Congratulations Nick Taylor, our RBC Canadian champion!

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The National Institute of Aging in 2020 indicated that 91% of older Canadians wanted to remain living in their own home. I frequently write and speak on this very important issue and today I will be participating in the National Seniors Council round table discussion on supporting aging at home. The expert panel previously identified several  key perspectives that impact older Canadians ability to age in place and their 4 A’s  include:

• Availability:
  • Culturally appropriate and safe services
  • Investment in public funding for home care and community supports for caregivers
  • Reliable and dependable care and support
• Accessibility:
  • System coordination
  • Connecting people to the right services (system navigation)
• Affordability:
  • Cost of home care service
  • Assistive devices
  • Home renovations
  • Wait lists
  • Out of pocket expenses for caregivers as well as loss of income
• Accountability:
  • Sharing of best practices

All of these are critical issues to support aging Canadians to be able to remain living in their own homes and communities.   I would like to add my own 4 C’s, to this conversation and these include:

• Care:
  • What is the condition and the prognosis
• Cost:
  • What is the cost of the care needed going forward
  • What are the current costs of living (home and life expenses)
• Choice:
  • What do you want and where do you want to live?
• Communicate:
  • Remember to talk to your family, doctors, caregivers and attorneys for care and property
  • Remember to write it down!

June may be Senior’s Awareness Month- but truly as more and more of us reach our 65^th birthday- we need to all be thinking about solutions for all aging Canadians.