Age-friendly communities are better for everyone, not just seniors

By Galen Simmons

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about how our communities and our society as a whole fall short when it comes to supporting people with disabilities and seniors who want to age at home.

From family members with mobility issues who are unable to secure adequate home care to our recent struggles navigating a largely inaccessible world after my fiancé, Julia, broke her leg, there are so many barriers in our day-to-day life that make it difficult, if not impossible, to retain our independence as we get older, sick or injured.

It has been said many times that the true measure of a society is how it takes care of its most vulnerable members. Having watched countless people I love fight tooth and nail to get the support they need to continue living their lives as they always have and fall short, at least in some respects, it’s clear our society has some room to improve.

And that becomes an especially salient point when we look at how our senior demographic is growing.

According to Statistics Canada, Canada had more than 8.1 million people aged 65 and older in 2025, representing 19.5 per cent of the population – nearly one in five Canadians. The Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry further predicts that by 2030, seniors are expected to account for roughly 23 per cent of Canada's population, meaning nearly one in four Canadians will be over 65.

Recent projections published by the Government of Ontario suggest the fastest-growing age group is people aged 85 and older. In Ontario, the number of people over 75 is expected to more than double by 2051, while the number of people aged 90 and older could more than triple.

For the first time in Canadian history, there are now more seniors than children under 15. Though seniors make up less than one-fifth of the population, they account for nearly half of health-care spending because older adults typically require more complex care.

When it comes to the impending “Senior Tsunami,” most politicians talk about seniors only in terms of hospitals, emergency rooms and nursing homes. The reality is healthy aging begins long before someone needs medical care.

Communities need programs and support services to help residents remain healthy throughout their lives, and especially as they get older. These include free or low-cost exercise programs, social clubs and cultural programming, as well as volunteer opportunities, opportunities for learning and accessible transportation. These programs help maintain physical health, reduce isolation and keep seniors engaged in their communities.

Social isolation is becoming a major challenge for older adults, and recent surveys show loneliness remains stubbornly high among Canadian seniors. A senior who attends a weekly card game, exercise class, church supper, service club meeting or community centre program is often healthier than someone sitting alone at home.

Community organizations, churches, libraries, service clubs and recreation departments all play a role in healthy aging.

Most seniors do not want to move into long-term care if they can safely remain in their own homes. That means investing in home-care nursing, personal support workers, meal-delivery programs, transportation services, homemaking assistance and respite care for family caregivers – an often-forgotten piece of the healthy aging puzzle.

Helping seniors remain at home longer is usually what they want and is often less expensive than institutional care.

Beyond the home, communities need to become more age friendly. The conversation should extend beyond health care to include accessible sidewalks, benches and resting areas, safe crossings, affordable housing options, transportation alternatives, and accessible public buildings.

A community that works for an 85-year-old generally works better for everyone.

At the end of the day, we need to look beyond the cost of the programs, services and health care we will all need as we age and remember seniors work for the benefit of our communities every day. Seniors volunteer in hospitals, churches, schools, museums, food banks and service clubs. They provide child care for grandchildren, mentor younger generations and contribute decades of knowledge and experience.

An age-friendly community isn’t measured by how it cares for people in their final years; it’s judged by how it supports people to remain healthy, active, connected and independent for as long as possible.