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Special contribution by Francine Van

The details we were never told, and now I know why……….

Francine Van

 

 

 We join the golden movement with hope and optimism of new futures to come.  We believe there will be less worries, more freedom, obligations of choice rather than necessity, fun, and finally a sense of peace.  Well, OK, don’t hold your breath…..the truth is:

 

— You never really retire, it is an illusion to get you to change jobs without pay for family…you become a babysitter, chauffeur, personal shopper, hairdresser, cleaning lady, etc. etc. …need I go on? Almost forgot ….. amidst all this I am trying to get my photography project off the ground!

— You cannot possibly take all the vitamins recommended for your age, (they will make you smell or give you gas).  Just take the hormones to stay out of jail

— Budget on the anti-aging creams and makeup …when they say too good to be true, they mean it …except get the strong hold hairspray for that spot called the ‘Aruba’ on the top back of your head, it shows now …did you notice!

— When you find yourself repeating a lot, remember when you are not talking to your parents or grandchildren

— When your mom says her lunch was a chocolate bar, it’s ok …she made it to over fifty
 
— Don’t drink all eight glasses of water recommended or you won’t get any sleep

— Exercise your butt, it flattens …hmmmm!
 
— The coffee shops become the place of choice rather than the bars, too much wine and no one picks you up when you fall off the bar stool.
 
And lastly, although I could go on, cancel all those over fifty joke emails, magazine subscriptions, and any reminders that are self-defeating. Denial is a wonderful thing and soon like your parents, you will forget. 

As Mark Twain so accurately put it:  “Against the assault of laughter nothing can stand.”  Shall look forward to your comments so that we can all remember laughing is great medicine to get us through life.

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An increasing number of Canadians  are becoming concerned about their CPP benefits in light of the global economic turmoil. Among the greatest concerns are the prospect of a double dip recession, increased fiscal constraints, and a shrinking labour force of younger workers.  If there is a double dip recession governments might impose more fiscal constraints so there is the likelihood that much needed services and benefits for seniors will be reduced or eliminated.  The increase in the seniors demographic combined within a shrinking economy and a predicted decline in the labour force of younger workers will present a challenge to government revenues. This gloomy forecast does not bode well for the sustainability of the pension system.

With recent statistics indicating there will be a slowing in the growth of the labour force there are serious concerns that the present pension system will not meet the needs of future retirees. Alarm bells about Canada’s fiscal health have been raised by Kevin Page, the current parliamentary budget officer, who “calculates that the provincial and federal governments’ fiscal structures aren’t sustainable over the long term due to an aging population and current economic trends.” The report presents a troubling financial picture for Canada in the long term if fiscal constraints are not put in place.
(Refer to http://business.financialpost.com/2011/09/29/budget-officer-warns-of-looming-%e2%80%98fiscal-gap%e2%80%99-in-canada)    

That the workforce will have to support a substantial number of older Canadians dependent on CPP benefits is cause for concern since that indicates our current pension system is clearly not sustainable in a fragile economy. A reduced workforce cannot  generate enough economic activity to cope with the pension needs of retirees. In a shrinking economy some seniors will  have to work past retirement age and compete for jobs with younger workers. Hence we have a scenario where many Canadians, whether retired or working, will undoubtedly experience a substantial drop in living standards. As deficits increase government spending will have to be curtailed and everyone, including seniors, will have to pay more taxes.

A pension option put forward during the last federal election by Federal Minister Jim Flaherty’s is a ‘pooled pension plan’. This option, however, has not gained much traction.  (Check this link for full details of the ‘pooled pensions plan: http://www.fin.gc.ca/activty/pubs/pension/prpp-irpac-eng.asp) Minister Flaherty’s model or theory  is not clearly understood or accepted by Canadians. This ‘pooled pension’ option will be controlled by private enterprise and also the banks.  There is concern that there will not be adequate banking and financial regulations in place to administer this type of pension plan. Concerns are driven by the recent economic turbulence that the absence of adequate regulations wrought on economies around the globe. That devastation is attributed mostly to a lack of proper regulations and oversight in the financial industry. It brings to mind the unfortunate situation of what happened to the pension benefits of many Nortel employees in Canada. There should not be a repeat of a Nortel type fiasco. It is also a necessary part of the equation that those in the labour force must earn a living wage to participate in this option. Will future workers have to rely on erratic and unstable income from their private pension plans and/or RRSPs with this ‘pooled pension plan’ option?

At the moment we are witness to storm clouds gathering on the horizon for many European countries and will have to accept that we in Canada are not immune to another economic downturn. Although many governments around the world are struggling to contain their deficits and stabilize their economies there is a strong possibility that most developed countries are about to sink back into a much deeper recession. There will be a  huge wealth gap as our middle class disappears. And if businesses are to survive in the long term proper planning should be in place for an organized transfer of skills and knowledge to younger workers as there will be a massive gap in skills and knowledge as seniors exit the labour force. A fragile economy will undoubtedly impact various services seniors depend on, the most important of which is health care.  And as the volume of our aging population increases we are likely to see the cost of health care services  along with other necessities rise dramatically in an economy that has a shrinking labour force.  Our governments have to recognize that serious economic and social problems will result if this combined challenge of a seniors tsunami and a fragile economy are not addressed in a calm, creative and balanced manner. A long term plan to address this serious challenge is imperative.

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Federal Government links:
a).  Is Canada Ready for an Aging Population?
 http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/agei-e/subsite-e/Aging_Report_Home-e.htm
 
b).  Canada’s Aging Population: Seizing the Opportunity”
http://www.parl.gc.ca/40/2/parlbus/commbus/senate/com-e/agei-e/rep-e/AgingFinalReport-e.pdf

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“Volunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy. You vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to live in” ~    Anon

This powerful and very inspiring quote is an accurate and eloquent interpretation of volunteerism.  It captures the essence of civic engagement and can serve to inspire those of us who have become disenchanted with politics and politicians. It emphasizes the idea that volunteering is one of the most selfless acts a person can perform. Volunteering is an act  of tremendous generosity that can have a positive impact on the quality of life of the recipients and also those who volunteer. It is also an act that reflects democracy in action at the simplest level of society.

With the significant increase in the ageing population, it appears that an unlikely opportunity is presenting itself in the area of volunteering. This demographic shift along with the willingness of older citizens to give back to society is a chance for this group to create a better society.  Seniors bring with them a lifetime of knowledge, skills, experience and wisdom that took years to acquire.  Given the continued uncertainty in economies around the globe, the gift of volunteerism by seniors is most welcome especially in this climate of fiscal cuts that are impacting so many deserving community projects. 

For most of us approaching retirement or those who are actually retired it is a time of great transition.  During this period of transition some seniors come to the realization it is critical that they engage in pre-planning before retirement. It is not only a prudent decision but a necessary one to set aside time to examine how to spend one’s retirement.

Retirees who engage in volunteering can enjoy intangible benefits. For example, good feelings for giving back to society and in many cases contributing to a more healthy lifestyle by keeping active both physically and emotionally. Even healthy retirees can be challenged by lack of social interaction, stimulation and loneliness which can lead to depression. Retirees can, and do benefit, from getting involved in various volunteer activities related to cultural, educational, health care or political interests. They can also consider reaching out to the disadvantaged or to charitable organizations, not to mention the growing interest in nature conservation  projects for the environmentally conscious seniors.

There are other compelling reasons for seniors and retirees to engage in volunteer activities as evidenced in research on this topic. In particular, those who have not made concrete plans on how to spend their time during retirement are encouraged to choose volunteerism.  Social isolation can be a serious risk factor to the physical and emotional wellbeing of seniors. As described above, seniors can reap many benefits during this phase of life.  According to results from research on volunteerism and seniors, there is clear evidence that ‘your brain can become sharper and you can live longer’.  These are wonderful benefits to contemplate if you are in good shape emotionally and physically and want to do volunteer work. Refer to this link for information on that study:  http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7540441&page=1

Whether you are a senior of modest or comfortable financial means the act of volunteerism gives you an opportunity to make a generous contribution to your community while realizing great benefits to your own life. Retirees who want to give back to society or are seeking more meaning in their lives should consider volunteering. It is clear that there are compelling reasons to volunteer. The wonderful end result is that volunteerism can be instrumental in making democracy more of a reality in society.

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HERE ARE HELPFUL LINKS TO ENCOURAGE SENIORS TO VOLUNTEER

Recruiting Older Volunteers
http://communitysector.nl.ca/voluntary-sector-resources/volunteer-management/recruiting-older-volunteers

Strengthening the Capacity to Support Healthy Aging
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/seniors-aines/publications/public/healthy-sante/phf-fsp/phf-fsp-04-eng.php

Work and Volunteering
http://www.seniors.gc.ca/s.2.1rchc.1t@.jsp?cat=604&lang=eng&font=0

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On April’s Fools day there was a skit on CBC radio with Mary Walsh (actress, comedian and social activist) as the host who announced the formation of a new political party. Venerable and well-known Canadian actor Gordon Pinsent had the task of announcing the formation this new political party for seniors … the Sage Party! As the leader of this ’Sage Party’ Gordon Pinsent explained that this party intended to give a ‘voice to seniors’ as this growing segment of the population, our seniors, are not being served properly. Although this was merely a spoof created especially for our entertainment on April Fools Day there was an oblique

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Special contribution by I. Aagaard

Today I discussed the upcoming federal election with a friend of mine. We talked about the growing voter apathy and bounced around possible reasons for this most serious problem.

I am in the wine business, so taking a quick look at our current political parties and their leaders and compare them to common

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Art is a powerful and effective form of communication that stimulates thoughts and emotions in the artist and also those viewing art works. It has proven to have tremendous benefits and has increasingly become a therapeutic method for enhancing health and well-being. When used for therapeutic purposes it is referred to as Art Therapy. It has become an accepted therapy to help people with

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 Special contribution by Françoise Duranleau

Nearly seven years ago I retired at age 60. I always enjoyed teaching. However dealing with the administrators had become unbearable because of recent changes in the school board and an all-female administration. I stopped teaching in the middle of the school year and I had been counting the days until my 60th birthday and retirement.

Ten years before retirement I developed a new hobby and passion – mineralogy. It involved going out on weekly excursions in mines and quarries to collect crystallized minerals. These minerals then needed to be cleaned, trimmed, sorted and identified with

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The most recent quarterly revision of OAS and GIS benefits means that pensioners will receive an increase of 0.3 percent per month this quarter. According to the HRSDC publication Just the Facts – Pensions, Benefits and Seniors:

Old Age Security benefits, consisting of the basic pension, the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) and the Allowances, are revised quarterly, in January, April, July and October, using the CPI for the previous quarter. OAS benefits will be increased by 0.3 percent from the last time the rates were adjusted which was in October 2008. In October 2008, OAS benefits were indexed by 2.2 percent in response to a significant increase in the CPI. In order for OAS benefits to be indexed again, the CPI needed to exceed the peak that occurred at that time. This has only happened now.

The CPI formula used by Statistics Canada to calculate CPP, OAS and GIS is complex and may not reflect the actual ‘basket of goods’ that pensioners

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While the seniors population is increasing steadily the supply of affordable seniors housing remains virtually unchanged. For many seniors on fixed

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For many of us, if we live long enough, there comes a time when we need some kind of ‘assisted living’ accommodation and care. While there are a variety of services available for seniors, there are many people who do not know exactly what our frail and infirm elderly loved ones can expect with regard to ‘assisted living’ options.

We need to become more knowledgeable about available long-term care facilities and services in the private and non-profit sectors. We need to know what options may be available to us. We need to acquire as much information on ‘assisted living’ options, be they short or long-term care, so that we can make informed choices about the kind of long-term care we would like for ourselves and also for elderly members of