How much do you know about seniors in your community?
Over the last year or so I have written a number of articles in the North Shore News in which I have reported on a variety of seniors issues and concerns – everything from dementia, the value of exercise, volunteering, social isolation, dental care, and more.
At the risk of sounding like a stereotypical schoolmarm, I wondered if you have been paying attention. Let’s see!
Test your memory by answering true or false to the following questions. Sharpen those pencils and let’s get going:
1. As they age, most seniors will end up living in a care facility. True or False?
2. In a 120-bed care facility in Australia, where staff and residents were using robots, wearables and sensors, the facility saw a 30 per cent reduction in medical staff, but had better outcomes. True or False?
3. British Columbia is the best place in Canada for accessing affordable dental care for seniors. True or False?
4. Seniors find getting around the North Shore is safe and effortless. True or False?
5. Seniors thrive in extreme heat conditions. True or False?
6. In the latest provincial budget, the government pledged $116 million dollars over three years to the Safer Program and Rental Assistance Program. True or False?
7. The so-called “silver tsunami” is a myth. True or False?
8. There are 850,000 seniors in B.C., which is 18 per cent of the population and it is projected to grow to 24 per cent by 2031. True or False?
9. The life expectancy of a B.C. senior was a few years lower than the life expectancy in the U.S., Sweden, U.K. or Canada overall. True or False?
10. Eighty per cent of seniors over 85 are free from a diagnosis of dementia. True or False?
11. It is estimated that between 10 and 20 per cent of the population will contract the flu, but seniors over 65 are in one of the lowest risk categories. True or False?
12. Senior centre programs play a key role in keeping seniors healthy and independent. True or False?
13. Seniors in Shanghai, China were recently encouraged to congregate by a major retail store so that they could use the facility to meet their peers, socialize, take naps, eat and flirt. True or False?
14. Seniors are becoming savvier about frauds and scams. True or False?
15. A Statistics Canada report shows the number of seniors in debt aged 65 and over jumped by 40 per cent between 2012 and 2015. True or False?
16. There are no homeless seniors on the North Shore. True or False?
17. When the community and seniors themselves tackle social isolation we all benefit. True or False?
18. Most of us find it easy to think about end-of-life personal and legal planning for ourselves, or for our loved ones who may not be able to plan for themselves. True or False?
19. According to the 2013 Statistics Canada Canadian Community Health Survey, more than a third of seniors living in a community in Canada are at nutritional risk. True or False?
20. More seniors volunteer in Canada than in any other age group. True or False?
You can refresh your memory or look for hints by reviewing my old columns at lionsviewseniorsplanning.com/older-and-wiser or look them up on the North Shore News website at nsnews.com/uthors?author=Margaret%20Coates.
Let me know how you did with the answer key below:
Questions 1, 3, 4, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, and 18 are false. All others are true.
Margaret Coates is the co-ordinator of Lionsview Seniors’ Planning Society. She has lived on the North Shore for 47 years and has worked for and with seniors for 20 of those years. Ideas for future columns are welcome Email: lions_veiw@telus.net.
