This blog post was written by Hannah Zip, Estate and Trust Consultant, Scotiatrust Toronto People over the age of 65 accounted for 19% of the Canadian population in 2023, according to Statistics Canada. This diverse and growing group of individuals commonly encounters ageism, one of the remaining socially accepted “isms”….
This week, many of us will be preparing for Mother’s Day and thinking about how we might honour our mothers or grandmothers and those who are a mothering figure. What do mothers consider the best present? Many will say that the best gift is the gift of time. Mothers with…
For the past five years, it has been my pleasure to address a local service club on the topic of Smart Ageing and discuss other topics proposed by the members. The members are retired professionals and businessmen with an average age of 80. The forty men present in person this…
Managing an elder’s journey late in life is not for the faint of heart. Ask a partner or family member – it is complicated, frustrating, rewarding, and exhausting at the same time. Given our rapidly aging population, we need to rethink our planning paradigm for older clients and actively shift…
We live in interesting times. This phrase has been coming to mind all week after meeting with a family who is managing the care of their elderly father with advanced Alzheimer’s disease. They asked questions about managing his care and shared their other daily challenges. For example, like you, they…
Canadian veterans who were receiving disability pension benefits during the twenty years from 2003 to 2023 may be eligible for a class action settlement payment, which is non-taxable. However, it is possible that many survivors or families may be unaware of the settlement and do not know the steps to…
Happy New Year! The holidays provided an opportunity to catch up on various articles on a wide range of topics, including smart ageing. One of the most informative was a new report from the CSA Public Policy Centre on demographic changes in Canada’s aging population and policy implications for 2024.[1]…
As the holiday season is upon us, do you have your shopping done, or are you the person who procrastinates to the very last shopping day? It’s human nature to put off to tomorrow what could be done today. This holiday season, I have one wish for you. When it…
With holiday shopping in full swing, friends and family must be alert for financial issues with older people. Financial scams are also rising as we get closer to the holidays. If an older person falls victim to scams or has new problems with banking or paying bills, this could be…
The blog post, Why You Need a POA When You Are Alive, explored the importance of appointing Powers of Attorney for Property and for Personal Care. While a Will may anchor an estate plan for distributing assets after you have passed, you will need a substitute decision-maker in place if…