Vi Roden said she reads an average of 50 books a year, attends history lectures at her local seniors centre, and does yoga twice a week.
She害羞草研究所檚 101, and still lives in her own condo in West Vancouver, B.C.
害羞草研究所淚t never occurred to me that I would live this long,害羞草研究所� said Roden, a former Air Force typist who was 65 when she founded a charity for survivors of sexual abuse. 害羞草研究所淚 don害羞草研究所檛 know why, but I think it害羞草研究所檚 because I just enjoy every single day.害羞草研究所�
Joseph Novak, a 100-year-old Second World War veteran who lives in Whitehorse, lost his eyesight about a decade ago and spends his days listening to music and audiobooks.
Margaret Friend, 101, who lives in a long-term care home in Hamilton, was one of 14 children. Although she has dementia, she easily rattled off her siblings害羞草研究所� names 害羞草研究所� and noted that she was the only one left.
Lives as long as those of Roden, Novak and Friend, their challenges and joys, were once unlikely. But now they are part of a striking demographic phenomenon 害羞草研究所� Canada害羞草研究所檚 centenarian population is soaring.
Statistics Canada data show the country害羞草研究所檚 population of people aged at least 100 more than tripled between 2000 and 2023, up from 3,393 to 11,705. That makes centenarians the fastest growing age group in Canada, and the agency says their numbers are poised to rise almost ten times higher over the next half-century.
Experts attribute the rise to improvements in health care and medical awareness, although genetics likely plays a key role in individual cases.
Some relatives interviewed by The Canadian Press see their loved ones害羞草研究所� great longevity as a blessing, but a testing one. And medical professionals, sociologists and demographers are calling for policy changes to address issues faced by the centenarian population, such as dementia and social isolation.
Anne Martin-Matthews, a now-retired professor at the University of British Columbia, spent more than 40 years studying the sociology of aging.
害羞草研究所淧eople are living longer, and they害羞草研究所檙e in many ways healthier than they害羞草研究所檝e ever been,害羞草研究所� she said.
But she said sectors including health care and housing are largely unprepared for such an aging population despite decades of warning.
Statistics Canada on Monday released a forecast that the centenarian population would hit 106,100 by 2073, under a medium-growth scenario that would also see the population of people aged 85 or over more than tripling.
害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 with some surprise that we find ourselves now in 2024 and we害羞草研究所檙e still talking about how to plan for an aging population, (though) we have known for 50 years that this was coming,害羞草研究所� Martin-Matthews said.
害羞草研究所淐ertainly, this is a vibrant, vital population but the issue is how we, as a society, are positioned to provide assistance and support when it害羞草研究所檚 needed in later life, and that害羞草研究所檚 where I think we害羞草研究所檝e not lived up to the expectations.害羞草研究所�
Bill Hamill, 100, moved from Ontario to Gibsons, B.C., in 2015 after he lost his longtime partner, 96-year-old Thelma Weeks. Hamill now lives with his 70-year-old daughter, Mary Lou Hamill, in a duplex a few blocks from the town害羞草研究所檚 main strip.
The house is divided into two parts, allowing the father and daughter to maintain their independence. Bill lives in an apartment on the main floor, while Mary Lou Hamill stays in a suite upstairs.
She said she checks on her father every day and buys his groceries, but he is still able to cook and entertain himself.
Her father said he enjoys living in Gibsons, on B.C.害羞草研究所檚 Sunshine Coast about 50 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, and is often seen on his twice-daily walks around the neighbourhood.
But the war veteran, who took part in D-Day operations 80 years ago, now lives a solitary life.
害羞草研究所淥f course, I害羞草研究所檓 lonely,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪ome days I don害羞草研究所檛 talk to a person.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所楪OOD FOR THE BODY 害羞草研究所� GOOD FOR THE BRAIN害羞草研究所�
Hamill said the secret to his longevity 害羞草研究所� and his life motto 害羞草研究所� is 害羞草研究所渆verything in moderation.害羞草研究所�
Dr. Roger Wong, a clinical professor in geriatric medicine at the University of British Columbia, said many potential factors could be at play when someone reaches 100.
害羞草研究所淲e know that one of those factors has to do with the fact that people are more aware of health conditions that may have in the past limited life expectancy,害羞草研究所� Wong said.
Research suggests that a combination of public health and medical improvements have contributed to the rise in centenarians. Studies show that on an individual level, staying active, eating well and managing stress are important for long lives, but genetics also play a big part.
It害羞草研究所檚 not just in Canada 害羞草研究所� the number of centenarians is booming around the world. They made up only about one out of every 200,000 people in the world in 1950, according to the United Nations. By 2021, the global rate was about 13 times higher.
But Canada has a much bigger share than most countries, per capita. Statistics Canada reports that the centenarian rate last year was about 29 per 100,000 population, compared with 6.9 per 100,000 globally in 2020.
And it害羞草研究所檚 not just the centenarian population that is on the rise. Between 2000 and 2023, Canada害羞草研究所檚 population of people in their 90s rose 175 per cent to 344, 273, while those in their 80s was up 89 per cent to 1.46 million. At the same time, the total population of Canada was up by 30 per cent, driven mainly by immigration, and the population of children aged up to nine rose 4.6 per cent.
As Canada害羞草研究所檚 elderly population rises, the number of people with cognitive decline is also set to increase, said Wong. He said projections suggest Canadians living with dementia 害羞草研究所渨ill go up three times in the next 30 years.害羞草研究所�
That害羞草研究所檚 even as the actual rate of dementia decreases worldwide, likely due to better nutrition, exercise, and preventive behaviours, said Martin-Matthews.
Centenarian Margaret Friend was upbeat as she took part in a Zoom interview, telling stories from her life and describing the activities she likes in her care home: bingo, bowling, watching television.
Her son, Jim Friend 害羞草研究所� who attributes his mother害羞草研究所檚 longevity to 害羞草研究所済ood genes害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所� sat in on the interview and said some days her memory is better than others.
害羞草研究所淚n the last year, it has been very noticeable and the decline is becoming more prevalent. It has been a learning curve for me personally,害羞草研究所� he said.
Throughout the interview, Margaret often repeated the same phrase: 害羞草研究所淢y parents were strict.害羞草研究所� Her son tried to keep her on track, sometimes restating the questions.
害羞草研究所淪he害羞草研究所檚 still with us and we害羞草研究所檙e very thankful for that, but it害羞草研究所檚 been a challenge in all honesty,害羞草研究所� he said.
Short-term memory loss was a common concern among centenarians interviewed by The Canadian Press, even among those whose stories of a long life flow freely.
Hamill in Gibsons, for example, 害羞草研究所渞emembers things vividly害羞草研究所� when asked about his time in the military.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檝e worked for the railway. I lived in Africa for five years, and I was attached to the Royal Canadian Air Force, and we bombed D-Day at 6:10 in the morning. That was a sight you害羞草研究所檇 never want to see,害羞草研究所� he said.
Ask him about something more recent? 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 yesterday I have trouble with,害羞草研究所� he said with a laugh.
Others seem to have no such problems.
Roden, the yoga fan from West Vancouver, vividly described the 害羞草研究所渨onderful afternoon害羞草研究所� spent celebrating her 101st birthday on a recent Sunday at a granddaughter害羞草研究所檚 farm in Cloverdale. Guests included all six grandchildren, her 10 great-grandchildren and a llama.
害羞草研究所淎nd they are huge, and he came right up to me and he blew in my face,害羞草研究所� laughed Roden, as she recalled her encounter with the llama.
In addition to yoga, Roden is in a book club and is 害羞草研究所渧ery involved in politics.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 in extremely good health, and I害羞草研究所檓 very lively, and I like to get involved in situations,害羞草研究所� she said.
Wong said science shows 害羞草研究所渨hat害羞草研究所檚 good for the body is also good for the brain.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲e know that exercise, socialization, prevention of stroke, and interestingly, fixing hearing loss and hearing problems, these are some of the things that are really helpful to keep in the brain healthy,害羞草研究所� he said.
害羞草研究所淭hat said, we still have a long way to go, because there are many things that we can do to prevent deterioration.害羞草研究所�
Wong said social isolation is a huge issue facing this population, most of whom live alone.
Centenarians have typically outlived their siblings, childhood friends and partners. Hamill, who had nine siblings, and Friend, one of 14, are such examples.
Novak, from Whitehorse, misses Mary, his wife of 73 years, terribly. She died in 2019, within three months of their eldest son, Peter. 害羞草研究所淵ou can imagine how bad (2019) was for me,害羞草研究所� said Novak, who lives in a senior care residence.
害羞草研究所淢ary was an exceptional girl and she also made me the better man that I am today,害羞草研究所� he said.
Novak said the beginning of June brought back 害羞草研究所渟ad memories害羞草研究所� as it marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the anniversary of Mary害羞草研究所檚 death. 害羞草研究所淏ut life must go on, the best you can,害羞草研究所� he said.
Wong said that loneliness has been shown to have negative health impacts. 害羞草研究所淪o, it害羞草研究所檚 not just about living to an old age, it害羞草研究所檚 their whole journey and experience,害羞草研究所� Wong said, before adding that害羞草研究所漧iving alone does not necessarily mean that a person is lonely.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淲hat we are looking for is the connectivity with others,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淲e know for example, that exercise, physical activities, visualization, this social connectivity are all important.害羞草研究所�
Martin-Matthews, who previously served as the scientific director of the Institute of Aging, also emphasized the importance of social connection.
害羞草研究所淭hat is crucial as we get older,害羞草研究所� she said. 害羞草研究所淪o, that害羞草研究所檚 family ties, or friendship ties or whatever they may be, but having that sense of social connection is absolutely vital as we get older.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所楪RACE AND HUMOUR害羞草研究所�
As the population of centenarians continues to rise, experts worry that the questions of how they will be housed and cared for have gone largely unaddressed by authorities, despite years of warnings.
Those issues have knock-on effects for their children, who are typically elderly themselves. Mark Rosenberg, a geographer and professor emeritus at Queen害羞草研究所檚 University, Kingston, Ont., said the issue 害羞草研究所渋s going to be hard to sort out.害羞草研究所�
He said this type of scenario often comes at a high cost for the caregiver, who is also aging and often lacks the 害羞草研究所渆nergy and strength害羞草研究所� to take care of a person who needs more and more help.
He flagged an urgent need to create 害羞草研究所渕any more housing alternatives害羞草研究所� for seniors.
He said older people typically have two options: to stay in their own homes or move into long-term care.
害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 very little in between, particularly for people who are low income, or even middle income,害羞草研究所� he said.
And the longer people live, the more their resources dwindle, he said.
害羞草研究所淥nce they retire, for most older people, they害羞草研究所檙e living off of their pensions, and pensions are rarely, in this day and age, keeping up with the cost of living,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淪o, they害羞草研究所檙e slowly running down their assets.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淢y feeling is that people who don害羞草研究所檛 have really strong social networks are more and more likely, as they approach 100, to find themselves alone with fewer resources to manage the everyday challenges of their lives.害羞草研究所�
Martin-Matthews said the biggest issues that need addressing are improving care facilities and community assistance for those still living at home. She said the COVID-19 pandemic and high mortality rates in long-term care homes showcased 害羞草研究所渉orrific conditions, understaffing and overcrowding.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淢any of us assumed it would be a wake-up call, in terms of how we are dealing with the care of frail, elderly people in the last years of their lives, and it didn害羞草研究所檛 change. Nothing害羞草研究所檚 changed,害羞草研究所� she said.
Martin-Matthews also noted the increasing trend of children, like Mary Lou Hamill, who are also over the age of 65, taking care of very elderly parents.
Bill Hamill, who turns 101 in August, said he was grateful that he could move to B.C. to live with his daughter after the deaths of a son then his partner Thelma in Ontario. 害羞草研究所淚 thought I害羞草研究所檇 be staying in Toronto but I害羞草研究所檓 glad I didn害羞草研究所檛 because I really need her,害羞草研究所� Hamill said of his daughter.
He flipped through a photobook he was gifted for his 100th birthday, and pointed to a black-and-white photo of six young men in suits.
害羞草研究所淭hat was my wedding night,害羞草研究所� he said without hesitation. The photo depicts him and his brothers, who served as his groomsman.
害羞草研究所淭hey害羞草研究所檙e all gone,害羞草研究所� he said matter-of-factly. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 from a family of 10 kids and I was number seven. My last brother just died a couple of months ago, and so I害羞草研究所檓 the last of my generation.害羞草研究所�
But he said he was still optimistic.
害羞草研究所淩ight now, there害羞草研究所檚 not much to complain about other than getting up throughout the night, but evidently that happens to most old guys,害羞草研究所� he joked.
Roden, too, sees the lighter side of her unexpected longevity. It comes easily to a woman who says the biggest challenge of being 101 is to 害羞草研究所渟tay upright.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淕rowing old, a friend asked me what it was like, and I said, I think you have to do it with grace and humour,害羞草研究所� said Roden.
She added: 害羞草研究所淚 think you have to laugh at yourself sometimes. 害羞草研究所業 can害羞草研究所檛 do that. I can害羞草研究所檛 do this.害羞草研究所� You just laugh, laugh at yourself.害羞草研究所�
And then she did.
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