Seniors

Personnes âgées

Updated January 29, 2012
Page révisée le 29 janvier 2012

---

[ Go to Canadian Social Research Links Home Page ]

---

Links to international sites (jump directly to the bottom of this page)

---

New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

January 23, 2012
Profile of seniors’ transportation habits
By Martin Turcotte
HTML version
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2012001/article/11619-eng.htm
PDF version (148K, 16 pages)
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-008-x/2012001/article/11619-eng.pdf

This article examines various issues related to seniors’ access to transportation and to a vehicle. The first part focuses on determining which seniors have a driver’s licence and drive a car, including those with the weakest visual, auditory, motor and cognitive faculties. The second part of the article describes seniors’ main forms of transportation other than driving a car. The last part examines the impact of seniors’ main form of transportation on their level of social participation.

Source:
Canadian Social Trends - Product main page*
This publication discusses the social, economic, and demographic changes affecting the lives of Canadians
[ * Click "View" for the latest issue of this periodical;
click "Chronological index" for earlier editions. ]

Faces of Aging

The Institute for Research on Public Policy has recently released the following series of three studies on seniors’ care issues under IRPP's Faces of Aging research project. Harvey Lazar's study, released today (Nov. 17), focuses on the strategic role that the federal government must play in the area of care for seniors. The study released earlier this week by Janice Keefe looks at current and future caregiving needs in an aging Canada and presents the policy implications. Neena Chappell’s study, released last month, provides a timely overview of the main health and social policy challenges presented by population aging in three areas: informal care, formal care and prevention.

Many Degrees of Policy Freedom:
The Federal Government’s Role in Care for Seniors (PDF - 325K, 76 pages)
By Harvey Lazar
November 17, 2011
(...) Lazar points out that the next opportunity to make meaningful policy decisions on aging and care will be during the upcoming renegotiation of the health and social transfers due for renewal in 2014. In his view the onus is on the federal government to provide projections of seniors’ care needs nationally and to articulate what future role it sees for itself, taking full account of how its interventions might influence the success of provincial care programs.

News Release (PDF)
November 17, 2011
Ottawa has at its disposal a full range of sound policy options that would help address the growing and underfunded care needs of seniors without undermining the leadership role of the provinces and territories in this area.

Summary
--- HTML
--- PDF

Interview (Podcast)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Supporting Caregivers and
Caregiving in an Aging Canada (PDF - 402K, 40 pages)
By Janice Keefe
November 15, 2011
This IRPP study is an overview of caregiving in Canada today, including the costs incurred by caregivers and the type and extent of public support they receive.
Table of contents:
* Summary * Care in the Community: An Overview * Future Demand for and Supply of Caregivers: Projection to 2031 * Planning for the Short Term: Reinforcing Support for Caregivers * Planning for the Longer Term: Enhancing the Labour Force to Support Care in the Community * Conclusion * Appendix: Eligibility for Federal Tax Benefits * Notes and References * Other Related IRPP Publications * About This Study

News Release (PDF)
Author Janice Keefe presents projections of future care needs and examines potential improvements in policy for income security programs, labour market regulation and human resource management in health and home care.

Summary
--- HTML
--- PDF

Interview (Podcast)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Population Aging and the Evolving Care Needs
of Older Canadians: An Overview of the Policy Challenges
By Neena Chappell
October 19, 2011
As the first members of Canada’s baby boom generation turn 65, the official age of retirement, this study by gerontologist Neena Chappell provides a timely overview of the main health and social policy challenges presented by population aging in three areas: informal care, formal care, and prevention.

News Release (PDF)
Canadian governments need to plan how they will address the increasing care
needs of an aging population, particularly as they prepare to renew the federal provincial health
accord in 2014

Summary
--- HTML
--- PDF

Interview (Podcast)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Source:
Faces of Aging<=== incl. links to related reports
[ Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) ]
Founded in 1972, the Institute for Research on Public Policy is an independent, national, bilingual, nonprofit organization. The IRPP seeks to improve public policy in Canada by generating research, providing insight and sparking debate on current and emerging policy issues facing Canadians and their governments.

Just the facts - Seniors (PDF - 262K, 2 pages)
September 30, 2011
[ Version française ]
October 1st is Seniors Day in Canada.
It is generally accepted that in a decade, Canada’s seniors will outnumber children. Seniors are the fastest growing age group in Canada. The social, economic, political and environmental impacts of population aging on Canadians and their families are varied and complex. To better understand some of these changes, let’s begin with what we currently know about Canada’s seniors...
Source:
Vanier Institute of the Family (VIF)
The Vision of the VIF is to make families as important to the life of Canadian society as they are to the lives of individual Canadians.

New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

June 22, 2011
The Income Management Strategies of Older Couples in Canada
Analytical Studies Branch Research Paper Series
By Christine Laporte and Grant Schellenberg
Abstract
Executive summary
Main article
Tables
Appendices
User information
PDF version

Source:
The Income Management Strategies of Older Couples in Canada - main product page*
In this study, the income management strategies of Canadian couples are examined using data from the 2007 General Social Survey. The extent to which "older" couples, in which at least one spouse or partner is aged 45 or older, employ an allocative, pooled, or separate strategy is explored. Results show that the income management strategies used by these couples are correlated with relationship characteristics, such as common-law status, duration of relationship, and the presence of children. As well, the likelihood of using a separate approach is positively correlated with levels of educational attainment and with the amount of income received by wives or female partners.
---
* On the product main page, click "View" to see the latest issue
of this report online; click "Chronological index" for earlier issues of Analytical Studies Branch papers.

---

Study: How personal bankruptcy affects retirement plans, 2007
April 2011
According to the 2007 General Social Survey, almost 8% of non-retired Canadians aged 45 to 64, or more than 480,000 people, had experienced at least one bankruptcy during their adulthood. On average, they were 40 years old at the time. Those who had experienced bankruptcy had lower levels of education and were more likely to have a history of changing jobs more frequently than those who had no history of bankruptcy.

Complete article:
HTML version
PDF version (128K, 11 pages)

Related subjects:
* Seniors
* Housing and living arrangements
* Work and retirement

Source:
Canadian Social Trends - Product main page*
This publication discusses the social, economic, and demographic changes affecting the lives of Canadians
[ * Click "View" for the latest issue of this periodical;
click "Chronological index" for earlier editions. ]

Seniors and low-income families suffer tax hit
The combination of taxes and GIS clawbacks mean
the effective tax rates for seniors can reach 100% for seniors, the C.D. Howe Institute says.
By Jonathan Chevreau
April 28, 2011
Despite a decade of falling personal income tax rates, low income families and seniors face effective tax rates of 50% or more if they supplement government benefits with work, a C.D. Howe brief released Wednesday says. As soon as families start earning money or seniors withdraw money from retirement funds, benefits may be taxed or "clawed back." The Marginal Effective Tax Rate or METR is one of those odd concepts that views reductions in government benefits as a sort of additional tax. The classic case is poor seniors losing the Guaranteed Income Supplement as their dubious "reward" for saving in RRSPs. These ultimately become forced taxable withdrawals from RRIFs. The combination of taxes and GIS clawbacks can reach 100% for seniors, the institute says.
[Tax Free Savings Accounts to the rescue!]
Source:
Financial Post

Related link:
C.D. Howe Institute
NOTE: the C.D. Howe brief mentioned in the article above wasn't on the Institute's site as at 4pm April 29.
Check their website to see if the new link is posted...

The Remaining Light - A CCPA documentary film about how we care for seniors
February 8, 2011
Announcing the release of our first documentary film!
The Remaining Light journeys through an often invisible part of Canada's health care system -- the community-based services that provide care to seniors as they age and die. The film features the stories of seniors and their families, and explores themes of dignity, preventing illness and social isolation, and keeping health care costs under control as the boomer generation ages.

The Remaining Light is set in British Columbia, where the province's Ombudsperson is carrying out an investigation into a fragmented and underfunded system of seniors care. But the film's themes and stories will resonate with people across Canada who worry that we are not providing seniors with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Source:
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

Financial Literacy and the Take-up of Government Benefits
Research paper prepared for the
Task Force on Financial Literacy
By Richard Shillington
File dated February 4, 2011
- includes detailed information on the utilization of government benefits for saving, child-rearing, education and retirement in Canada
(Old Age Security - Guaranteed Income Supplement - Canada Pension Plan - Disability Benefits - Student Loans - more...)

Source:
Task Force on Financial Literacy in Canada
In the 2009 budget, the Minister of Finance announced his intention to establish a national task force dedicated to the issue of financial literacy. Appointed in June 2009, the Task Force on Financial Literacy is comprised of 13 members, drawn from the business and education sectors, community organizations and academia.
- incl. links to : * Home * About the Task Force * Report of the Task Force * Consulting with Canadians* Media * Contact Us * Links

-------------------------

Related articles
in the media:

Ottawa must honour millions in unclaimed pension benefits
February 11, 2011
When Canadians are neglecting to collect benefits to which they are entitled, governments should take that as a sign that there is a financial literacy gap and make an effort to close it. That means they should be doing more to contact the 150,000 people who qualify for, but are not receiving, the Guaranteed Income Supplement, which is only available to the lowestincome seniors. They need to find out why another 160,000 eligible seniors are not collecting their Old Age Security benefits.
Source:
Vancouver Sun

---

Evidence of financial illiteracy?
Thousands fail to collect government benefits
By Jonathan Chevreau
February 9, 2011
After 18 months, the Task Force on Financial Literacy has delivered a 106-page report (86 if you don’t count appendixes) to federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty. (...) There are 30 main recommendations, beginning with the call to appoint a national Financial Literacy Leader reporting to Mr. Flaherty. It wants to make financial literacy an “essential skill” in the government’s Essential Skills Framework and wants all the provinces and school boards to jump aboard. (...) It also urges the creation of a “single source website for financial literacy” and recommends that financial firms and regulators intensify their efforts to combat fraud. (...)
Low take-up of government benefits
The report shows some interesting stats on the need for financial literacy when it comes to taking up government benefits. It says 160,000 eligible seniors don’t get Old Age Security ($1 billion worth); 150,000 don’t get the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and 55,000 aren’t getting the Canada Pension Plan. Also, the take up for the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) is just 40% while the median RRSP contribution represents only 6% of total eligible room. That’s my definition of being financially illiterate — failing to take free money when it’s available.
Source:
Financial Post

---

Billions in government benefits
unclaimed by Canadians: task force (dead link)
By Andrew Duffy
February 9, 2011
Billions of dollars worth of government benefits are going unclaimed by Canadians, according to a federal task force on financial literacy. The task force, which reported Wednesday, said the government should simplify its programs and application forms to ensure more Canadians benefit from the financial support to which they're entitled. (...) A research report prepared for the task force examined why some government programs have such poor "take-up" rates. Those rates are considered an important measure of financial literacy. The report concluded that language and poverty often present barriers, particularly when the programs or application forms are complex. "Lower-income Canadians face distinct financial literacy challenges in being aware of and accessing the very government programs that are targeted to them," concluded researcher Richard Shillington.
Source:
Vancouver Sun

Selected content from
The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

Study: How personal bankruptcy affects retirement plans, 2007
April 2011
According to the 2007 General Social Survey, almost 8% of non-retired Canadians aged 45 to 64, or more than 480,000 people, had experienced at least one bankruptcy during their adulthood. On average, they were 40 years old at the time. Those who had experienced bankruptcy had lower levels of education and were more likely to have a history of changing jobs more frequently than those who had no history of bankruptcy.

Complete article:
HTML version
PDF version (128K, 11 pages)

Related subjects:
* Seniors
* Housing and living arrangements
* Work and retirement

Source:
Canadian Social Trends - Product main page*
This publication discusses the social, economic, and demographic changes affecting the lives of Canadians
[ * Click "View" for the latest issue of this periodical;
click "Chronological index" for earlier editions. ]

---

January 31, 2011
Two articles from
Perspectives on Labour and Income - January 2011 issue:

1. Retirement, health and employment among those 55 plus

Study: Retirement, health and employment among older Canadians, 2009
Older workers end their employment careers in different ways and for a variety of reasons. Many stay on the job past the point when others retire; others opt for partial retirement, while some who have retired subsequently re-enter the workforce. And, of course, many will fully retire from the world of work. Using data from the 2009 Healthy Aging cycle of the Canadian Community Health Survey, this study examined Canadians age 55 and over who had fully retired, those who had partially retired, those who had retired and returned to work, and those who had never retired. Each of the four groups faces different circumstances.

Highlights

Full article:
* HTML
* PDF (242K, 14 pages)

---

2. Seniors' self-employment
A substantial proportion of working seniors are self-employed. This article uses census data to study self-employment among senior men and women. Trends in self-employment rates and categories are presented, along with occupational and industrial profiles. In addition, 2006 data are used to study factors associated with self-employment.

Highlights

Full article:
* HTML
* PDF (272K, 14 pages)
Abstract: A substantial proportion of working seniors are self-employed. This article uses census data to study self-employment among senior men and women. Trends in self-employment rates and categories are presented, along with occupational and industrial profiles. In addition, 2006 data are used to study factors associated with self-employment.

---

Source:
Perspectives on Labour and Income - product main page*
This publication brings together and analyzes a wide range of labour and income data. Topics include youth in the labour market, pensions and retirement, work arrangements, education and training, and trends in family income.
* On the product main page, click "View" to see the latest issue of this report online; click "Chronological index" for earlier issues

Related subjects:
* Health
* Lifestyle and social conditions
* Population and demography
* Population aging
* Seniors
* Health and disability among seniors

---

November 12, 2010
Pension Satellite Account, 2009
After a steep decline in 2008, the total value of pension assets rebounded in 2009 to $2.1 trillion at year end, reflecting the strong performance of global equity markets that began in March 2009. This rebound (+15.5%) brought pension assets close to their 2007 level. The recovery in wealth accumulation during 2009 was relatively evenly distributed across the three pension tiers. Individual registered saving plans led the way, up 20.5% to $750.9 billion. Social security and employer-based pension plans were up 13.3% and 12.8%, respectively.

Related link:

Guide to the Canadian Pension Satellite Account
[Use the links in the left margin to navigate this report,
or download the PDF version - 153K, 19 pages)
This guide presents an overview of the scope and structure of the Pension Satellite Account as well as the methodology used to derive its stocks and flows estimates.

Source:
The Daily
[Statistics Canada]

Are you affected by the changes being made to the
Canada Pension Plan retirement pension starting January 2011?
These changes will affect you if you are:
* an employee who contributes to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), whether you are just starting your career or you are planning to retire soon;
* a self-employed person who contributes to the CPP;
* between the ages of 60 and 70 and you work while receiving your CPP retirement pension; or
* an employer who contributes to the CPP on behalf of your employees.
You will not be affected by these changes if you started receiving a CPP retirement pension before December 31, 2010, and you stay out of the work force.
Click the link above to see how the upcoming changes can affect YOUR retirement pension.

For more details on how these changes may affect you, check the following:

* Information for CPP retirement pension recipients
* Information for CPP contributors (employed, self-employed)
* Information for employers
* Information for financial advisors

Tools and resources:
* Canadian Retirement Income Calculator
* Retirement Planning
* Seniors’ section of Canada Benefits
Note: To access the information, you must select a province or territory.
* Seniors Canada
* Government of Canada news for Seniors
* New Horizons for Seniors
* Federal Budget

Atlas of productive ageing
20 September 2010
The Atlas provides statistics on the population, health, finance, housing and activity of older Australians. The data are available by state and regional areas.
Source:
Australian Policy Online (APO)
APO is a news service and library specialising in Australian public policy reports and articles from academic research centres, think tanks, government and non-government organisations

Canadians support increase in Canada Pension Plan benefits
October 15, 2010
More than three quarters of Canadians support increasing Canada Pension Plan benefits, according to a new national survey released today. Eighty percent of Canadians also support increasing federal payments to senior citizens and half of the survey respondents believe the government is moving too slow in reforming Canada’s pension system. The Future of Pensions poll was completed by Environics Research Group in late August for the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. It surveyed 2,020 Canadians and has a margin of error of +/-2.2 per cent 19 times out of 20. (...) The survey asked Canadians their views on saving and their expectations for retirement. While many Canadians have set up a Retirement Savings Plan or a Tax-Free Savings Account, four in 10 acknowledge that they are not saving for retirement—mostly because they cannot afford to. (...) Poll respondents also overwhelmingly support increasing Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplements for those living below the poverty line. OAS and GIS payments amount to only $11,000 per year.

Detailed Poll Highlights

Source:
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Public Service Alliance of Canada
Together, CUPE and PSAC represent more than 800,000 public sector workers across Canada. Both organizations have been advocating for retirement security for all Canadians.

Selected content from
The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

July 29, 2010
Replacing Family Income During the
Retirement Years: How Are Canadians Doing?
By S. LaRochelle-Côté, J. Myles and G. Picot
Analytical Studies Branch
1. Abstract
2. Executive summary
3. Main article
4. Tables
5. Charts
6. Appendices
7. User information
8. PDF version (538K, 23 pages)

[ earlier studies by the Analytical Studies Branch ]

---

July 26, 2010
Study: Impact of home equity on
incomes of retirement-age households, 2006
The equity that homeowners have built up through a lifetime of investment in their homes makes an important contribution to household finances as they enter retirement.

---

May 25, 2010
Pension plans in Canada, as of January 1, 2009
Membership in registered pension plans (RPPs) increased 1.7% in 2008 to just over 6.0 million, the first time the number of active participants has surpassed that level. The number of registered pension plans as of January 1, 2009 remained virtually unchanged at 19,200.
- incl. table: Registered pension plan membership by sector and type of plan.

Related subjects:
* Business, consumer and property services
* Professional, scientific and technical services
* Seniors
* Income, pensions and wealth

---

March 26, 2010
Participation in private retirement savings plans, 2008
Just over 8.9 million employed Canadian tax filers participated in a private retirement savings plan in 2008, about 50% of all tax filers. This proportion was down from 54% in 1997. There was a decrease in the share of employed tax filers who contributed to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) during the decade. In 1997, 41% of employed tax filers participated in an RRSP; by 2008, this proportion had declined to 34%.

The report:

Participation in private retirement savings plans, 1997 - 2008
March 2010
HTML version - table of contents (links are in the left-hand margin) + Abstract, Intro and Highlights
PDF version (285K, 35 pages)

Related subjects:
* Income, pensions, spending and wealth
* Pension plans and funds and other retirement income programs
* Seniors
* Income, pensions and wealth

Source:
The Daily
[Statistics Canada]

---

Public consultation on ensuring the ongoing
strength of Canada's retirement income system
March 24 - May 14, 2010

Ensuring the Ongoing Strength
of Canada’s Retirement Income System*
- provides background information on Canada's retirement income system;
- provides an overview of research on retirement income adequacy;
- describes a variety of proposals in the public domain relating to Canada's retirement income system; and
- solicits views of Canadians on Canada's retirement income system and how to ensure its ongoing strength.

* NOTE: Recommended reading - includes over a dozen links to related and contextual information in areas such as:
- Canada's Government Supported Retirement Income System
- Research on Retirement Income Adequacy
- Considerations for Evaluating Retirement Income System Issues
- Range of Proposals in the Public Domain
- Summary of Questions

This public consultation took place from March 24 to May 14, 2010.

Related link:

News Release
March 24, 2010
The federal government today announced the launch of online consultations and a series of cross-country roundtable discussions, speaking engagements and town hall meetings to gather input from Canadians on ensuring the ongoing strength of Canada’s retirement income system. The consultations will inform discussions at the next meeting of federal, provincial and territorial Ministers of Finance in May, where the retirement income system will be a key agenda item.
Source:
Department of Finance Canada

The Care Guide
http://www.thecareguide.com/home.aspx

* World Population Ageing 2009 (PDF - 894K, 82 pages) - February 2010
This report provides a description of global trends in population ageing and includes a series of indicators of the ageing process by development regions, major areas, regions and countries. This new edition includes new features on ageing in rural and urban areas, the coverage of pension systems and the impact of the 2007-2008 financial crisis on pension systems. The report is intended to provide a solid demographic foundation for the follow-up activities of the Second World Assembly on Ageing.

Source:
United Nations Department
of Economic and Social Affairs - DESA
The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides support services to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the principal body coordinating the economic and social work of the United Nations and its operational arms.

[ UN Economic and Social Council - ECOSOC
ECOSOC was established under the United Nations Charter as the principal organ to coordinate economic, social, and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies, functional commissions and five regional commissions.]

Minister of Finance Modernizes Federal Pension Framework
October 27, 2009
News Release
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today released an important reform plan for the federal private pension legislative and regulatory framework. (...) Today’s announcement comes out of extensive consultations with Canadians, beginning with the January release of a discussion paper, Strengthening the Legislative and Regulatory Framework for Private Pension Plans Subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985, and including online consultations. (...)
The package includes measures to:
* Enhance protections for plan members.
* Reduce funding volatility for defined benefit plans.
* Make it easier for participants to negotiate changes to their pension arrangements.
* Improve the framework for defined contribution plans and for negotiated contribution plans.
* Modernize the rules for investments made by pension funds.

Backgrounder - detailed information on each of the five measures

Source:
Finance Canada

Federal, Provincial and Territorial Finance Ministers
to Discuss Economy and Retirement Income Adequacy at December Meeting
August 5, 2009
News Release
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced that he will meet with his provincial and territorial counterparts December 17-18, 2009, in Whitehorse, to discuss continuing progress in strengthening Canada’s economy and to receive the report of the Research Working Group on Retirement Income Adequacy. (...) At their last meeting on May 25, 2009, federal, provincial and territorial finance ministers agreed to create the Research Working Group on Retirement Income Adequacy to expand the knowledge base underpinning the subject of retirement income adequacy. This group, chaired by Ted Menzies, parliamentary secretary to Minister Flaherty, and supported by research director Jack Mintz and finance ministers from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia, is to report to finance ministers and ministers responsible for pensions by the end of 2009. The first meeting of this group was held on July 22, 2009, in Calgary and participants agreed to a work plan, which will culminate in a report to ministers.
Source:
Finance Canada

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada

What's new in June 2009 from
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada:

* The Office for Disability Issues, Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, is leading consultations with Canadians on the ratification of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. To participate in the online consultation, please visit the Public Consultations page.
This consultation ends July 31.

* A national Elder Abuse Awareness campaign and a federal Elder Abuse Initiative Call for Proposals under the New Horizons for Seniors program launched on June 15, 2009.

* The Office of Literacy and Essential Skills has developed a number of tools to help employers, learners and practitioners address Literacy and Essential Skills challenges.
Visit the Literacy and Essential Skills Toolkit to access 17 new tools and much more.

* New Horizons for Seniors Program — The calls for proposals for Community Participation and Leadership Funding and Capital Assistance Funding are now open in Quebec until September 11, 2009.
NOTE: this last item was actually in the May What's New update for HRSDC

Income Security Programs

Canada's Retirement Income System
- guide for people approaching retirement - includes info about the Old Age Security (OAS) program, the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Private Pension Plans

Canada Pension Plan
General information - Did You Know? * Canada's Retirement Income System - "What's in it for you?" * Your CPP Statement of Contributions o Request a CPP Statement of Contributions * General Information About the Canada Pension Plan * 1998 Changes to the Canada Pension Plan * Important Information for Common-law Partners * CPP Annual Reports * Quebec Pension Plan
Benefit information - Retirement Pension * Disability Benefits * Survivor Benefits (death, survivor & children's benefits) * Children's Benefits for Students aged 18 to 25 * Forms Payment information - Canada Pension Plan Payment Rates * Payment Dates * Direct Deposit * OAS and CPP T4/NR4 Income Statements o Obtain your Tax Information Slips online
o File your taxes by phone or online using Telefile service for seniors or Netfile * Canceling benefits following the death of a pensioner / beneficiary
Fact sheets - Sharing your pension for possible tax savings * Credit Splitting Upon Divorce or Separation * Facts about the Child Rearing Drop-out Provision * Reassessing Eligibility for Disability Benefits * Disability Vocational Rehabilitation Program * Non-Resident Tax on Canadian Pensions * Facts about Changes to CPP Disability * Avoid owing tax on filing - CPP/EI voluntary deductions at source

Income Security Program Information Card (Rate Card)
- updated quarterly, includes the maximum monthly rates for Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan and Quebec Pension Plan benefits, as well as other selected figures.
- contains links to quarterly rates back to Oct.-Dec. 2003

Old Age Security
General information * Overview of the Old Age Security Program * Important Information for Common-law Partners * Canada's Retirement Income System - "What's in it for you?"
Benefit information * Old Age Security Pension * Guaranteed Income Supplement * Allowance * Allowance for the survivor * Forms
Payment information * Old Age Security Payment Rates * Payment Dates * Direct Deposit * OAS and CPP T4/NR4 Income Statements o Obtain your Tax Information Slips online
o File your taxes by phone or online using Telefile service for seniors or Netfile* Canceling benefits following the death of a pensioner / beneficiary
Fact sheets * The Repayment of Old Age Security Pension Benefits (Deductions for higher-income seniors) * The Old Age Security Recovery Tax * Non-Resident Tax on Canadian Pensions * The Old Age Security Appeals Process

Guaranteed Income Supplement - "The Guaranteed Income Supplement provides additional money, on top of the Old Age Security pension, to low-income seniors living in Canada. To be eligible for the GIS benefit, you must be receiving the Old Age Security pension and meet the income requirements"
- incl. links to : About the Guaranteed Income Supplement * Applying for the Guaranteed Income Supplement * Renewing your benefits * Eligibility Requirements
* Receiving the Guaranteed Income Supplement * Filing your income tax return * Appealing a decision * Protecting information about you * Other benefits * More Information

The Allowance - for people 60 to 64 years of age
The Allowance for the Survivor - for people 60 to 64 years of age whose spouse/partner has deceased

International Benefits
If you have lived or worked in another country, or you are the survivor of someone who has lived or worked in another country, you may be eligible for benefits from Canada or abroad. A social security agreement may help you qualify for a pension from Canada or from one of the countries listed in the drop-down menu.
This page also includes links to:
* Infosheets - Quickly find information on international social security agreements Canada has signed with other countries.
* Status of Canada's Social Security Agreements
* Social Security Web Sites Around the World
* Benefits Paid Outside Canada to Countries with which Canada has concluded a Social Security Agreement

Old Age Security Tribunal Summaries Online
The Office of the Commissioner of Review Tribunals (CPP/OAS) has added a database Old Age Security case summaries, conditions of personal information disclosure, general public information on legal assistance and links to recent publications.
OAS Decision Summaries Database

Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI)
"The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is the primary regulator of federally chartered financial institutions and federally administered pension plans."
Actuarial Reports - read actuarial reports on the following subjects: Canada Pension Plan - Old Age Security - Canada Student Loans Program - Canadian Forces - Federally Appointed Judges - Members of Parliament - Public Service of Canada.

What's new on the Human Resources and Social Development Canada website in July 2008:

Supporting and Engaging Older Workers in the New Economy
This report by the Expert Panel on Older Workers is undated.
(Posted to the HRSDC site in July 2008;
PDF file created February 12, 2008)
Executive Summary (see excerpt below)
Complete report:
HTML version - table of contents and links to each chapter and appendix in the report
PDF version (874K, 110 pages)
Excerpt from the executive summary:
"(...) The Minister of Human Resources and Social Development Canada established the Expert Panel on Older Workers on January 23, 2007. The Panel members were selected for their experience in studying policy issues. (...)The Panel's task was to consider the current situation and future prospects of older workers, and to make recommendations to the government."

Source:
Human Resources and Social Development Canada

HRSDC Minister Monte Solberg's response
to the report by the Expert Panel on Older Workers:

New Approaches and Partnerships to Meet the Labour Market Challenges of Today and Tomorrow
Speaking Notes for The Honourable Monte Solberg
Minister of Human Resources and Social Development
at
The Pacific NorthWest Economic Region (PNWER)
18th Annual Summit
“New approaches to meet the labour market challenges of today and tomorrow”
Vancouver, British Columbia
July 23, 2008

Improvements to Life Income Funds Give Canadians More Financial Flexibility
News Release
May 8, 2008
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced regulatory changes are now in effect allowing Canadians to take advantage of Budget 2008 improvements to the administration of Life Income Funds (LIFs).

- includes links to the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, Regulatory Changes Related to Federally Regulated Life Income Funds and Locked-in Registered Retirement Savings Plans, Effective May 8,2008, Questions and Answers and Regulations Amending the Pension Benefits Standards Regulations, 1985.

October 4, 2006
More Flexibility to Seniors in the Management of Their Life Income Funds
The Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, today announced that the regulations to immediately remove the requirement to convert federally regulated life income funds (LIFs) to life annuities at age 80 have now come into force. The regulations were published in the Canada Gazette. Seniors have asked for a greater degree of control over their retirement savings and this initiative will help give it to them," stated Minister Flaherty. A LIF is a special registered retirement income fund into which funds from pension plans or other locked-in retirement funds can be transferred.
Source:
Department of Finance Canada

National Conference on Caregiving promotes pan-Canadian dialogue
News Release
GATINEAU, QUEBEC - October 18, 2005
"Initiatives to better support unpaid caregivers were discussed at this week's National Conference on Caregiving. The conference was hosted by Minister of State Tony Ianno, with the support of the Canadian Caregiver Coalition. 'The Government of Canada recognizes the vital contributions unpaid caregivers are making to Canadian society,' said Minister of State (Families and Caregivers) the Honourable Tony Ianno. 'We also know about the challenges they face. That is why we decided to hold this conference. I am committed to sharing ideas with members of the caregiving community to identify the best ways to better support our caregivers.'"
- includes a backgrounder with more info on unpaid caregiving in Canada
Source:
Social Development Canada

Negative Economic Impact of Aging Exaggerated, Says New IRPP Study
"March 11, 2002 - Many assessments of the effects of an aging population on the standard of living of Canadians and our public finances are too pessimistic. Population aging can also have positive consequences, says Marcel Mérette, economics professor at the University of Ottawa, in a new study published today by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)."
Study
Source : Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP)

New Poverty Traps: Means-Testing and Modest-Income Seniors (PDF file - 148K, 13 pages)
April 2003
Richard Shillington
C.D. Howe Institute Backgrounder
"Millions of Canadians accept the homogenous advice of governments and the financial community and put billions into RRSPs. However, for many lower-income Canadians RRSPs are a terrible investment. They are victims of a fraud, however unintentional. Only when more Canadians are aware of the perverse treatment of lower-income citizens’ savings will Ottawa be forced to develop measures that reward, rather than punish, their savings efforts."
Source:
Tristat Resources
(Richard Shillington's website)

Retirement Planning for the "Rest of Us"
Introduction
"This web-site is designed to give Retirement Planning advice for those Canadians, half the population, who do not have an employer pension plan and will not save hundreds of thousands of dollars in their RRSP. Only about 40% of the labour force have an employer pension plan. Jobs with pension plan coverage usually come with benefits like health benefits, maternity benefits etc. By retirement about half of families have no employer pension plan to speak of and must rely on public plans (OAS, GIS & CPP) and a modest retirement savings, mostly RRSP (on average about $40,000). This web-site is designed for those without an employer pension plan or large RRSP. This web-site is about retirement planning for the "Rest of Us."

Retirement Planning Resources
for the "Rest of Us"
- includes links to the following useful resources:
* Why listen to me? * What is wrong with most Financial Advice * Recommended Reading for the "Rest of Us" * Are you GIS Destined? * What you need to know about GIS and Spouses and Widows Allowance * RRSPs don't work well for you * Why you should probably take early CPP * Early CPP: Individual Calculator * Credit Cards * Home Ownership * Your income at retirement

NOTE: Richard is the person who helped the federal government to find a few hundred thousand seniors who were entitled to, but not receiving, the Guaranteed Income Supplement under the Old Age Security Program.

Source:
Tristat Resources
Richard Shillington

Division of Aging and Seniors (Public Health Agency of Canada)
The Division of Aging and Seniors, Public Health Agency of Canada, provides federal leadership on health issues related to aging and seniors. The Division serves as a focal point for information and centre of expertise in this area.

Web Links - a large list of links to sites of interest for seniors or seniors' groups

Provincial government links - links to home pages of governments and special groups representing the interests of seniors

Publications
- large collection of links organized under the following categories:
Age Related/Chronic Diseases - Archives - Caring for Seniors - The Canadian Health Care System - General - Healthy Aging - Injury Prevention - Life Events - Living Environments - Medication Use - Mental Health - Seniors Protection - Statistics - Technology

--------------------------------------------------------------

National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA)*
The National Advisory Council on Aging was created on May 1, 1980, to assist and advise the Minister of Health on all matters related to the aging of the Canadian population and the quality of life of seniors.

* NOTE: (April 12, 2007)
It's gone.
As of March 5, 2007, when Canada's New Government announced the creation of a new
National Seniors Council. affiliated with the New Horizons for Seniors Program, the NACA was quietly subsumed by the new Council.

Canadian Senior Years
Canadian Senior Years is designed for all Canadian seniors over 50 with a special focus on the Grey Bruce area of Ontario. The site features up-to-date news feeds on subjects of interest to Canadian seniors, hundreds of mostly Canadian site links, games, discussion boards, email pals section, a memorial listing, articles and much more.

Improving Seniors Quality of Life
Centre for Health Promotion
University of Toronto
In April, 1999, the Seniors Quality of Life Project began its two year program of research into the quality of life of seniors in 8 cities across Canada. Seniors groups in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Ottawa, Toronto, Regina, Whitehorse and Vancouver are organizing and carrying out a series of public consultations on issues and factors affecting the quality of life and well-being of seniors.
On the main page, you'll find links to the report from Toronto (see below)  - Toronto discussions - Survey results - Vancouver discussions and as well as information about the Quality of Life Project.
A City for All Ages: fact or fiction?
Effects of Government Policy Decisions on the Quality of Life of Toronto Seniors
The Toronto Project
September 2000 Report
Don't miss the excellent Links to Seniors' Resources

---

BC Ministry of Community Development
- Seniors
BC Seniors' Guide - 8th edition (2006)
HTML - click on links in the left column: Health Services * Housing * Transportation * Finances * Lifestyles * Personal Security * Other Services * Directory
PDF (1.8MB, 120 pages)

---

Prince Edward Island Seniors' Guide (PDF - 9.6MB, 99 pages)
Published August 3, 2009
The Prince Edward Island Seniors’ Guide includes information about programs and services provided to seniors by the federal and provincial governments, community organizations and service providers

Supports for Seniors
Several departments of the Government of Prince Edward Island provide programs and services that are designed to assist seniors.
This page provides links to supports organized under the following headings:
* Health and Wellness * Home Care and Support * Housing Assistance * Financial and Legal Assistance

Source:
Seniors' Secretariat

See also:

InfoPEI - Seniors
- incl. links to info about:
* Active Living * Caregivers' Information * Congratulatory Messages for Seniors * Emergency Assistance * Finances * Health Services * Housing * Life Long Learning Opportunities * Personal Security/Legal * Research * Senior Centres/Clubs and Organizations * Seniors Emergency Home Repair Program * Seniors Guide * Seniors and Medication * Seniors' News * Seniors' Secretariat * Services for Seniors * Transportation/Travel * Veterans' Programs * World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

---

Senior Citizens' Secretariat - Nova Scotia
"The Senior Citizens' Secretariat works with seniors and their organizations on programs, services and activities that are important to their quality of life. As of April 1, 2000 the chair of the Secretariat was transferred to the Minister of Health."
Source : Nova Scotia Department of Health

Senior Citizens' Secretariat
"The Senior Citizens' Secretariat works with seniors and their organizations on programs, services and activities that are important to their quality of life. As of April 1, 2000 the chair of the Secretariat was transferred to the Minister of Health." numbers will increase dramatically in the future, says a new publication that analyzes Nova Scotia's aging population."

Alberta Council on Aging

 

---

Fifty-Plus.net - Canadian Association of Retired Persons

Exclusion from Material Resources among Older People
in EU Countries: New Evidence on Poverty and Capability Deprivation (PDF - 1.5MB, 18 pages)
By Asghar Zaidi
July 2011 Policy Brief
The salient features of the current European economic climate are not easy to view with optimism: an uncertain recovery from recession, uncomfortably high levels of unemployment, Eurozone debt crises and the longer-term challenges of population ageing and sustainability of social welfare systems - all make for hard reading. (...) This Policy Brief examines the picture for the current generation of older people, with particular reference to their exclusion from material resources, an absence which triggers and identifies other forms of exclusions for older people. Income is used as a primary measure of exclusion (following Atkinson), but Sen's ideas, emphasising agency freedom and capability aspects of welfare, are also adopted.
Source:
European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research

United Kingdom

Home care in London (PDF - 868K, 42 pages)
By Laura bradley
July 1, 2011
Over the next two decades, the number of people aged over 80 is set to double in Britain. Public services must adapt to the challenge that this poses, central to which is the need to deliver social care to older people. Home-based care has the potential to reduce the pressure on more costly public services such as hospital beds and care-home places. (...) This paper explores the issue of home-based social care in London. It provides policymakers and commissioners with a clearer idea of what makes for good quality home-based care, the challenges that exist for delivering it, and how the increasing demand can be met.
Source:
Institute for Public Policy Research
IPPR, the Institute for Public Policy Research, is the UK’s leading progressive thinktank. We produce rigorous research and innovative policy ideas for a fair, democratic and sustainable world.

AARP (formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons)
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people age 50 and over have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole, ways that help people 50 and over improve their lives. Since 1958, AARP has been leading a revolution in the way people view and live life. Our work reaches deep into members' communities through support from staffed offices in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Internet Resources on Aging
Browse AARP's database on Internet resources, and link to more than 1,200 of the best sites for people age 50+.
This resource was last updated November 2010.
Topics and Subtopics:
* Aging of Special Populations
* Aging Organizations and General Interest
* Caregiving, Supportive Services, and Assistive Devices
* Death and Dying
* Employment, Finances, and Retirement
* Family, Personal Relationships, and Online Community
* Government, Legislation, and Public Policy
* Health and Well-Being
* Housing and Long Term Care
* Law and Legal Issues
* Leisure, Learning, and Personal Growth
* Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security
* Older Drivers and Transportation
* Research and Reference
* State and Local Resources

[U.S.] Alliance for Aging Research
http://www.agingresearch.org/

Founded in 1986, to "promote medical and behavioral research into the aging process", the Washington D.C.-based Alliance for Aging Research has a website that covers many different "Topics". Visitors can explore general topics, such as "Caregiving", "Longevity", "Medical Innovation", and "Policy", as well as "Focus Areas". The focus areas include "Access to Breakthroughs", "Drug Development", "Persistent Pain" and "Vision Loss". On the homepage visitors can take "Surveys & Quizzes", like "Understanding Persistent Pain" and "Valve Disease Quiz - How Much Do You Know?" Related to the valve disease quiz is the recent podcast of a valve surgery patient, who discusses the symptoms she felt that resulted in her recent visit to the doctor, how she was diagnosed, her growing knowledge of the surgical procedure, and how she felt after surgery. Visitors can find that podcast and others, at the "Media" link near the bottom of the homepage. Also in the "Media" link, visitors can find videos, such as "Will Science Cure Aging?", and a rich archive of videos and podcasts

Source:
The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2010

------------

AgeSource/AgeStats Worldwide
http://www.aarpinternational.org/database/
AgeSource Worldwide identifies several hundred information resources in some 25 countries which are significant either in size or in their unique coverage of particular aging-related issues. The resources include, among others, clearinghouses, libraries, databases, training materials, major reports, and Web metasites.
AgeStats Worldwide provides access to statistical data that compare the situation of older adults across countries or regions around a variety of issues, such as demography, pensions, health and long-term care. The most recent data and projections as far ahead as 2050 are provided where available. You may search either or both databases at one time. Access is free-of-charge. AgeSource and AgeStats Worldwide have been created by AARP to facilitate the international exchange of policy and program-relevant information in aging.

Internet Resources Related to Aging (U.S.)
List of Contents - like a site map, incl. links to sites organized under the following headings : General Interest - Government - Health - Housing - Income - Law - Leisure - Libraries, Clearinghouses and Databases - Social Services - States and Communities - Statistics and Research - Listservs - Newsgroups - Electronic Magazines - Search Tools - Alphabetical Index
Other Internet Directories Related to Aging - links to 9 directories, most from the U.S. Administration on Aging, including state and even local links to resources for seniors
Source :

Links to AARP sites in all states

---

The Social Security Debate in the U.S. - from Wikipedia
- incl. criticism of Social Security as a pyramid or Ponzi scheme...

---

Nearly 1 in 5 older Americans believed
to be in poverty --- almost double the official rate
September 4, 2009
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The poverty rate among older Americans could be nearly twice as high as the traditional 10 percent level, according to a revision of a half-century-old formula for calculating medical costs and geographic variations in the cost of living. The National Academy of Science's formula, which is gaining credibility with public officials including some in the Obama administration, would put the poverty rate for Americans 65 and over at 18.6 percent, or 6.8 million people, compared with 9.7 percent, or 3.6 million people, under the existing measure. The original government formula, created in 1955, doesn't take account of rising costs of medical care and other factors.
Source:
Associated Press

- Go to the Poverty Measures - International Resources page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/poverty2.htm

---

Pensions at a glance 2007
OECD
People in OECD countries will have to save more for their retirement as a result of the major pensions reforms carried out in recent years, according to this report. The average pension promise in 16 OECD countries studied was cut by 22 per cent. For women, the reduction was 25 per cent.
Posted June 8, 2007
Source:
Australian Policy Online

FirstGov for Seniors (U.S.)
- incl. links to : Consumer Protection - Education & Training - Health - Legislation - Letters to the Editor - Other Links - Retirement Planner - Seniors & Computers - Services - Strategic Plan - Tax Assistance - Travel & Leisure- Work & Volunteer - State Websites for Seniors
Site Map

National Council on the Aging (U.S.)
"Organizations and professionals promoting the dignity, self-determination and well-being of older persons"

BenefitsCheckUp
"NCOA's latest innovation, BenefitsCheckUp, is a simple and confidential online service made for seniors and caregivers. The program searches more than 1,000 federal and state programs and finds those for which the senior may be eligible."

National Institute on Aging (NIA) - U.S.
The National Institute on Aging is a component of the National Institutes of Health (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) that is devoted to improving the health of older people.

SeniorSite (U.S. site, worth a visit to see hundreds of links to valuable information)

US Administration on Aging
In order to serve a growing senior population, AoA envisions ensuring the continuation of a vibrant aging services network at State, Territory, local and Tribal levels through funding of lower-cost, non-medical services and supports that provide the means by which many more seniors can maintain their independence. The mission of AoA is to develop a comprehensive, coordinated and cost-effective system of home and community-based services that helps elderly individuals maintain their health and independence in their homes and communities.

Aging Statistics
From the Administration on Aging

Social Security Administration Home Page - "The Official Web Site of the Social Security Administration"

ElderWeb (U.S., with international links - incl. Canada)
- includes over 6,000 reviewed links to long term care information, as well as an expanding library of articles and reports, news, and events. This award-winning site is designed to be a research site for both professionals and family members looking for information on eldercare and long term care, and includes links to information on legal, financial, medical, and housing issues, as well as policy, research, and statistics.

Sliding into poverty ? Cross-national patterns of income source change and income decay in old age (pdf file - 44 p)
J. M. Williamson and T. M. Smeeding
November 2004
Source:
Center for Retirement Research

United Kingdom:

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods:
A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society
25 February 2008
The ageing of the population will be one of the greatest challenges of the 21st century for housing. This strategy sets out our response to this challenge, our plan to create Lifetime Homes in Lifetime Neighbourhoods. It outlines our plans for making sure that there is enough appropriate housing available in future to relieve the forecasted unsustainable pressures on homes, health and social care services.

Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods
A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society (PDF file - 5.7MB, 176 pages)
February 2008
Source:
Housing and Older People - includes links to several related documents
[ Communities and Local Government ]
Communities and Local Government is the government department that sets UK policy on local government, housing, urban regeneration, planning and fire and rescue

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Features and Challenges of Population Ageing:
The European Perspective - PDF file - 199K, 16 pages)
Author: Asghar Zaidi
Policy Brief
March 6, 2008
In this Policy Brief the issue of population ageing and its possible implications are sketched out.
It also discusses what public policy responses are required to deal with the challenges posed.
Source:
European Centre for Welfare Policy and Research

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Does informal care from children to their elderly parents substitute for formal care in Europe? (PDF file - 122K, 40 pages)
January 2008
Source:
Center of Research in Public Economics and Population Economics, Liège
Summary : This paper analyzes the impact of informal care by adult children on the use of long-term care among the elderly in Europe and the effect of the level of the parent’s disability on this relationship. We focus on two types of formal home care that are the most likely to interact with informal care: paid domestic help and nursing care.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Harmonisation of old-age security within the European Union (PDF file - 29 pages)
December 2003
Source:
Centre for Economic Studies (Munich)
" Summary : Not sufficiently harmonised national pension systems within the European Union distort the allocation of labour and endanger redistributive activities. This paper identifies the most decentralised level of harmonisation which guarantees efficient allocation and enables redistribution. For this, we build on theoretical results to evaluate the realised distribution of the legal power between the European Union and the Member States and the resulting level of harmonisation. We find that harmonisation is sub-optimally low. Binding rules guaranteed by the European Union are needed which means that the Member States have to concede more fundamental responsibilities to the European Union."

Social transfers and income inequality in old age : A multi national perspective by Robert L. Brown and Steven G. Prus August 2003 Working paper n° 355 (PDF file - 153K,12 pages) "This paper examines variation in old-age income inequality between ten industrialized nations with modern welfare systems [including Canada]. The analysis of income inequality across countries with different retirement income systems provides a perspective on public pension policy choices and designs and their distributional implications." Two Worlds of Retirement Income: A Comparative Analysis of Retirement-Income Outcomes Using the Luxembourg Income Study by Kevin Lomax and Brian Gran June 2003 Working paper n° 353 “This paper examines whether retirement-income systems allow older individuals to enjoy socially acceptable income levels independent of paid work (decommodification) and the family (defamilialization). (...) We employ the Luxembourg Income Study to compare Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Sweden, and the United States." [NOTE: you need version 5 of the Adobe Acrobat Reader to access this file] Source : Luxembourg Income study Working Papers Number 351-357 --- updated to September 2003 [ Working Papers No. 1-357 - view the entire collection on a single page (420K) ] Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) The Luxembourg Income Study is an ongoing cooperative research project (started in 1983) with a membership that includes 25 countries (including Canada) on four continents: Europe, America, Asia and Oceania

Second World Assembly on Ageing : Building a Society for All Ages
Madrid, Spain
April 8-12, 2002
This is the Canadian site from the Division of Aging and Seniors (Health Canada)
Table of Contents
- incl. links to : Introduction - What is the Second World Assembly on Ageing? - About the United Nations (Key Dates, News) - Canada's Participation at the Second World Assembly on Ageing - UN Documents - Frequently Asked Questions - Get Involved (Domestically, Internationally) - Interesting Links (• News • United Nations • NGO Forum and Other Involvement Opportunities • Canadian • International) - Contact us

Related Links :

Second World Assembly on Ageing - Madrid (host country website)
- incl. links to : Preparatory Process - U.N. Documents - Participation - Calendar - NGO Activities - Activities host country - Press release
Second World Assembly - United Nations website

ISSA and the Second World Assembly on Ageing
Source : International Social Security Association

Canada's Aging Population
April 9, 2002
- prepared for the United Nations Second World Assembly on Ageing, to be held from April 8 to 12, 2002.
" The first section of the document presents statistical information on seniors in Canada, outlining the characteristics and diversity of Canada’s older population, while the second section describes a number of the key steps being taken by the Canadian federal government in collaboration with partners to address important aging issues."
Source : Health Canada Division of Aging and Seniors

Second World Assembly - from the U.N. Division for Social Policy and Development

U.N. Second World Assembly on Ageing (2002)
Incl. information on the preparatory process, regional and international meetings, press releases, links to U.N., DESA, Gateway to Social Policy and Development, Ageing
Source : United Nations Program on Ageing

The Retirement Project (U.S.) assesses how current retirement policies, demographic trends, and private sector practices affect the well-being of older Americans and the economy. The project also analyzes proposed retirement policies, with a focus on both the income and health needs of the elderly.
Source : The Urban Institute

U.S Census Bureau Age Data
Includes links to information about aging organized under the following headings :  National Level - State Level - County Level - Other U.S. Geographic Levels - International Data - Baby Boomer - Older (55+) Population - Elderly (65+) Population - Age Search Service

The Demographic Revolution in Population Aging: A Century of Change, 1950 - 2050
Hayward, Mark D. and Zhenmei Zhang
Population  Research Institute
Pennsylvania State University
Complete report [.pdf, 32 pages]
- Found in the Scout Report for Social Sciences

U.S. Social Security
Raising the Retirement Age: The Wrong Direction for Social Security
Weller, Christian E.
September 2000
HTML version (8 pages)
PDF version (8 pages)
Source : Economic Policy Institute

American Web Sites on Aging

President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security (U.S)
On May 2(2001), President Bush announced establishment of a bipartisan, 16-member Commission "to study and report … specific recommendations to preserve Social Security for seniors while building wealth for younger Americans." (...) Public hearings began on June 11. An interim report, describing the challenges facing the Social Security system, will be followed by a final report this fall with specific reform recommendations.

AgingStats.Gov (U.S.) - Web Site of the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics
The Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics was established in the mid-1980s to encourage cooperation and collaboration among federal agencies to improve the quality and utility of data on the aging population.  The Forum, made up of nine federal agencies that produce or use statistics on aging, provides these agencies with a venue to discuss data issues and concerns that cut across agency boundaries; facilitates in development of new databases; improves mechanisms currently used to disseminate information on aging-related data; invites researchers to report on cutting-edge analyses of data; and encourages international collaboration.
Older Americans 2000: Key Indicators of Well-Being
This report covers 31 key indicators carefully selected by the Federal Interagency Forum on Aging-Related Statistics to portray aspects of the lives of older Americans and their families.  The report is divided into five subject areas:  population, economics, health status, health risks and behaviors, and health.
Press Release - August 10, 2000
PDF version (127 pages, 944K)

United Nations Programme on Ageing
Creating a new "architecture" for ageing and transmitting it to the worldstage and into policy has been the focus of the United Nations Programme on Ageing since 1982, with the adoption of the International Plan of Action on Ageing at the World Assembly on Ageing in Vienna (also known as the Vienna Plan).
Includes links to: The Ageing of the World's Population: a demographic revolution Implications of an Ageing Society - Research Agenda on Ageing - Towards a Society for All Ages - World Assemby on Ageing 2002: Countdown to 2002 - Compendium of Community Programmes in Newly Ageing Countries - Selected Policy Documents on Ageing - Archive: International Year of Older Persons 1999 - Database of Policies and Programmes

International Reform Monitor (from the Bertelsmann Foundation [see below]- Europe)
This Bertelsmann Foundation website gives a wide range of well-selected information on social policy (health care, pensions provision, family policy, state welfare), labour market policy and industrial relations in 15 OECD countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and United States of America.

International Reform Monitor Brochures
The three links below are PDF files with some excellent information on recent developments and trends in international social policy - labour market policy - industrial relations
Issue 3 - October 2000 (66 pages - 446K, Canadian content: the CPP Pension Fund, Parental Leave, the Canada Child Tax Benefit increase)
Issue 2 - April 2000 (47 pages - 501K, Canadian content: Pay Equity Settlement in the Public Sector)
Issue 1 - 1999 (43 pages, 492K, Canadian content: New child benefit)

The Bertelsmann Foundation (Europe)
"Following in the footsteps of its founder, Reinhard Mohn, the Bertelsmann Foundation is committed to the common good. Its charitable activities, transparently administered, are based on the conviction that competition is indispensable to social progress. The Bertelsmann Foundation considers itself an agent of social change for a sustainable society; its goal as an operating foundation is to develop, organize and implement exemplary solutions to societal problems."
- See the Bertelsmann Foundation sitemap for an overview of what you'll find on this large site.

CANADIAN SOCIAL RESEARCH LINKS HOME PAGE

PAGE D'ACCUEIL - SITES DE RECHERCHE SOCIALE AU CANADA

---

Search the Web Search Canadian Social Research Links Only

TIP: How to Search for a Word or Expression on a Single Web Page  Open any web page in your browser, then hold down the Control ("Ctrl") key on your keyboard and type the letter F to open a "Find" window. Type or paste in a key word or expression and hit Enter - your browser will go directly to the first occurrence of that word (or those exact words, as the case may be). To continue searching using the same keyword(s) throughout the rest of the page, keep clicking on the FIND NEXT button. Try it. It's a great time-saver!

Site created and maintained by:
Gilles Séguin (This link takes you to my personal page)

E-MAIL: gilseg@rogers.com