Canada’s population is aging. There are now more seniors in Canada than there ever was in history. According to results from a 2015 Canadian census, over 15% of our population consisted of people over the age of 65. Canada’s aging population will continue to take up a larger share of the total population. By 2024, it is estimated that they will make up 20.1% of our population. By 2036, it is projected that seniors will consist of 25% of Canada’s population. People of 85 years of age and older make up the fasting growing age group in Canada, growing by 127% between 1993 and 2013. Statistics Canada predicts that there will be over 62,000 Canadians aged 100 and older by 2063 (Canadian Medical Association, 2016). The rise in life expectancy in Canada’s aging population, partly due to advances in medicine, nutrition, sanitation, and education, is a significant accomplishment. This is a cause for celebration. However, population aging presents difficulties to individuals in terms of handling their instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) at home, negatively impacting their quality of life. IADLs include cooking, using technologies, housekeeping, property maintenance, and more (Lawton & Brody, 1970). Quality of life refers to the general well-being of individuals, encompassing physical, social, functional, and financial factors (Paskulin & Molzahn, 2007). Even if an individual has a high life expectancy, he or she may not be able to reap the benefits of a full and satisfying life.   Today, more seniors are choosing to age in place at home, rather than live in a retirement home. Aging in place includes having the health and social services necessary to live independently and safely in one’s home for as long as they want and are capable. This is beneficial with regards to a senior’s sense of attachment to their home and property. Aging in place gives seniors comfort and security because long-term emotional connections to environmental stimuli have been linked to well-being as people age. Seniors want to make their own choices about their living arrangements and access to services (Wiles, Leibing, Guberman, Reeve, & Allen, 2011). Book a free assessment Statement of Objectives In this paper, I will explore the effects of home and property support on the quality of life for seniors aging in place in Canada from beyond the biomedical sphere. I will do this by executing a literature review on the topic. I intend on examining and unpacking themes of functionality, independence, and autonomy when conducting my research. Methodology My topic derived from three main disciplines, which were health sciences, social sciences, and applied sciences. Qualitative and quantitative data was sought from several online databases accessed through Western Libraries, being PubMed, Scopus, JSTOR, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The key words that were used to search for journals and books were “Home” OR “Property” AND “Support” OR “Maintenance” AND “Seniors” OR “Older Adults” AND “Quality of Life” AND “Aging in Place” AND “Canada”. Overview of the Literature Majority of the research collected on this population can be broken down into three categories which affect the quality of life for seniors; finance, safety, and health. Home and property maintenance may seem discouraging and costly. However, routine checks saved seniors a lot of money long-term. They did not have to deal with the much larger costs associated with replacing utilities and appliances once they were beyond repair. For example, seniors who have checked their air conditioning unit at least once a year saved more money by preventing long term damage. Preventative maintenance not only increased their quality of life, but also raised the estate value of a senior’s home over time (Control4, 2017). Demographic, economical, and political pressures have pushed the government to prioritize home care programs and services. Although some seniors were eligible for services after providing their proof of income and disabilities, many were placed on a waiting list or did not receive any services at all. Allocation of publicly-funded services was based on level of need because seniors with a higher functional capacity, and less cognitive impairment, required less support. Also. the older the individuals were, the more likely they were in need of assistance (Markle-Reid et al., 2008). When support was not available through the government, seniors who chose to age in place had two options. Firstly, they attempted to gain support from informal caregivers, such as friends and family. This was difficult for many seniors because their friends and family were not always available to attend to their needs. Secondly, they sought help from private companies; this form of support tended to be the most effective. Lastly, the seniors who could not get help from either of these sources had to manage on their own, which was not sustainable. (Markle-Reid et al., 2008). Safety was heavily associated with accessibility support, which was one of the most requested services by seniors (Clough et al., 2007). The most common type of support requested was a grab bar installation, especially in the bathtub, to reduce the likelihood of falling. Falls are the primary cause for injury-related hospitalizations for Canadian seniors. The number of self-reported injuries due to falling increased by 43% from 2003 to 2010. Most falls resulted in fractured or broken bones; over one third of these falls were associated with a hip fracture. The number of deaths due to seniors falling has increased by 65% between 2003 and 2008. In addition, there are negative mental health outcomes associated with falling, such as fear of falling, anxiety, loss of autonomy, immobilization, depression, and greater isolation (Stinchcombe, Kuran, & Powell, 2014). Home and property maintenance also increased the safety of seniors’ homes. Break-in and robberies tended to occur in homes with poor exterior maintenance because they looked neglected and easy to enter (Clough et al., 2007). Inadequate home and property conditions were linked to a variety of different health conditions. Characteristics of poor housing included lack of safe drinking water, absence of hot water for washing, ineffective waste disposal, deficient food storage,…
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Now that it’s legal, are you going to try it? What you need to know about Cannabis effects on seniors? A few tidbits from the past week or so… Cannabis Effects On Seniors – Now that it’s legal, are you going to try it? Do you know enough about Cannabis and it’s effects on you as you age? There are some interesting studies done that outline what it does and how it can effect you. There is an extensive guide we like on Aging.com, and a very interesting look at the impact of marijuana legalization on our older generation on ComfortLife ca. Get to know about the future of aging. Who else wants to live long and stay healthy? There have been countless studies over the years around healthy aging.  But even as fads come and go, one thing keeps popping to the top of the list; OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids and their effects on our health over time. According to a new study in the British Medical Journal OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids are one of the worst kept secrets to a long and healthy life.  Why don’t more people do what’s good for them? Learn about tax credits, benefits and other government financial assistance If you don’t know already, there is one page on the governments website that allows you to learn about available tax credits, benefits and government pensions available for Seniors in Ontario, including Veterans.  Take a look, they seem update it regularly. The March of Dimes Ontario will help eligible seniors modify their homes to be safer and more accessible If you know someone who has an illness that makes it hard to use their home or vehicle, they may be eligible for up to $15,000 of funding. Not everyone qualifies, but this could be a life-saver for the right person. Real bombs mailed to some well known Democrats across the USA It’s just like it would go down in a movie, but unfortunately, it’s real. Robert Di Niro and Joe Biden  where targeted ahead of US mid term elections. Major names getting mailed bombs via US Postal Service.  Scary to think that they would even get close to the door let alone past postal screening. Just a day ago, Barak Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton where also targeted with pipe bombs sent through the mail. In case you’re still wondering who won the local elections in Ontario Matchups across Ontario took place this week, with some surprising wins like Patrick Brown in Brampton and other triumphs over controversial long standing councilors like Giorgio Mammoliti. Here is a complete list of the wins across Ontario cities. That’s all for now…

Taking the seniors garbage and recycling to the curb is a big job for many of our customers so you may understand how happy I was when my friend John showed me this service.   Eligible seniors garbage can have the city come to their home, come up to the house and take their garbage out for them and put the pails back after.  This is a free service for those who need it.  All you need to do is to fill out the application at this link >>> CLICK HERE TO GET A FREE QUOTE<<<.   Not everyone will qualify, but if you’re a senior managing your home, you have a great chance of getting this support. Best of luck! Photo and application from the City of Toronto.