Seniors |  Personnes âgées |
Page révisée le 17 février 2010
[ Go to Canadian Social Research Links Home Page ]
Links to international sites (jump directly to the bottom of this page)
Seniors | Personnes âgées |
|
* 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.]
---
Pension
reform issue poses threat
Concrete plan needed to avoid hard lobbying: reform
advocates
By Norma Greenaway
January
11, 2010
Federal and provincial governments will pay a political price if they
fail to turn a vague commitment made in December to pursue pension reform into
a concrete plan to bolster Canadians' retirement savings, reform advocates are
warning. The Canadian Labour Congress and the leading advocacy group for seniors,
known as CARP, vow no-holds-barred campaigns to persuade the Harper government
to commit to pension reform in its March throne speech and to keep provincial
governments on the case.
Source:
The
Ottawa Citizen
Related links:
Next
budget must stress good jobs
- Georgetti says unemployment, low wages hurting
younger workers
January 8, 2010
OTTAWA – When the federal
government introduces a new budget in March, it must make the creation of good
jobs a priority, says Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress.
Source:
Canadian
Labour Congress
The Canadian Labour Congress, the national voice of the
labour movement, represents 3.2 million Canadian workers. The CLC brings together
Canada’s national and international unions along with the provincial and
territorial federations of labour and 130 district labour councils.
---
No
Excuses - CARP Poll gives specific Advice
December 17, 2009
TORONTO
- Over 1,700 CARP members responding overnight to CARP’s Pension Reform Poll
want real action and give specific advice as well as their reaction to recent
federal proposals.
CARP
CARP
is committed to enhancing the quality of life for all Canadians as we age by advocating
for social change that will bring financial security, equitable and timely access
to health care and freedom from discrimination.
CARP was originally known as
the Canadian Association of Retired Persons, and is now called Canada's Association
for the Fifty-Plus. (According
to this Wikipedia article)
---
From the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:
A
Stronger Foundation: Pension Reform and Old Age Security (PDF - 146K,
7 pages)
By Monica Townson
November 2009
What
Can We Do About Pensions? (PDF - 147K, 9 pages)
By Monica Townson
October
2009
---
Minister
of Finance Modernizes Federal Pension Framework
October 27, 2009
"...an
important reform plan for the federal private pension legislative and regulatory
framework."
[ Backgrounder
- detailed information on each of the five measures]
Source:
Finance
Canada
---
Retirement
Lost (seven-part series - October 16-24, 2009)
Source:
The
Globe and Mail
CARP
E-VOICE:
One Très Cool Advocacy Tool!
Want
to send an email message to your federal or provincial elected officials?
Click
the link above to access the complete list of federal Members of Parliament by
name, by province/territory or by riding.
Click "Switch to Provincial
Representatives (MPP's)" near the bottom of that page for the complete list
of provincial/territorial elected officials.
Clicking on the name of an MP
or an MPP opens a new page with a form that's pre-addressed from you to that individual
and a text box where you can record your message.
Then hit the SEND button
and your email is on its way.
Simple.
Powerful.
NOTE:
the blurb on the CARP E-VOICE page suggests that you can use CARP E-VOICE to support
CARP initiatives, but I'm sure the nice folks at CARP wouldn't mind if Canadian
social justice groups used this excellent tool for communicating with their elected
officials...
Source:
CARP
Old
Age Security system needs strengthening: report
Press Release
November
25, 2009
OTTAWA—Canada’s Old Age Security system needs improvement
in order to help ensure the economic security and dignity of Canadians in retirement,
says a new report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
(CCPA). The report, by pension expert and CCPA Research Associate Monica Townson,
reviews OAS and its associated programs of the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS)
and the Allowance and discusses measures that could be taken to strengthen this
part of Canada’s pension system.
Complete report:
A
Stronger Foundation: Pension Reform and Old Age Security (PDF - 146K,
7 pages)
By Monica Townson
November 2009
Source:
Canadian
Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)
The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
is an independent, non-partisan research institute concerned with issues of social
and economic justice. Founded in 1980, the CCPA is one of Canada’s leading
progressive voices in public policy debates.
Also from CCPA:
Pension
system needs urgent attention: report
Press Release
October
8, 2009
OTTAWA— Canada’s pension system needs urgent attention, says
a new report released today by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).
The report, by CCPA Research Associate and pension expert Monica Townson, outlines
some of the problems with Canada’s pension system and examines some of the
options that have been proposed to deal with them.
What
Can We Do About Pensions? (PDF - 147K, 9 pages)
By Monica Townson
October
2009
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
From The Globe and Mail:
Retirement
Lost (seven-part series - October 16-24, 2009)
Canada's retirement
dreams are under seige, weakened by underfunding and hobbled by the global recession.
It's a national crisis with no easy answers.
*
Part one: The crisis
--- Retirement dreams under siege
By Jacquie
McNish
October 16, 2009
- incl. links to: * Article * Video * Photos * Pension
scenarios * Comments (198)
What you need to know:
---
84% of public service workers have pensions.
--- 78% of these plans are gold
plated defined benefit pensions
--- 25% of private sector workers have a pension
plan
--- 16% of these plans are gold plated defined benefit pensions
---
11 million workers, or 60 per cent, of Canada’s workers have no pension at
all
--- 8 million or 45 per cent, have no pensions or registered retirement
savings plans (RRSPs)
* Part
Two: Manufacturing's wreckage
--- Bankrupt companies, pension promises
destroyed
By Greg Keenan
October 18, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article
* Video * Photos * The history of pensions
(recommended by Gilles!) * Comments (124)
What you need to know:
---
17.6 million: Number of people in the Canadian work force.
--- 11 million:
Number of Canadian workers without pension plans.
--- 4 million: Number of
those workers with registered retirement savings plans.
--- 10,000: Number
of pension plans in Canada.
---- 4.5 million: Workers with pension plans who
have defined benefit plans that guarantee the pension income of retirees until
they die.
--- 55 per cent: Amount of those plans held by public sector employees.
---
$25,000: Average pension per year.
* Part
three: Death of the traditional plan
--- Hybrid pension plans: a hard
sell
By Janet McFarland
October 19, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article
* Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (36)
As companies weigh
alternatives for the future, a crucial choice comes down to a pair of innocuously
simple-looking bits of shorthand: Will the future be DB (Defined Benefit) or DC
(Defined Contribution)? Traditional pension plans are DB, defined benefit. A retiree
covered by the plan is guaranteed a given level of income. If the plan falls short,
the employer is on the hook. The new model, increasingly favoured by employers,
is DC, defined contribution. In this approach, the employer’s responsibility
is limited to making a certain (“defined”) contribution to the employees’
pension plan. Contributions made by both the employer and employee go into an
individual account for the employee, who makes his or her own investment choices.
If the plan falls short, the employee is on the hook.
*
Part
four: Conflicts of interest
--- Financial planning: Whom should you trust?
By Rob Carrick
October 20, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video
* Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (78)
As pensions become
unreliable, more Canadians are being forced to plan for retirement themselves.
But whom do you turn to for help? The experience of one couple who relied on a
financial adviser is a cautionary tale.
* Part
five: Underfunded dreams
--- No pension safety net for self-employed
By
Andrew Willis
October 21, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article * Video * Photos
* The history of pensions * Comments (59)
Meet the next generation of retirees:
middle-class workers without pensions who are left to their own devices and facing
an uncertain financial future. As formal pension plans become increasingly less
common, many Canadians face a savings burden that many are unwilling – or
unable – to shoulder.
* Part
six: Steps to financial freedom
--- Freedom 55? Couple couldn’t wait
that long for retirement
By John Heinzl
October 22, 2009
- incl.
links to : * Article * Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (84)
In
a society that encourages consumers to borrow and spend, in which the pressure
to upgrade homes, cars and gadgets never stops, living within one’s means
and staying out of debt is a challenge. But for people who make a middle-class
salary, the “boring” approach may be the surest route to building wealth
and achieving financial security, say those who have done it.
*
Part
seven: Reforming a broken system
--- Canada's gathering pension storm
By Konrad Yakabuski
October 23, 2009
- incl. links to : * Article
* Video * Photos * The history of pensions * Comments (36)
Italy may be one
of the worst off, but all developed countries, along with China, will experience
unprecedented economic and social pressure in coming decades as their populations
grey. Few, if any, have prepared for the demographic tsunami that will hit them
as the baby boom generation heads into its golden years. By comparison, Canadians
have some reason to feel fiscally smug, with a public pension system considered
one of the world’s most financially sustainable. There’s only one catch:
That system pays among the least generous government-sponsored benefits in the
developed world.
Source:
The
Globe and Mail
The
two following links will take you further down on this page:
* Public
pension consultations/reforms March/April 2009 (Finance Canada consultation)
*
Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) Undersubscription
|
|
|
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
May
2008 Related link: |
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
| Reforming
retirement-income systems : Lessons from recent experiences of OECD countries
(PDF - 336K, 27 pages) J. P. Martin and E. Whitehouse Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, Paris OECD social, employment and migration working papers, n° 66 June 2008 (INCLUDES CANADA) Summary: Reforming pensions looms large over the policy agenda of OECD countries. This is hardly surprising since public spending on pensions accounted on average for 7 per cent of OECD GDP in 2005; and this pension spending effort is set to increase significantly over the coming decades in response to population ageing. Pension policy is indeed challenging and controversial because it involves long-term decisions in the face of numerous short-term political pressures. However, the status quo does not always win out so far as pension reform in concerned: public finance crises and the looming threat of ageing populations have proved effective spurs for reform. As a result, much has been done since the early 1990s to make pension systems fit for the future. Nearly all the 30 OECD countries have made at least some changes to their pension systems in that period. In 16 of them, there have been major reforms that will significantly affect future benefits. However, the status quo does not always win out so far as pension reform in concerned: public finance crises and the looming threat of ageing populations have proved effective spurs for reform. As a result, much has been done since the early 1990s to make pension systems fit for the future. Nearly all the 30 OECD countries have made at least some changes to their pension systems in that period. In 16 of them, there have been major reforms that will significantly affect future benefits. Found in: CERC Bulletin N°158 - July 21, 2008 [NOTE: click the bulletin link to access more studies and reports] From the Council for Employment, Income and Social Cohesion - Paris |
Human
Resources and Social Development Canada Public Consultations Website <begin rant> HEY, HRSDC - QUIT DELETING
CONTENT FROM YOUR SITE! Internet
Archive to the rescue! Here's
a link to the (HR)SDC Public Consultation site HINT: the "Resource Area" for each consultation contains links to some excellent related online resources, including: General Documents - Outcome Documents from Roundtables - Information on Government of Canada Programs - Government of Canada Publications - Government of Canada Seniors-Related Web Sites ------------------------------------------------------------------ Persons
with Disabilities Consultation Internet Archive version (02/07) Resource Area - Internet Archive version (02/07) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Seniors
Consultation - Internet Archive version (02/07) Resource Area - Internet Archive version (02/07) ------------------------------------------------------------------ Caregivers
Consultation - Internet Archive version (02/07) Resource Area - Internet Archive version (02/07) </end rant> Related Links: For
a list of consultations currently underway in other federal departments, please
visit the |
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
[See also pension consultations/reforms - further down on this page]
Related Links: Canada
Pension Plan - Statute A
Tale of Two Pension Plans: The Differing Fortunes of the Canada and Quebec Pension
Plans (PDF file - 192K, 46 pages) Related link: Sustaining
Public Pensions in Canada: A Tale of Two Reforms Federal-Provincial
Review of The Canada Pension Plan Hidden
agenda behind the attack on the CPP: study |
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
Related Links: Old
Age Security Act Current
Old Age Security Payment Rates --- Canada
Pension Plan (CPP) rates for January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2007 and Old
Age Security (OAS) program rates for January 1, 2007 to March 31, 2007 OAS
payment rates Income
Security Programs (ISP) Information Card Source: -------------------------------------------------------------- Strengthening
the Foundations of Canada’s Pension System: |
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 public retirement benefits * More Information *
Important Information for Common-law Partners * Questions and answers about the
application forms sent to potential clients - 2003
International Benefits
* Infosheets (info 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 * Statistics
on Canadian Benefits Paid
| Income
Security Statistics Includes links to the following Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan stats: - ISP Information Card (Rate Card) - updated quarterly,gives the maximum monthly rates for Canada Pension Plan, Quebec Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefits, as well as other selected figures. - Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Statistical Bulletin - a monthly publication that provides detailed information such as the number of benefits in pay, the amounts paid, and the distribution of various benefits by age and sex. - Canada Pension Plan Contributors Report - an annual publication with detailed statistics on the number of contributors and the amount of contributions to the Canada Pension Plan. Although the publication is annual, the data are 2 years in arrears. This is due to ongoing updating of the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency T4 files prior to issuing. - Canada Pension Plan Benefit Rates - maximum monthly rates for new CPP benefits from 1967 to date, as well as historical data related to the calculation of CPP contributions and benefits. This publication also contains historical tables on pension index and escalation factors. - ISP Stats Book - annual publication, serves as a reference for Income Security Programs. It contains historical data on CPP and OAS monthly averages of benefits, new benefits and net payments in calendar years or fiscal years. Other data included in this publication are QPP, Average Weekly Wages and Consumer Prince Index data Average Weekly Wages and Statistics Canada's Low Income Cut-off levels. - Social Security Agreements: Canadian Benefits Paid - data on Canadian Benefits paid (under Social Security Agreements) to people who have lived or worked in another country - Tables of Rates for Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement and the Allowance |
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.
2006
November Report of the Auditor General of Canada |
New
Horizons for Seniors Program The Program offers three types of
funding to non-profit organizations:
Addressing
the challenges and opportunities of aging in Canada - July 2007 Source: |
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
Related links:
Expert
Panel on Older Workers (the Panel's own website)
- incl. links to :
* About the Panel * Consultations * Submissions * Research * FAQs * Links * Contact
us
Older
Workers : Challenges and Policy Issues
Background and Issues Paper
March
2007
This discussion paper was part of a broad consultation process in 2007
that included provincial and territorial governments, the academic community,
employers, labour groups and other organizations.
Public
pension consultations/reforms A
brief history of pensions. --- From the
$7M
bonus as CPP loses $24B --- Reform
pensions now, expert says --- Patchy
pensions leave too many exposed --- From Finance Canada: Finance
Ministers Indicate Canada Pension Plan is Financially Sound Related document:
Information
Paper: Proposed Changes <
COMMENT: Related links: Consultation
on pensions in Canada Responses/Submissions
from the public --- Ottawa
plans to ease pension rules --- A
real world solution for public pensions --- Department
of Finance Releases Schedule for Pension Consultations The federal government regulates private pension plans that are subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985. These plans cover areas of employment under federal jurisdiction, including banking, telecommunications and interprovincial transportation. These plans currently represent 7 per cent of all private pension plans in Canada, accounting for approximately 12 per cent of pension assets. Canadians who wish to attend these consultations or send submissions on the discussion paper are invited to submit an e-mail to this address: pensions@fin.gc.ca --- Minister
of Finance Launches National Consultations on Private Pensions The public consultations will run from March 13 to April 17; click the link above for the schedule of sessions in eight cities across Canada. Canadians who wish to attend these consultations or send submissions on the discussion paper are invited to submit an e-mail to this address: pensions@fin.gc.ca Related links: Minister
of Finance Releases Discussion Paper on Private Pensions The federal Government regulates private pension plans that are subject to the Pension Benefits Standards Act, 1985. These plans cover areas of employment under federal jurisdiction, including banking, telecommunications and inter-provincial transportation. Complete discussion paper:
Strengthening the Legislative and Regulatory Framework The closing date for these consultations was April 17. Budget 2009: Canada's Economic Action Plan (January 27, 2009) Source: |
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
Also from Finance Canada:
Tax
Fairness Plan:
Information for Seniors
- incl. links to : Senior's
Tax Savings Calculator * Pension-Splitting Assumptions * Caveats * Questions and
Answers on the Tax Fairness Plan * Tax Relief for Canadian Seniors
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
Policy
Research Initiative - PRI
The PRI conducts independent policy research
projects. It is attached to the Privy Council Office through the Plans and Consultation
Branch.
Population
Aging and Life-Course Flexibility
Aging populations pose a central
policy challenge in all developed countries. While perhaps not pointing to the
crisis forecast at one time, the figures associated with the wide scale retirement
of the baby-boom generation are still very large.
Encouraging
Choice in Work and Retirement
Project Report (1.1MB, 57 pages)
October
2005
"This report evaluates the extent of the economic risk to society
posed by population aging and specifically the baby boom retirement. It emphasizes
the need to maintain a healthy economy and fiscal prudence, while still respecting
the opportunity and need for people to exercise choice in the best interests of
their families, society, and themselves."
Source:
Population
Aging and Life-course Flexibility
[ Policy
Research Initiative - PRI ]
Research
Projects
The PRI is currently running five horizontal research projects:
*
Population Aging and Life-Course Flexibility (bolding added)
* New Approaches
for Addressing Poverty and Exclusion
* Social Capital as a Public Policy Tool
* North American Linkages, and
* Sustainable Development
NOTE: on the Research
Projects page, you can click on each of the project names to read a brief description
of the project and, in the small box right next to the title, a link to PRI publications
for that particular project.
Views
on Life-Course Flexibility and Canada’s Aging Population
Results
of 10 focus groups held across Canada "to understand the preferences of Canadians
regarding the timing of retirement, and the allocation of the time devoted to
education, care giving, and leisure over the course of life."
Complete report:
Views
on Life-Course Flexibility and
Canada’s Aging Population
(PDF file - 532K, 51 pages)
July 2004
PRI Project
Population Aging and
Life-Course Flexibility
Source:
Population
Aging and Life-Course Flexibility
[ Policy
Research Initiative ]
Liberal
Caucus Task Force on Seniors Federal
task force on seniors releases its report Liberal
Task Force Report (PDF file - 1.6MB, 42 pages) NOTE:
Prime
Minister Announces the Creation of a Caucus Task force on Seniors |
What's New from The Daily - Statistics Canada : [Selected content concerning seniors] Pathways
into the GIS Related
link: March 12, 2009 April 25, 2008 The article "Retiring
together, or not" is now available in the March 10, 2008 Income Security
and Stability During Retirement in Canada February
22, 2008 February
21, 2008 From
Perspectives
on Labour and Income (Statistics Canada) August
24, 2007 Related
links: Participation of older workers August 24, 2007 Public
Pensions and Work Source: June 21, 2007 May 30, 2007 Complete
report: Other StatCan reports on residential care facilities March
6, 2007 Complete report: Seniors
as victims of crime, 2004 and 2005 February 27, 2007 Related link: A
Portrait of Seniors in Canada Young
pensioners Defining
retirement Back
Issues of Perspectives on labour and income - back to October 2000 Source: February
2007 issue of Seniors'
access to transportation September 26 Complete report (PDF file - 184K, 48 pages) Source: July 26, 2006 Complete study: Aging
Well: Time Use Patterns of Older Canadians, 2005 (PDF file - 271K,
30 pages) ---------------------- Retirement
(PDF file - 94K, 7 pages) ---------------------- February
22, 2006 How healthy are Canadians?
Annual report 2005 Table of contents (download individual articles): Seniors'
health care use [highlights
- HTML] [full
article - PDF] Source: February
7, 2006 October
21, 2005 Related Link: The
GIS Story - from Tristat Resources
(Richard Shillington) May
17, 2005 May 9, 2005 September 22, 2004
Pension Plans in Canada - January 1, 2003 (PDF file - 823K, 25 pages) Proportion of labour force and paid workers covered by a registered pension plan (RPP) - 1993 to 2002 Employer pension plans (trusteed pension funds) - First quarter 2004 July
23, 2004 Canada's
retirement income programs 1990 to 2001 November 17, 2003 Survey of Financial
Security: Private pension savings, 1999 Fact-sheet
on retirement (PDF file - 141K, 7 pages) Pensions:
Immigrants and visible minorities (June 21, 2002) The
Assets and Debts of Canadians : |
Year
of the Veteran - 2005 |
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)
The
GIS Story - from Tristat Resources
(Richard Shillington) --- Study:
Guaranteed Income Supplement update, 2006 Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) update [ Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) Undersubscription (this link takes you further down on this page) ] Related StatCan
subjects: Source: |
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...
If
you find an interesting link (below) that doesn't work, try copying the title
into Google.ca or another search engine...
A few recent sample reports:
Seniors
in Canada: 2006 Report Card:
Message from Tony Clement, Minister of Health
October
27, 2006
Today, the National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) presented its
report titled Seniors in Canada: 2006 Report Card. The report reviews data
and trends, and describes progress made over the last five years related to key
areas affecting seniors' health and well-being.
Complacency
in Caring for Seniors is not an Option
News Release
October
26, 2006 -- The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA) is unveiling today the
results of its Seniors in Canada: 2006 Report Card at the Canadian Association
on Gerontology Meeting in Quebec City. The Report Card looked at how well Canadian
seniors are doing in five key areas: health status, health care system, economic
situation, living conditions and participation in society. The overall grade for
the five questions under study is a 'B'.
Complete report:
Seniors in Canada 2006 Report Card
PDF
version (544K,70 pages)
NOTE: this link is from the Depository Services
Program of the Federal Government - that's why it's still active.
NACA
Demands Improvements to Canada's Long-Term Care Institutions
News
Release
October 19, 2005
"The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA)
urges governments, care institutions and other stakeholders to work together to
improve the lives of seniors in long-term care facilities. The need for improvements
is discussed in a statement to be released during the Canadian Association on
Gerontology's meeting in Halifax, October 20-22nd [see the link to the conference
website below]. The Council supports the recommendations put forward by the
Canadian Healthcare Association (CHA) in its 2004 Policy Brief on the subject."
Related Links:
The changing face of long-term care
Expression Bulletin, Issue 18-4*
Fall 2005
HTML
version
PDF
version (8 pages, 423 KB)
Table of contents: The changing face of
long-term care - What is a long-term care facility? - Who resides in LTC facilities?
- Trends for change - Beacons for the future - The best for all - For more information...-
Insert: The National Advisory Council on Aging demands improvements to Canada’s
long-term care institutions
[*Expression is published four times a year by
the National Advisory Council on Aging. The bulletin is available on the NACA
Web site.]
2005
Annual Meeting, Canadian Association on Gerontology
Halifax, October
20-22
- Program
(PDF file - 625K, 37pages)
NACA
Reports on Poverty Among Canadian Seniors on International Day of Older Persons
Press
Release
October 3, 2005
"The National Advisory Council on Aging (NACA)
urges governments and society to work toward eradicating seniors' poverty in Canada.
The Council launched on October 1st, the International Day of Older Persons as
declared by the United Nations, a new report called Seniors on the margins: Aging
in poverty in Canada. 'The UN theme for this special day was 'Aging in the new
millennium. Focus on poverty, older women and development.' It is fitting that
NACA releases its findings on the economic vulnerability of Canadian seniors now,'claims
Bubs Coleman, spokesperson for NACA. 'The prospect of a golden retirement simply
does not exist for many seniors, particularly those living alone, women over age
80, visible minorities and immigrants.'"
Complete report:
Seniors on the margins:
Aging in
poverty in Canada
October 2005
Table of contents: Preface - Introduction
- Definitions - The economic situation of seniors - Issues and solutions - Conclusion
- NACA recommendations - References - Bibliography
HTML
version
PDF
version (33 pages, 300 KB)
Hidden
harm: the abuse of seniors
January 30, 2004
Bulletin of the National
Advisory Council on Aging Expression
"Abuse of seniors is under-reported.
Reasons for this are fear of retaliation or institutionalization, shame, desire
to protect the abuser or incapacity to act. Ignorance, secrecy or complacency
on the part of family, friends and professionals also come into play. What are
the signs of abuse and who perpetrates it? How can it be prevented? What help
is available?"
Complete Report:
HTML
PDF
version (938K, 8 pages)
TIP: in the "Sources
and Resources" section of this report, you'll find links to eight relevant
online resources plus a list of toll-free 1-800 phone numbers for all Canadian
jurisdictions where help is available for seniors experiencing abuse.
Interim
Report Card Seniors in Canada 2003
- incl. How Healthy are Seniors?
- How Well is the Health Care System Serving Seniors? - How Well are Seniors Faring
Economically? - How Supportive, Enabling and Safe are Seniors' Living Conditions?
- How Fully are Seniors Participating in Society? - The Last Word
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.
Reducing
Poverty among Older Women: The Potential of Retirement Incomes Policies
Monica Townson
August 2000
Funded by the Status
of Women Canada's Policy Research Fund
Links to the table of contents,
the abstract, the executive summary and the complete report in PDF format (493
KB, 102 pages)
Reports
about Public Pensions and Aging Society
Links to over a dozen reports
and websites, from the National Council of Welfare to the OECD
From the website
of Human Resources Development Canada's Income
Security Programs Branch
Sixth
Meeting of Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers responsible for Seniors
Toronto, June 27, 2002
"Toronto - Building on a decade of collaborative
initiatives, Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors
continue to take a leading role in addressing a number of important issues affecting
current and future seniors in Canada"
Out
of Sight, Out of Mind
The Plight of Seniors and Homelessness (PDF
file - 308K, 117 pages)
A report on homelessness and the risk of homelessness
among seniors and vulnerable adults in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia
September
2003
Henry C. Hightower, Jill Hightower, M.J. (Greta) Smith
Published by
Seniors
Housing Information Program
"The Seniors Housing Information Program
is a non-profit organization which provides information on housing and services
for seniors living in or wishing to live in the Vancouver and the Lower Mainland
of British Columbia."
Housing
Directory - supportive housing for seniors in the Lower Mainland of BC
- 1200+ listings
---------------------------
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."
A
Statistical Profile of Nova Scotia Seniors (PDF file - 1MB, 62 pages)
July
2003
"The statistical profile encompasses a range of topics from education
and health to leisure and finances. Facts, graphs and statistics help paint a
clear picture of the 65+ population. Populations projections provide insight into
the future as our population ages. The report is aimed at those who work with
seniors and is being distributed throughout the province." News Release:
Statistical
Profile Released
July 22, 2003
"Nova Scotia's seniors make
up 13.7 per cent of the province's population and their numbers will increase
dramatically in the future, says a new publication that analyzes Nova Scotia's
aging population."
Also from the Senior Citizens' Secretariat :
Programs
for Seniors 2006 (PDF file - 9.8MB - LARGE
download , 148 pages)
Suggestion to the Senior
Citizens' Secretariat web team:
- if you don't want seniors to expire at their
computers waiting for this giant download from the Web, you can do *two* PDF versions
--- one with all the fancy graphics and stuff (i.e., 9.8MB), and the other with
formatted text only.
The average size of a simple PDF file shouldn't be more
than 3-4 KB per page.
A
Statistical Profile of Nova Scotia Seniors (PDF file - 1MB, 62 pages)
July
2003
"The statistical profile encompasses a range of topics from education
and health to leisure and finances. Facts, graphs and statistics help paint a
clear picture of the 65+ population. Populations projections provide insight into
the future as our population ages. The report is aimed at those who work with
seniors and is being distributed throughout the province." News Release:
Statistical
Profile Released
July 22, 2003
"Nova Scotia's seniors
make up 13.7 per cent of the province's population and their numbers will increase
dramatically in the future, says a new publication that analyzes Nova Scotia's
aging population."
Programs
and Services for Seniors 2003-2004 (PDF file - 351K, 83 pages)
- Alberta
July 2003
A comprehensive guide to programs,
benefits, and services available to seniors in Alberta from provincial and federal
governments and a number of agencies.
- includes links to : Congratulatory
Messages - General Information - Income Support Programs - Helping Agencies -
Housing - Information and Referral - Legal Services - Health Services - Protecting
You and Your Information - Transportation - Websites of Interest for Seniors -
Quick Reference List
Source : Alberta
Seniors (Govt.)
Related Link:
Directory
of Alberta Seniors Organizations (PDF file - 335K, 94 pages)
October
2002
For
People 55 and Over
PDF file - 3.9MB,
68 pages
2005 Edition (Latest revision
January 2005)
Excellent collection of information on
programs and services for seniors - includes links to relevant websites for more
information on eligibility, benefits, where and how to apply for assistance for
each program, etc.
From the Ontario Seniors' Secretariat :
Senior
Smart Ontario Web Site a Resource for Planning for Seniors
News
Release
October 30, 2003
Senior
Smart Ontario
"...designed to help gerontologists, municipal planners,
seniors advocates and others become more responsive to the needs of Ontario’s
growing seniors population. (...) Senior Smart Ontario features statistical information
about Ontario and Canadian seniors, including data on seniors’ population,
lifestyle, health and well-being. Also featured is a quiz to test attitudes about
ageing, tips on how to communicate with seniors, academic resources and links
to sites that address ageing around the world."
Seniors'
Guide to Services and Programs 2002 (PDF file
- 380K, 67 pages)
Government of New Brunswick
- includes descriptions of
services and contact information for federal, provincial and local government
programs and services; also includes non-governmental organizations
Source:
Department of Family and Community
Service
Manitoba
Seniors' Guide 2008-2009 (PDF - 2.2MB, 100 pages)
Table of contents:
*
Personal Information/Frequently Called Numbers * Information * Seniors Organizations
* Community Resource Councils * Senior Centres * Finances * Housing * Health Services
(Provincial, Community) * Community Living * Resources for Newcomers * Safety
and Security * Index
Source:
Manitoba
Seniors and Healthy Aging Secretariat
[ version
française ]
Intergenerational
Equity: Policies for all Generations
News Release
May 21, 2004
(Click
on "Download" to open the news release)
"Terms like 'crisis'and
'unsustainability' dominate talk about our aging society today. A growing older
generation, we are told, is consuming more than its fair share of resources. But
aging baby boomers may not be the problem. The problem may be our frame of reference."
What's
Fair? Ethical Decision-making in an Aging Society
Executive
Summary (6 pages)
May 2004
(Click on "Download" to open
the executive summary)
What's Fair? Ethical
Decision-making in an Aging Society
Complete
report (65 pages)
May 2004
by Nuala Kenny
(Click on "Download"
to open the report)
"A joint report from CPRN's Family Network and The
Change Foundation, with additional support from the Law Commission of Canada,
proposes a new framework for policies that involve sharing scarce resources across
generations. In What's Fair? Ethical Decision-making in an Aging Society, author
Nuala Kenny applies what she calls the 'ethic of care' to the challenge of intergenerational
equity."
Source:
Family
Network
[ Canadian Policy Research
Networks ]
Related Links:
The
Change Foundation
(Founded by the Ontario Hospital Association)
"Our
mandate is to promote, support and improve health and the delivery of health care
through four activity areas: Applied Research and Analysis, Development Programs,
Education Programs, Grants to Charities. We bring together researchers, health
care providers, managers, and policy makers from Ontario and beyond to understand
the impact of change on the health of consumers and the delivery of health services.
Law
Commission of Canada
"The Law Commission of Canada is an independent
federal law reform agency that advises Parliament on how to improve and modernize
Canada’s laws. The Commission's work is structured around the following four
complementary themes: Personal Relationships * Social Relationships * Economic
Relationships * Governance Relationships."
NOTE:
Law
Commission of Canada abandoned by Conservative government
The Law Commission
of Canada was informed on the 25th of September, 2006, of the federal government’s
decision to eliminate the Commission’s funding.
(From the now-defunct
LCC English homepage)
Try
doing a Google search on the title of the report)
Fifty-Plus.net
- Canadian Association of Retired Persons
From the United Way of Greater Toronto:
Social
Issues : The quality of life for many of Toronto's seniors has deteriorated alarmingly
in recent years.
"United Way's landmark new report, A
Commitment to Care: Community Support Services for Seniors, identifies the causes
behind the problem, what United Way is doing to help, and recommendations for
improving care."
November 2001
A
Commitment to Care: Community Support Services for Seniors (Complete
report online)
PDF file - 2154K, 96 pages
Report
Highlights
Federal-Provincial-Territorial
Meeting of Ministers responsible for Seniors Victoria, British Columbia
-
PLAN FOR CHALLENGES OF AN AGING SOCIETY (March 3, 1998 )
Poverty
Among Seniors in Canada (PDF file - 94K, 2 pages)
by Chris Sarlo
"The
claim that almost one in five seniors in Canada is currently impoverished has
as much credibility as the latest sighting of Elvis."
Source:
Fraser
Forum February 2004
[ The
Fraser Institute ]
International Seniors' Websites
AARP
(formerly called the American Association of Retired Persons)
"AARP
is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people 50 and over. We
provide information and resources; advocate on legislative, consumer, and legal
issues; assist members to serve their communities; and offer a wide range of unique
benefits,special products, and services for our members. These benefits include
AARP Webplace at www.aarp.org, Modern Maturity and My Generation magazines, and
the monthly AARP Bulletin. Active in every U.S. state and territory, AARP celebrates
the attitude that age isn't just a number -- it's about how you live your life."
|
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
AARP Online U.S. Pension Calculator
---
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
---
New
Resources on Aging (bi-weekly e-letter) - U.S.
- latest issue:
March 17
Table of Contents:
* Editorial Notes * On the WEB * New Publications
* New Resources at the Center Library * Calendar of Events * Community Resources
-
almost 100 links in the current issue!
Web Links
on Aging
1,000+ links, organized
alphabetically from Academic to Women, split into three pages for
easier download
A
- H
I - P
Q
to Z
Source:
The
University of California at Berkeley Resource Center on Aging
Confusions
about Social Security (PDF file - 195K, 11 pages) Related Links: Social Security
Administration (U.S. Government) AARP
Social Security Center Four
questions (and answers) from AARP For links to more
info about the Bush administration's push to privatize Social Security in the
U.S. in 2005 and about the Chilean pension model, go to the Pension Reforms Links
page: http://www.canadiansocialresearch.net/pensions.htm |
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.
|
Sharing
the nation's prosperity ? Pensioner poverty in Britain
(PDF file - 513K, 61 pages)
March 2003
A. Goodman, M. Myck and A. Shephard,
Source
: The Institute for Fiscal Studies, London
(U.K.)
The
Growth of Debt Among Older Americans (PDF file - 347K, 12 pages) -
U.S. Related Link: Borrowing
to Make Ends Meet: Source: Canadian Perspectives: Study:
Finances in the golden years - 1999 |
An
Aging World: 2001 (PDF file - 3973K, 190 pages) - U.S.
November
2001
This new 190-page release from the Census Bureau and the National
Institute of Aging presents comparative data related to aging, including population
and projected population internationally, life expectancy, retirement, health
information, and social support. The report was, in part, inspired by a review
from the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) that argued for an international focus
on aging as an aid to policymakers worldwide. The main body of the report is broken
into eleven chapters, covering topics ranging from urban versus rural populations
to marital status to income security. Appendices include detailed tables, references,
an international comparison of urban versus rural definitions, and sources and
limitations of the data.
Reviewed by : Scout
Report
Copyright Internet Scout Project 1994-2001
- Go to the
Census Bureau
SeniorSite (U.S. site, worth a visit to see hundreds of links to valuable information)
U.S. Administration on Aging
- Site Index - all on one
page...
- Internet Information
Notes: Links to major U.S. web resources on selected topics and issues
in Aging.
Includes Adult Day Services - Ageism - Alcohol Abuse - Alzheimer’s
Disease and Related Dementias - Assisted Living - Caregiving for the Elderly -
Disability and Aging - Consumer Protection & the Elderly - Diversity and Aging
- Health and Long Term Care Costs - Health Maintenance Organizations - HIV, AIDs
and Aging - Home Design - Hormone Replacement Therapy - Intergenerational Programs
- International Aging Statistics - Life Expectancy - Long Term Care Insurance
- Long-Term Care State Services - Mental Health and Aging - Nursing Homes - Nutrition
- Prescription Drug Web Sites - Senior Centers - Senior Housing Sites and Directories
- Suicide and the Elderly - Technology, Aging and Disabilities - Transportation
and Mobility - Trends and Projections - Workforce & Aging
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
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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
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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.
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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 Two
Worlds of Retirement Income: A Comparative Analysis of Retirement-Income Outcomes
Using the Luxembourg Income Study |
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
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
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.
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