Is Canada ready for an increasingly diverse senior population? Here's what health experts say
Share
As a graduate student nine years ago, Dr. Saskia Sivananthan spent a couple of weeks living in an Ontario long-term care home as part of a research project. While there, she was able to interact with patients from different ethnic backgrounds, including one man who would hardly speak to staff members.
After noticing Sivananthan was South Asian, the man began speaking to her in Tamil, and she learned he had lost his ability to speak English following the onset of dementia. It’s common for older patients living with dementia to lose their ability to speak the most recent language they’ve learned, she said.
Sivananthan discovered the man was a member of the Brahmin caste, the social caste in Hinduism from which priests have historically been drawn. She learned he followed strict traditional protocols calling for married and unmarried men to generally abstain from touching women. This helped explain the trouble he had co-operating with female personal support workers (PSWs) when taking a shower or eating a meal, Sivananthan said.
“He wasn't used to women touching him and providing personal care to him,” she told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview. “So he would struggle when female personal support workers would come to help him, and he couldn't communicate in English anymore as his dementia had progressed.”
After additional conversations with staff members, a male PSW was assigned to the man, and daily tasks were translated into Tamil to help bridge gaps in communication, Sivananthan said. Although this interaction happened years ago, it remains a common experience for older immigrants today, she said.
“I continue to visit long-term care (and support family members dealing with this), and see the same lack of supports,” she wrote in an email to CTVNews.ca.
WHY IT'S 'CRUCIAL' TO TAKE CULTURE INTO CONSIDERATION
A person’s cultural background is “crucial” to consider when providing care for older adults in diverse communities, said Sivananthan, who is now an affiliate professor in the department of family medicine at McGill University. Not doing so can have a significant impact on their ability to access health-care services at all, she said.
“If (health workers) aren’t trained to think about that beforehand … sometimes, they’ll end up providing care that can be detrimental because it might scare the person and they don’t want to come back,” Sivananthan said.
Along with gaps in the provision of cultural competency training for health workers, there is also a lack of health data related to visible minority groups, she said, which raises questions about whether Canada’s health-care systems are ready for an increasingly diverse senior population.
New statistics from Environics Analytics, a marketing and analytical services company owned by Bell Canada, show the country’s senior population is projected to surpass 11 million by 2043. The data, based on a special analysis for CTV News, paints the senior population as the fastest-growing age group in the country.
As the number of seniors in Canada grows, so will the population of visible minorities, according to estimates released by Statistics Canada in 2022. Data from the agency shows the total number of seniors in racialized groups is expected to reach 2,950,000 in 2041, up from 1,020,000 in 2021. This represents an increase of 190 per cent over the span of 20 years.
DATA AT A GLANCE:
Nearly two million immigrants were aged 65 or older in 2021, according to the latest census data from Statistics Canada, representing approximately 30 per cent of Canada’s senior population
Based on this data, 45 per cent of immigrants aged 65 and older were originally born in Europe, while 36 per cent came from Asia. The remaining proportion of immigrants settled in Canada from the Americas (14 per cent), Africa (4.5 per cent) and Oceania (one per cent)
The latest census data from 2021 also shows approximately one in seven seniors is a visible minority in Canada
Visible minority groups expected to have the highest populations by 2041 are South Asian, Chinese and Black, according to Statistics Canada
A recent report published by the organization shows approximately 570,000 Canadian seniors were living with dementia in 2020, making up 8.4 per cent of the senior population at the time. Fast forward to 2050, and projections show nearly 1.7 million seniors are expected to be living with dementia.
As Canada’s senior population grows, along with the number of people living with dementia, it is especially important that health-care systems have programs and supports adequately set up to help diverse communities, Sivananthan said.
In addition to language barriers, a lack of awareness around certain health conditions is another unique challenge facing visible minorities aged 65 and older, Sivananthan said. Languages such as Punjabi, for example, do not have words that directly translate to “dementia.”
There is also limited data on the needs and experiences of people living with dementia in Canada, experts say, particularly those in visible minority groups. But research has suggested that members of these groups face additional challenges due to the lack of culturally appropriate health-care options.
A 2012 study looking at South Asian Canadians living with dementia, for example, highlights concerns around the potential for discrimination by staff members in health-care settings, as well as gaps in knowledge around dementia itself and support programs and services.
In some communities, there’s also a stigma associated with dementia, said Dr. Roger Wong, a clinical professor of geriatric medicine at the University of British Columbia. Some may feel a sense of shame or embarrassment when diagnosed with dementia, viewing their symptoms as a sign of weakness, he said.
There may be assumptions that dementia is a normal part of aging, even though it is not, said Wong. Yvonne Appah, a nurse practitioner with Alberta Health Services, said this mentality can be common among members of different Black communities in Canada.
“I do think that there is a perception that the issues that happen during dementia, such as memory loss, depression, some of the behaviour issues, may be associated with normal aging in our community,” she told a virtual roundtable organized by the Alzheimer Society of Canada in February. “(Or) that it might be a flare of a personality as well, so there’s some misconceptions of what this disease looks like.”
This stigma and lack of awareness can discourage people from seeking a diagnosis, Wong said. By the time these patients talk to a specialist, their dementia may have progressed much further than if they sought care earlier, he said.
“You can imagine if there's a later diagnosis (and) later access to health care, it can lead to more health-related problems down the road,” he said.
TAKING HEALTH RISKS INTO ACCOUNT
Additionally, people of different ethnic backgrounds can have an increased risk of developing dementia compared to other groups, Sivananthan said. She points to several studies conducted in the U.K. and the United States in recent years that show people from African, Caribbean and other Black communities are at higher risk of developing dementia than white men and women.
As part of a study released last year, researchers in the U.S. looked at instances of racism among nearly 1,000 middle-aged Black, Hispanic and white adults. Results from the study showed Black participants experienced the most exposure to racism, and that these experiences were linked to cognitive decline due to the trauma they inflicted.
These are all factors that medical professionals should take this into consideration when interacting with patients, Sivananthan said. As a result, culturally specific care should go beyond dementia, and apply to all forms of health care, Wong said.
This type of care should also include efforts to recruit candidates from diverse communities for clinical trials, Wong said. Historically, medical studies performed in Canada have not always been representative of the diverse populations seen across the country, so the results may not be applicable to those in various ethnic groups, he said.
Sivananthan agreed.
“You’re taking study results and applying them to a general population, but we actually don’t know if those drugs might react differently in people who have different genetic risks,” Sivananthan said. “When you don’t look at the diversity of populations in your research, it becomes problematic when you're trying to apply it.”
Studies have also shown that various racial groups face differences in the risk of developing chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Additionally, candidates from diverse communities are not always recruited for clinical trials, so the results may not be applicable to those across various racialized groups, Wong said. Historically, medical studies performed in Canada have not always included the same kind of diverse populations seen across the country, he said.
“Ideally, the individuals who participate in medical and health research should be reflective of the populations whom we serve,” he said. “All of us need to do a lot better in terms of making sure that we include the diversity of individuals who are participating in these research studies.”
“You’re taking study results and applying them to a general population, but we actually don’t know if those drugs might react differently in people who have different genetic risks,” Sivananthan said. “When you don’t look at the diversity of populations in your research, it becomes problematic when you're trying to apply it.”
CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CARE IN ACTION
From a health perspective, it is “absolutely important” to provide older Canadians with culturally sensitive care that is personal to them, said Ito Peng, a professor of sociology at the University of Toronto and a Canada Research Chair in global social policy. This is done by taking into account their language and cultural background, as well as the kind of assumptions they may have around how care should be provided and who should provide it, she said.
One of her PhD students currently works at Yee Hong Centre, a facility that provides Chinese and Japanese residents with culturally appropriate long-term care. Built in 2004, the Yee Hong Centre’s Scarborough Finch site has 250 beds for Chinese and Japanese residents, and offers 24-hour care for patients with severe health conditions.
As a recreation worker at the centre’s Scarborough Finch location in Toronto, Izumi Niki organizes different activities in Chinese, Japanese and English, some of which are planned around major holidays such as Lunar New Year.
Izumi Niki is a recreation worker at Yee Hong Centre, a facility that provides Chinese and Japanese residents with culturally appropriate long-term care. Niki helps organize a variety of activities for residents in Chinese, Japanese and English. (HANDOUT / University of Toronto)
Activities can include concerts, during which residents sing songs in their native language, as well as exercising and crafts. Niki will also help residents cook foods they are already familiar with, such as onigiri, which are Japanese rice balls.
These types of experiences are what separate the home from other long-term care facilities, and help to create an increased sense of belonging, Niki said.
“I hear very positive things from the residents, that they are valued and they feel attached because they can see other people who are in a similar situation,” Niki told CTVNews.ca in a telephone interview. “Some of the seniors don’t have a family here, so feeling like a member of society is sometimes difficult.”
Residents at one of Yee Hong's centres celebrate Canada Day. (@yeehongcentre / Instagram)
Niki hopes to see the creation of more facilities such as Yee Hong Centre in the future, to better service members of minority communities.
“We have to cater to the needs of each individual,” said Niki, whose PhD focuses on elder care. “Not feeling isolated (and) feeling like you belong in society is the most important thing when you are aging.”
CTV News is a division of Bell Media, which is part of BCE Inc.
Edited by Mary Nersessian, graphics produced by Jesse Tahirali
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
Within days, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the program across Canada.
A teenage boy arrested along with more than 20 others following a gun battle in Toronto’s West Queen West neighbourhood was wanted in connection with a deadly home invasion in Etobicoke back in April, Toronto police say.
Amazon is targeting retail rivals Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop with a new deeply discounted storefront that sells a wide array of products for US$20 or less.
There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.
The satirical news publication The Onion won the bidding for Alex Jones' Infowars at a bankruptcy auction, backed by families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims whom Jones owes more than US$1 billion in defamation judgments for calling the massacre a hoax.
A California teenager has admitted to making hundreds of swatting calls — hoax emergency calls — over a two-year period, creating 'fear and chaos' when police responded to his false reports of bomb threats and mass shootings at schools, homes and houses of worship, federal prosecutors said.
Two unhoused individuals who were living in tents near the Rogers Centre have been given spaces in a Toronto shelter hotel ahead of six sold-out Taylor Swift concerts that are expected to result in an influx of visitors to the downtown core.
Police say an officer who forcefully removed a 'weapon' from a protester outside of a Hindu temple in Brampton was acting 'within the lawful execution of his duties' after bystander video of the incident circulated widely online.
Ontario is investing up to $21.8 million for wastewater treatment infrastructure in Kemptville, Ont. to support a future jail site in the eastern Ontario community.
An 18-year-old Toronto man is facing charges after allegedly making hundreds of threats towards a medical clinic operating in the Ottawa suburb of Orléans.
A confinement measure with an 800-metre radius is currently in effect in part of Longueuil after a Canadian National Railway (CN) train derailed and spilt an unknown quantity of hydrogen peroxide on Thursday morning.
The president of the union representing workers at the CISSS de Laval (FSSS–CSN) said she was “insulted and dumbfounded” by the news that about 565 positions won’t be filled, with no timeline as to when it will start hiring again.
The Caisse de dépôt is now aiming for fall 2025 for the launch of the Deux-Montagnes and Anse-à-l'Orme branches of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM), while new cost overruns are expected and voluntary interruptions will take place in the coming months.
The director of a democracy watchdog says that if Nova Scotia's electoral officer had more power to levy fines, it would discourage situations such as campaign managers giving Tim Hortons gift cards to voters.
Chad Posthumus, a centre for the Winnipeg Sea Bears, is in critical condition after undergoing surgery for a brain aneurysm, the team announced Thursday.
Regina's projected new city council will consist of eight new members with more than a handful of outgoing councillors not seeking re-election and two incumbents being defeated Wednesday night.
Wednesday, Nov. 13 saw a wave of civic elections across southern Saskatchewan with victories and upsets all over. Here are the preliminary results for some of the smaller urban centres.
Saskatoon voters made their mark on Wednesday, casting ballots in the city's civic election and making history by electing the city's first female mayor. The election also brought fresh faces to the city council.
South Africa's government says it won't help a group of illegal miners inside a closed mine in the country's North West province who have been denied access to basic supplies as part of an official strategy against illegal mining.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
Announcements by police about drug busts may seem routine, but a recent court case in Sudbury shows just how much careful investigation and attention to detail is required.
Firefighters said they ended up with some muddy clothes and water-logged rubber boots, but they’re pleased the story had a happy ending and the dog was rescued without injury.
Just before midnight on Wednesday, firefighters from the Saugeen Reserve Fire Department were called to a blaze at a home near Highway 13 and Edison Circle, near Sauble Beach.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and according to Dynacare Canada, a great time to have the discussion with a healthcare professional about prevention and management of diabetes.
Nick Vassilodimitrakis appeared in a Barrie courtroom Thursday morning by video from a detention centre in London, Ont. where he pleaded guilty to stabbing veteran Barrie police officer Jim Peters.
A woman from B.C.'s Lower Mainland has been handed a $35,000 penalty after admitting she "carried on" as a mortgage broker in the preparation of 10 mortgage applications, despite lacking the necessary registration.
A proposed class-action lawsuit against the Canadian government says Indigenous people removed from their communities and placed in group homes beginning in the 1950s suffered physical, sexual and psychological abuse that "was commonplace, condoned and, arguably, encouraged."
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
The emergency department at South Okanagan General Hospital in Oliver, B.C., will be closed for 31 hours this weekend, the second such closure in a week and the third since the start of November.
Police in Kamloops, B.C., are reminding parents and guardians to check their children's Halloween candy after receiving a report of a mother finding a razor blade in one of her daughter's treats.
An experienced winter hiker and their dog were rescued over the weekend by helicopter in northeastern Ontario after being reported missing from Killarney Provincial Park, police say.
On Thursday morning, Dave Penny officially ended a suggested hundred-day isolation period that followed his diagnosis and stem cell treatment for non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. On Thursday night, Penny returned to a stage at a downtown St. John's bar, regaling a small crowd with songs and stories with a distinctive Newfoundland flair.
A Memorial University scientist says the mysterious white blobs washing up on Newfoundland beaches are actually gobs of plastic -- and they need to be cleaned up.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
Within days, thousands of frontline RCMP officers will be starting their shifts equipped with a body-worn camera, as the national police force begins deploying the program across Canada.
With the cost of living playing a central role in provincial elections across Canada and in the U.S. presidential race, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is set to unveil a pre-campaign policy plank for the next federal election to differentiate his party from the governing Liberals.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to slap an across-the-board tariff of at least 10 per cent on all imports including from Canada is unlikely to apply to Canadian oil, energy experts are predicting.
There are certain phrases that Wachuka Gichohi finds difficult to hear after enduring four years of living with long COVID, marked by debilitating fatigue, pain, panic attacks and other symptoms so severe she feared she would die overnight.
More than 800 million adults have diabetes worldwide – almost twice as many as previous estimates have suggested – and more than half of those aged over 30 who have the condition are not receiving treatment, according to a new study.
It’s more than 100 feet long, at least 300 years old and visible from space. The world’s largest coral has just been discovered in the southwest Pacific Ocean, scientists announced Wednesday.
Apple announced that a new feature, 'Share Item Location,' will help users locate and recover misplaced items by sharing an AirTag location with third parties including airlines.
A group of hotel service workers in Toronto is set to hold a rally today outside the Fairmont Royal York to demand salary increases as hotel costs in the city skyrocket during Taylor Swift’s concerts.
Amid a potential postal worker strike, here’s a look at how many letters and parcels the corporation delivers and how those numbers have changed in the internet age.
Amazon is targeting retail rivals Shein, Temu and TikTok Shop with a new deeply discounted storefront that sells a wide array of products for US$20 or less.
European Union regulators issued their first antitrust fine to Facebook parent Meta on Thursday with a penalty of nearly 800 million euros for what they call 'abusive practices' involving its Marketplace online classified ads business.
A sculpture bought for just £5 (US$6) and used as a doorstop could sell for more than £2.5 million (US$3.2 million) after a Scottish court gave the green light for its sale.
In case you can't get enough of the little pygmy hippo Moo Deng from Thailand, there's now an official song featuring the internet's favourite baby animal — released in four languages for her global fans.
A heavy police presence but few visiting fans are expected when France hosts Israel in Nations League soccer on Thursday, a week after violence erupted in Amsterdam in connection with an Israeli club team's visit.
On Friday, Mike Tyson will don his gloves once again for a professional bout against 27-year-old YouTuber Jake Paul at AT&T Stadium, the home of the Dallas Cowboys, more than 7,000 days since his last professional outing.
Mississauga city council has voted to keep its residential street sports ban in place, meaning hockey and basketball on the road will remain out of bounds.
In part two of a three-part series into how thieves are able to drive off with modern vehicles so easily, CTV W5 correspondent Jon Woodward uses a device flagged by police to easily clone a car key.
When a Tesla crashed on Lakeshore Boulevard in Toronto last month, the first people on scene knew there were occupants inside but couldn't immediately get them out.