By Malcolm Buchanan
Saturday, Oct. 1, is the United Nations International Day of Older Persons.
The International Day of Older Persons was proclaimed in 1982 by the United Nations General Assembly reaffirming its commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, and called for the elimination of age discrimination, neglect, abuse and violence. The Day of Older Persons is also a time to celebrate the important role that seniors play and continue to play in society, especially in the Hamilton area.
Canada, like Hamilton, has a growing and aging population. In 2014 there were more than six million Canadians aged 65 or older, representing 15.7 per cent of the population. By 2030, seniors will number more than nine million and make up about 25 per cent of the population. This reality is reinforced by a recent Social Planning and Research Council of Hamilton report entitled Demographic Shifts. The report states that Hamilton’s age pyramid continues to show the aging of the population, with a large increase in the 50-64 age group due to the baby boom cohort reaching these ages.
Article and image source: The Hamilton Spectator
