy life? There’s no gerontologist on the Coast, so it’s difficult to know. And Vancouver Coastal Health was conspicuous in their absence at the seniors planning together meeting last week. We can only hope seniors’ needs are more than a blip on their radar.
With more than double the provincial average of over-55 residents, there are housing concerns, not just nursing homes for folks needing specialized care, but smaller homes built with safety, ease of upkeep in mind and access to adequate transportation. Right now there are homeowners on the Coast who are land rich and cash poor. Who will pay the taxes once they finally throw in the towel? There will be fewer taxpayers with a much larger mill rate.
These are but a few of the challenges facing the Sunshine Coast in the coming years. We’re overdue to plan for the changes the coming years will present. One-size planning does not fit all; it’s long past time to face our reality.
