Aging and Retirement

Many Canadians, both men, and women are forgoing retirement and continuing to work past age 65, with two in ten men working into their 70’s. The reasons cited for this demographic shift in the workplace includes everything from wanting to remain active and socially engaged to not having enough savings to retire.  This section will explore what you need to think about as you plan for aging and retirement so that you can work and retire in a healthy and safe way.

Top Wellness Trends of 2019

There are many ways to stay healthy, from broad categories like managing diet and exercise to niche strategies like “forest-bathing” and brain-boosting. Here are a few of the most popular pathways to well-being for the year ahead.

Pathways to well-being

  • Give Yourself a Break
  • No Overtraining
  • Eating Plant Based Foods
  • Try Mediation
  • Enhance your Financial Wellness
  • Boost Your Brain
  • Unplug
  • Go Alcohol Free
  • Take Part in Green Exercise
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Active Aging and Acting Your Age

Have you ever wondered how some people manage to look ageless? Well into their 80s, they have a youthfulness that belies their age, and still participate in activities that younger adults enjoy. There are many factors affecting how we age, including financial security, but aging well, without mental and physical stress on our bodies, is within the reach of us all. Through a few simple daily practices and preventive measures, we can experience our senior years with a quality of life, rather than simply clinging to life.

Tips for aging successfully:

  • Prevention: Many diseases in later life are preventable through even minor lifestyle changes, even for people with chronic disabilities.
  • Nutrition: Nutrition is an important component of aging well, since it improves physical well-being while regulating stress and promotes social inclusion and participation.
  • Physical activity: Physical activity reduces by about 50% the risk of many disorders related to inactivity, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
  • Mental health: Total health is not merely about the absence of infirmity or disease but a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being.
  • Join a program: In Canada, the New Horizons for Seniors Program is designed to empower seniors, encouraging them to share their knowledge, skills and experience with others in the community and enhance their social well-being.
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External Links

Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health

The Canadian Foundation for Women’s Health is the leading national foundation for women’s sexual and reproductive health. The CFWH is a registered charity.

You may find this site useful if you want:

  • To access health resources on women’s sexual and reproductive health
  • To access credible sexual health information for teens, adults, parents
  • Information on healthy pregnancy
  • To learn more about menopause
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My Health Matters

My Health Matters delivers health information based on your personal health priorities and your individual life stage. Our articles, videos, recipes and interactive tools will help you manage and improve your health. All the content is developed and written specifically for women by the experts at Women's College Hospital.

You may find this site useful if you want:

  • Search health related content by your age
  • Identify health priorities
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Canadian Physical Activity and 24-Hour Movement guidelines

Just 2 in 10 Canadians meet the Canadian Physical Activity and 24-Hour Movement guidelines. This site shares important information to help you maximize the health benefits of physical activity.

This site contains:

  • Guidelines for Early Years age 0-4 - Infants, toddlers and preschoolers need to Move, Sleep and Sit the right amounts.
  • Guidelines for Children and Youth age 5-17 - Guidelines encourage kids to Sweat, Step, Sleep and Sit the right amounts each day.
  • Guidelines for Adults age 18-64 - Guidelines to help maximize the health benefits of physical activity for adults.
  • Guidelines for Older Adults age 65+ - Physical activity recommendations to maintain health and quality of life
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Alzheimer Society Canada

The Alzheimer Society is the leading not-for-profit health organization working nationwide to improve the quality of life for Canadians affected by Alzheimer's disease and other dementias and advance the search for the cause and cure. Active in communities right across Canada, the Society has programs and services near you.

At this site you can access information about:

  • Learn about dementia and living with dementia
  • Where you can access programs and services near you
  • Resources for:
    • People with dementia
    • Caregivers
    • Healthcare professionals
    • First responders
    • Financial advisors
  • Research
  • News and Events
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Heads Up Guys

Developed by the University of British Columbia, The Newell Foundation and Movember Foundation this site is focused on helping men establish health strategies for managing depression. It provides information about depression in men, suicide, risk factors and triggers.

You may find this site useful if you want:

  • to understand what depression is and how it can impact you
  • practical tips and other information on how to take action
  • access information, campaigns and real life stories
  • to help your family member
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Patients Like Me

This is a social network site where people can track their own health data, help others, by sharing experiences living with disease. Where newly diagnosed patients can improve their outcomes by connecting with and learning from others who've gone before them. Where researchers learn more about what's working, what's not, and where the gaps are, so that they can develop new and better treatments.

You may find this site useful if you:

  • Want to talk to others experiencing chronic illness about various topics such your illness, parenting, treatments and faith
  • Learn more about treatment options
  • Learn more about recent research
  • Want to access a digital health learning system that uses the most advanced technologies to help you better understand wellness, aging, and disease
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ParticipACTION

ParticipACTION is a national non-profit organization whose mission is to help Canadians sit less and move more. Originally established in 1971, ParticipACTION works with its partners, which include sport, physical activity, recreation organizations, government and corporate sponsors, to make physical activity a vital part of everyday life.

This site contains:

  • A Get Started program which  introduces all the info and tools you need to work toward your health and fitness goals
  • Other programs designed to help Canadians of all ages move their bodies more at work, school and play such as the Canada 150, Sneak it in a Week, RBC Lear to Play  and Make Room for Play
  • Research, featured articles and a blog
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Older Canadians forgoing retirement, working through golden years: census

This Globe and Mail article discusses the trend that shows how more and more Canadians are choosing to eschew the traditional retirement age, whether for their health, their finances or just for the fun of it.

This article

  • Provides examples of what older Canadians are doing in their retirement years
  • Shares census information
  • the impact of a longer lifespan on retirement finances
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Canadian Men’s Health Foundation

According to the Canadian Men’s Health Association “The statistics around men’s health in Canada are alarming; men are 40% more likely to die from cancer, 70% more likely to die from heart disease and live an average of nine years of their lives in extremely poor health. 70% of men’s health problems can be prevented by adopting healthy lifestyles. With good information and easy tips, we know every guy can make small changes to make him feel healthier, and will benefit his family and community.

You may find this site useful if you want:

  • Hear men’s health experiences from other men
  • Learn about the Don’t Change Much campaign which is a resource dedicated to inspiring men and their families to lead healthier lives.
  • To access health resources, infographics, guidelines and a “manopedia” which discusses topics like prostrate health, and health related to the penis and testicles
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Seniors for Seniors

Seniors for Seniors is a site that combines quality care with companions close in age to those needing support. Sharing common experiences is an essential component of compassionate caregiving. The site can help provide mature companions t assist seniors in living in happier, more independent lives in the comfort of their own home, retirement community or long term care facility.

Services that can be accessed include:

  • Personal and Homemaking
  • Companions
  • Driver Companions
  • Live-in Companions
  • Overnight Assistance
  • House Cleaners
  • Drop In Companions
  • Foot Care Services
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What is Brain Health?

What is Brain Health? is a national campaign to help raise awareness about brain health while empowering older adults to make the most of their brains as they age.

At this site you can access information about:

  • How your brain changes as you age
  • Tips on how to engage your brain
  • Other resources and information about brain health
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Optimal Aging – McMaster University Creates Evidenced Based Site for Healthy Aging

This website provides evidence based information about healthy aging. The this site and its social media network will  brings you the best available related research evidence at the McMaster Optimal Aging Portal

This site contains content on:

  • Women’s Health
  • Men’s Health
  • Mental Health
  • Cancer
  • Exercise
  • Nutrition
  • Consumer Protection
  • Arthritis
  • Transportation
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