Seniors are a rich and vibrant part of our country, but do Canada's policies and programs meet the needs of our aging population? The Senate of Canada's Special Senate Committee on Aging pursued that question, issuing a final report in 2009. Senator Sharon Carstairs, who Chaired the committee, will be in Kelowna Feb. 21 to talk about the findings.
"The impending reality of population aging presents a wide variety of complex challenges, ranging from financial security and retirement, to housing and transportation issues, to chronic diseases and health care needs," says Senator Carstairs. "But is also provides for us new opportunities for addressing these complex challenges in new, innovative and collaborative ways.
"Rather than be overwhelmed by the 'tsunami' of aging, we need to act now to seize the opportunities presented by population aging," she says.
Invited by UBC's Distinguished Speaker Series, Senator Carstairs will present a talk entitled Seizing the Opportunity of an Aging Population, starting at 7 p.m., Monday, Feb. 21 at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Seats are free, but online registration is required by going to www.ubc.ca/okanagan/speakers (starting Monday, Jan. 24).
The presentation by Senator Carstairs is supported by the Irving K. Barber Endowment Fund in partnership with the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention at UBC's Okanagan campus.
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