Opinion: Seniors, health care and housing — the crisis few Canadians are talking about
And according to data from the federal government, seniors are now more likely to face homelessness than youth and non-senior adults.
In light of Canada's aging population, these trends will likely continue to grow.
In other words, we have a public health crisis affecting one of our most vulnerable populations. And very few policy-makers are talking about it.
The reasons for this crisis intersect and include high housing prices, reduced pension plans, loneliness and social isolation, and health conditions such as dementia and mental illness. Regardless of the reasons, if you don't have a home, your health is at risk.
And any health conditions you may have will likely get worse.
In 2017, in response to growing demand, the federal government established the Division of Aging, Seniors and Dementia department within the Public Health Agency of Canada. Its latest report (published in January 2024) confirms that Canada still lacks a national strategy to manage the country's aging population.
Our health-care system remains siloed and fragmented, making it difficult to navigate, especially for seniors with little family or community support, and for caregivers experiencing stress and burnout.
So, it's time to think big.
Simply put, we need a health-care system that promotes healthy aging and provides housing options for older Canadians to grow old safely and with dignity.
The care spectrum for older adults is a continuum, which should be seamless as we transition from one level of care to another, including from home support to assisted living to supportive living and sometimes to long-term care.
Seniors are most vulnerable during these points of transition, which can be confusing and, if not properly navigated, negatively affect medical conditions and overall health.
For example, many seniors struggle to access adequate home support with consistent and familiar staffing, and many don't know how to apply for long-term care and manage the anxiety associated with change.
To ensure smoother transitions for seniors, the provinces, which administer health care, must reduce fragmentation within the health-care system.
For starters, different aspects of the system (municipalities and provinces, for example) should better collaborate to support healthy aging so care-providers can better communicate with each other and seniors (and their caregivers) aren't forced to manage the communication by themselves.
Apart from an improved health-care system, the crisis also demands a housing strategy aimed at healthy aging. We should explore novel approaches including modular housing (like Toronto has tried), which is prescribed by care-providers to seniors. Such housing options should be accompanied by community-based services that address the physical and mental-health needs of seniors.
When the health-care system becomes more seamless and better connected with housing support, seniors (and their families and caregivers) will be better able to navigate the system.
This may all seem like a tall task, and it is. The pace of health-care reform in Canada has been slow and fraught with opposition. Reforming entrenched health-care bureaucracies, while also integrating more community and housing support into the system, will require true leadership from various levels.
And major investments from government.
But our seniors deserve no less.
Again, the provinces must provide the impetus and develop plans informed by local health data, which include data on seniors who have unique health needs such as dementia and Alzheimer's.
For examples of bold successful reforms, our policy-makers can learn from other universal health-care countries such as Switzerland, where the public system helps cover home support and long-term care.
Canada should learn from other countries that provide timelier access, which often results in better health outcomes. We must also ensure adequate and sustainable staffing in the seniors' care sector through health-care professional education and re-skilling. Investments in our people will help improve health outcomes for seniors.
Again, it's time to think big. In light of Canada's aging population and the looming housing crisis, time for many seniors is running out. Fresh thinking, with an ambitious, co-ordinated and strategic approach, can help our seniors and their loved ones access the care and support they deserve.
The promise of universal health care must include healthy aging.
Dr. Roger Wong is a clinical professor of geriatric medicine at the University of B.C.
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