Sask. NDP says province isn’t ready for increase in seniors

New census numbers show that Canada is getting older and older – the number of Canadians over 65 years of age is growing six times faster than the number of those 15 or younger.

Saskatchewan is bucking the trend, though, and is one of only three provinces where people under 15 still outnumber those 65 and older. And Saskatchewan has the smallest percentage of its population made up of people 65 and older among the provinces.

However, it is still projected that people in that older demographic will outnumber those kids and teens by 2036.

Saskatchewan NDP Leader Ryan Meili said he doesn’t think the provincial government is prepared.

“This government does not take the aging population seriously,” said Meili.

“We have a situation where, over the last two years, the problems in long-term care (and) the lack of home care have been displayed in such a very clear way and yet no action has been taken whatsoever to try to address that.”

Meili said he and the Saskatchewan Seniors’ Mechanism have been pushing for years to get a seniors’ advocate, to no avail.

And Meili said he worries about paying for services for seniors and kids when Saskatchewan’s working population only grew three per cent in the last five years – the lowest among the provinces and two per cent below Canada as a whole.

“That’s really worrisome and says a lot about the mismanagement of this government,” said Meili.

Everett Hindley, Saskatchewan’s minister for seniors, contends the province is prepared.

“We’re prepared but continuing to evaluate this each and every day,” Hindley said.

The minister said the information in the census just further enhances the priority his government already has, pointing to long-term care homes being built in Regina, Meadow Lake and La Ronge.

“We also invest. As an example, in this year’s budget there’s more dollars for individualized funding and for home care for seniors and older adults in this province as well,” said Hindley.

Hindley said this is something the government pays very close attention to.

“(We’re) watching the demographics of this province and where are the pressures when it comes to health care in Saskatchewan and, specific to seniors and older adults as well, some of the different priorities that they have,” he said.

There is already a need for more beds and more workers in long-term care homes, so being prepared for a coming increase in need is why Hindley said the province is putting so much focus on recruitment and retention of health-care workers and things like more training seats as well.