Canada is undergoing a massive demographic shift. Our health system hasn’t caught up.
Older Canadians don’t have the support they need
A survey by the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) and the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) live independently for as long as possible – and do everything possible to avoid going into long-term care.
That’s hardly a surprise given the severe shortcomings revealed by the COVID-19 pandemic. But the reality today is that many older adults do not have access to the full spectrum of resources they need to age at home safely. And by 2036, more than a quarter of the population will be over the age of 65.
Care of older Canadians by the numbers
80%
2x
$58.5 billion
The CMA’s work on aging with dignity
Along with the Canadian Nurses Association, the Canadian Society of Long-Term Care Medicine and the Canadian Social Workers Association, the CMA successfully advocated for the development of national standards for long-term care, released in 2023 by the Health Standards Organization. Our goal now is to ensure these standards are implemented across the country, working in allyship with First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities and people with lived experience of the health system.
What's next
The CMA is calling for:
- Increased targeted funding to improve the supply and integration of home and community care for older adults.
- Strengthening the rights of older adults to advance solutions for aging with dignity.