Province's Aging Population Silver, Spectacular

NOTE: The following is an Op-Ed piece by Minister of Seniors Carolyn Bolivar-Getson.

Words like grey and gloomy were used last week to describe Nova Scotia's aging population. Words like silver and spectacular would have been more accurate and far more helpful.

We cannot dispute the Census 2006 data released last week. Nova Scotia is the oldest province in Atlantic Canada, and the second oldest in Canada. And the population of seniors in Nova Scotia is projected to double within the next 20 years. But when these statistics are described with words like grey, glooming, burden, and nightmare, the negatives are grossly exaggerated and the positives completely ignored.

When we allow ageist attitudes to go unchallenged, we devalue the knowledge, experience and skills of seniors. We discourage their participation in society and we lose a vital resource.

To provide a more balanced view, it's worth noting that seniors are the most generous segment of the population, giving more of their time and money to support quality of life.

Seven per cent of Canadians contribute 73 per cent of all volunteer hours. Seniors comprise the majority of that seven per cent, and older seniors (75 and older) contribute the most hours.

Seniors also donate more than two per cent of household expenditures to charity -- almost five times the rate of people younger than 55.

Seniors pay taxes and contribute enormously to their families through financial support and valuable in-kind contributions such as child care.

Furthermore, only four per cent of Nova Scotia seniors live in nursing homes. Yet the pictures that accompany stories about seniors often focus on the oldest, most frail and infirmed. This is a severely distorted view of a diverse age group that can span 40 years.

The negative aspects of aging cannot be ignored, but decline and social exclusion are not an inevitable part of old age. And while health problems can prevent some seniors from participating fully in community life, for the majority, such participation actually prevents health problems.

It's also important to point out that population aging is being experienced by all industrialized nations. In fact, Canada doesn't even rank among the 20 oldest countries in the world, which gives us the advantage of learning from others.

Calling this a crisis is premature and counter-productive. We emphasize a positive approach, and we called our 10-year guide for planning for Nova Scotia's aging population the "Strategy for Positive Aging in Nova Scotia." A first in Canada, the strategy reinforces that aging is both a personal and a societal issue. It promotes individual responsibility while addressing the broader role families, communities and governments play in providing the supports seniors need to age positively.

Census data gives us a picture of today's population and helps us make projections about the future. By responding appropriately, we can change the future. We can, for instance, improve the health of Nova Scotians, ensure community infrastructure is age-friendly, expand in-home supports to extend independence and assist businesses in reaching new markets and developing workplace policies to recruit and retain older workers.

Our government is making solid progress in all these areas. For example, Nova Scotia is playing a key role in global and national initiatives, such as Age-friendly Cities and Age-friendly Rural and Remote Communities, which will release guide books in October to help municipalities provide the types of communities seniors need to remain healthy, active and engaged.

Our government passed legislation to eliminate mandatory retirement and the Public Service Commission is leading by example with workplace policies that increase diversity, assist employees with elder-care responsibilities, promote life-long learning and recognize the important value of healthy workplace programs.

Meanwhile, our Continuing Care Strategy is increasing the number of long-term-care beds, while also placing an important emphasis on ensuring seniors are able to remain in their own homes for as long as possible.

A Caregivers Strategy -- another first in Canada -- is being developed to recognize the vital contribution of unpaid caregivers and recommend ways government can better support their work.

And next year, we will host North America's first Silver Economy Conference to bring businesses and other sectors together to hear from global experts and explore the many opportunities for economic gains that come with population aging.

These are just a few examples of work directly linked to our Strategy for Positive Aging in Nova Scotia, which more than 1,000 Nova Scotians helped create. Implementing the strategy is why our government announced in April that the Seniors' Secretariat will become the Department of Seniors, with a substantial budget increase to support this important work.

Population aging impacts every aspect of our society and everyone has a role to play. As famed former Notre Dame football coach Lou Holtz once said, "ability is what you're capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it."

As Minister of Seniors, Minister Responsible for the Office of Immigration, the Council of the Status of Women, and the Public Service Commission, I handle key portfolios focused on providing a co-ordinated response to demographic change in Nova Scotia.

But it is the attitude of all Nova Scotians toward aging that will determine how well our province responds to demographic change.

The Strategy for Positive Aging in Nova Scotia is available on the Seniors' Secretariat website ( www.gov.ns.ca/scs ) or by calling 1-800-670-0065.