As Canada’s Baby-Boomers get older, more and more Canadians are being exposed to the practical realities of aging.
A new study from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute, in a series examining aspects of the aging process, looks at some of the physical and emotional elements of this discussion.
Canadians over the age of 30 are a divided population when it comes to their feelings about aging. Indeed, while just six per cent say they entirely fear growing older, 15 per cent say they welcome it. The rest fit into three more equivocal categories – they fear it more than they welcome it (22%), welcome it more than they fear it (20%), or feel an equal mix of both (37%).
Notably – for those who are most acquainted with old age, Canadians over the age of 70 – the prospect of aging is less scary than for younger people. Just one-in-five look upon aging with worry (21%).
While elements of aging certainly cause anxiety for some, it is worth noting that most Canadians currently feel quite comfortable with their age. Just one-in-ten (10%) say they feel older than they are currently, while six-in-ten (57%) say they, in fact, feel younger.
More Key Findings:
- Canadians generally have a positive outlook on their current well-being. Eight-in-ten (79%) describe their physical health as “good” or “very good,” and nine-in-ten (91%) say the same of their mental health
- Older Canadians tend to worry most about declining health in their later years, with more than four-in-ten over the age of 60 saying they are concerned about facing “new or worsening mobility issues” within the next decade
- Younger Canadians, especially younger women, appear more concerned by financial and emotional troubles as they get older. Indeed, three-quarters (77%) of women between the ages of 30 and 55 say they worry about outliving their savings, and seven-in-ten (68%) say the same of outliving their loved ones
- Roughly two-thirds (66%) of Canadians overall are at least somewhat worried about outliving their savings, with this sentiment actually cutting across household income levels
Read the rest of the story here: www.angusreid.org