Older Albertans

140 Pages·1991·12 MB·English

by  Alberta. Senior Citizens Secretariat

OLDER ALBERTANS

OLDER ALBERTANS
1990
Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta
4th Floor, Energy Square Building
Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3L7
427-7876/1-800-642-3853
June 1991
Digitized by the Internet Archive
in 2016
https://archive.org/details/olderalbertans1990albe
SENIORS ADVISORY COUNCIL
405. Energy Square, 10109-106 Street. Edmonton, Alberta T5J 3L7, Telephone (403) 427 - 7 876 or Toll Free 1-800-642-3853, FAX [phone]
June 1991
I am most pleased to present this paper entitled "Older Albertans,
1990," prepared by the Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta. The
paper contains demographic, service utilization and public
expenditure data relating to the population aged 65 and over in
Alberta, as well as descriptions of the relevant federal and
provincial programs. When appropriate, historical as well as
current information is included in order to show changes over time.
Previous papers of this type have been prepared every two years
during the past decade and have been found useful by those who are
planning policies and programs for older people, as well as by
those delivering services. It is our hope that this paper will be
found equally useful for it provides a detailed overview of the
directions Alberta has taken, and is taking, in meeting the needs
of its senior population.
Yours sincerelv.
Thos. N. Musgrove. MLA
Chairman
Printed on Recycled Paper w
.V^
■ . ’B .f J S' . / Ii jf- ■ >'r ' ^ '-V Mf
■■=;. - '‘^cX=53«si . - V i •
1^,
>.i>. V--'*.' ^ , . . - . 5^'
'i&i: '• ; h'vs ,, ,, V''
- ..V V«; ,„ ^tl- > ' ' .» » • -;*£»; - .
o /■•i,* ,; o ,ys■;:^ V4J-J mr*'' ' i>.,^ ;*: ^’, « .'■:■ , ^ sl ! i ir ^■X• yij . '■■■ ■ ^■- ■' ^- .'.,• • ‘V 5
”’ •■;# - ' • . ■
' I -»...r. t % s
M ’ . ‘ ..?• L.
"-'■ J ''%'p
E .V V*' si\M, ';.,^r ■'•■;'i>- •f/ 5- -.■..'■h: „ - *:7: ^
? . « V r
■ ' ’^' ' -'J'3 ■ ^ _.>)v ' \ ' ■'■■'.■■•■■ '" ' '.. . . *
"“*■'■ ’ -?ii<.iyi>'P^i->-.i :■•■ -fa? -'3; .jfe i.fi-
.*«ij;4i -JOV. ■ awf^pif ‘r vofit# , j 'lli-^ih: ^ 1 ' '
•- 'v..- ' i ' ■'. '•_: #4ik,. ‘
'
I

-Ta^' i V • •Mtr- - - --t-. ■ • e*' ' ' 5»
#.jfe> :3F0
' \ ' 4
I / v :.-i
.H >
'V *' -* ,-■ • -.4 ,
, _■- ;, :- ,, • ff> V'tV * ■ ' '* ' J -• ' •: C .C!'f.’^ . :jm^.^ ''V. s . - ••‘■^Nates-+.-.
4 v ^*!. V'•' ■ \ ■ .,n .. . .^rv'j^fi , •», 'y
, '! ’ , '• yv:. • •■• '*■' •
■*' vj .v'
,-?'>>:>• '4
,j V■ ' 'V
'■• ••<•. .. ■.. . -.^- ■•’ ’ 'fi^- . . m
'■mtv!
, ); i , > '' *?' '-4 ‘ I Tk
^ :•• . iSr r/
W::.
■w. ■ '. - ■ ., •;--•■ : PF .’ »■■>:> •■’■..vf*''
'i..f^: ■•/ ■■r-,
,’f> ’. ' ?i 'v '.s
' ' •4,' *,!, ' i
■<> •/■
r¥. r" . '^1 ■ . .. J. ' '■'■
k r'^-V ': ' -^ . ■' I r i ,. :' ■' ■';'.::'#;!'^^l^- -' ,.'
.. . . <vv;i
1
Table of Contents.
Page
INTRODUCTION 1
Purpose of Paper 1
Organization and Content 1
I. DEMOGRAPfflC CHARACTERISTICS 3
Size and Growth of the Older Population 3
Proportions of Men and Women 11
Life Expectancy 12
Marital Status 14
Living Arrangements 15
Mother Tongue and Ethnic Origin 21
Level of Education 24
Employment 24
Income 25
Distribution of the Older Population 28
Migration Patterns 36
Health Status 36
Reported Health 36
Reported Days of Disability 37
Reported Activity Level 39
Limitations to Activity 39
Disabled Older Persons 40
Activities With Which Seniors Need Help 43
Causes of Death 44
Surveys of Seniors in Alberta 45
n. UTILIZATION AND PUBLIC EXPENDITURES FOR PROGRAMS USED
BY SENIORS 47
A. GENERAL PROGRAMS AND SERVICES 47
Federal Income Support Programs 47
Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement 47
Spouse’s Allowance and Widowed Spouse’s Allowance 54
11 Page
Provincial Income Support Programs 54
Alberta Assured Income Plan 55
Alberta Widows’ Pension Program 55
Alberta Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped and Social
Allowance 56
Housing Programs 58
Property Tax Reduction Benefit 58
Home Improvement Grants -- Seniors’ Independent Living Program 59
Senior Citizens’ Home Heating Protection Program 60
Senior Citizens’ Renter Assistance Program 61
Seniors’ Emergency Medical Alert Program 62
Subsidized Apartments for Seniors 62
Health Programs and Benefits 63
Community Health Nursing Services 63
Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission 64
Medical Services 65
Extended Health Benefits 69
Blue Cross Benefits 71
General Hospitals 72
Community Support, Recreational and Educational Programs 76
Federal New Horizons Program and Seniors Independence Program 76
Educational Opportunities 78
Sport and Recreation Programs 78
Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) 78
Transportation Services 79
Senior Centres 80
B. SERVICES FOR OLDER PERSONS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 82
The System of Services for Older People with Special Needs 82
Introduction 82
Coordinated Home Care Program 84
Other Support Services 90
Adult Day Programs 91
Sheltered Housing ~ L odges 92
Sheltered Housing - O ther Residential Facilities 95
Long Term Care Centres 96
Other Initiatives 99
Mental Health Services (Alberta Health) 100
Michener Centre (Alberta Family and Social Services) 103
Office of the Public Guardian (Alberta Family and Social Services) 103
Ill Page
III. PROVINCIAL STRUCTURES AND ASSOCIATIONS 105
Provincial Government Structures 105
Seniors Advisory Council for Alberta 105
Services to Seniors Division 107
Provincial Associations 108
Alberta Association on Gerontology 108
Alberta Council on Aging 108
Alberta Gerontological Nurses Association 109
Alberta Interfaith Coalition on Aging 109
Alberta Pensioners and Senior Citizens Association 110
Alberta Senior Citizens Sport and Recreation Association 110
Canadian Pensioners Concerned (Alberta Division) 110
Major Local Organizations Ill
APPENDIX A: PROGRAMS RELEVANT FOR SENIORS: DATES OF
ESTABLISHMENT 112
APPENDIX B: DESCRIPTION OF PATIENT CLASSIFICATION CATEGORIES
(LONG TERM CARE CENTRES) 115
' "'"'* 'J
>< lA- < I r gi
..>■ 'r, •
■a -V.
,:• .,i-. r-.' -'f ■■.'■■.-
■ M
i s i*^*>r.■^;;; s %i:->,4 vf tv '‘(ilaif| feV,:
. ^ i :5f
5 '•*;j-,' »•' • J4'.iisv ^.;' ‘ • '‘i^f’*.*.
#0} ', V ' ■' ' ' ■ -4 ■ ■ '•*. ' '■' ‘ - '■' ■*■ . ^
.«)i ■ . ■ ': . ,
ou • ^'■- ■■ ■ ■■'"■■ '' ■ --■ .(fi.,: , .'T> .f“- 4'-'^ .a' '_
'm:, ' i«i^ 'A vt/Ui
■'^ '. * ■ j '. t . ..>; .. ■•♦■Li...' ■ • .- ■ ‘ . , . %.;. ■ A ^^^■ '. ■ . ■"- ' ■ ■■ ■•>'''' '1/i
"■■£v^,U ■ . ' .■*' ‘ L ’ .... ■ ^v.* . •■'ifs; ■■■j\r:.'Vi-i^^^,-^^f^--'-'jh '. • . ** '
- ' a • . =n'? i i:'.fel^~^¥A Syjjalii. w '’’' Aw. '-.r,..^. f ^4■
5* W MiJjf
1 «'^.T.;; •, -. - ,:.r', , ,■'' ; ■ ,..>f , ,'...‘'^ jt
AH:
■i>i '
''AA-'-,;
,. Af-s;? .
Hn “ I/'.^ WHT ' '. . I, *»• ,-r. ,... ■’■
: Hi Vii *'* * ,. M
A A .ii -A'.^ --A. "fi " „ '. * ’
f t , . .'.-yjS! , i .A .'. , . i
>■■:•' ' '"A -A'-’'';^ ' ■ ■■■• . f.' ’I®'
> ' ■■ ■' ■ . ■ ;i ■?.<' ,
T .. I ' j't:'. ■' .> - LiowHi .’• L ,,' ‘'I ; .j.‘->#4