Canadian Association of Retired Persons - CARP

One of the most troubling proposals that we face today is the idea of taxing the income from the sale of a primary residence. The Globe & Mail’s contributor, Dr. Paul Kershaw, regularly raises the prospect in his Generation Squeeze columns. Dr. Kershaw’s recent meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau elevates the notion that the burden of providing “generational fairness” should be hoisted onto the shoulders of the boomer generation. READ MORE https://lnkd.in/gyZHkUdV

The Rise of the 80-Plus Worker: A New Chapter in the Workforce Bill VanGorder is not your typical retiree. At 81, he’s still going strong as the Chief Education and Advocacy Officer for CARP. Despite having “retired” four times since turning 65, Bill finds no reason to step away from his work. "I love what I do," he says, "Why would I even consider stopping?" Bill’s story highlights a growing trend: retirement at 65 is no longer the default. In fact, "retirement" itself is evolving. We've covered stories about older workers in our previous articles, and we've even dedicated a section of our website to "Work & Unretirement." But what does it mean to be an "older worker" today? And just how far are people pushing the boundaries of age in the workforce? The Emergence of the 80-Plus Worker Forget 65 or even 70—the 80-plus worker is becoming a recognized and significant part of the labor force. According to Stats Canada, 55,000 Canadians aged 80 and older are still working. While this group makes up only a small percentage of the total workforce, their numbers have grown by almost 20% over the past decade. Most of these older workers are found in professional, managerial, and financial roles. While financial necessity—such as the need to maintain income or the fear of outliving one’s savings—drives some to continue working, the primary motivation seems to be psychological. Many find that staying in the workforce keeps them engaged, productive, and relevant. The SuperAgers: A New Breed of Workers Several celebrity examples of people thriving in their ninth decade: -Margaret Atwood (born in 1939) - At 84, the celebrated author of The Handmaid’s Tale and numerous other works -David Suzuki (born in 1936) - At 88, the environmental activist and scientist -Gordon Lightfoot (born in 1938) - Until his passing in 2023, the legendary folk singer-songwriter was still performing well into his 80s. -Lorne Michaels (born in 1944) - Although not quite over 79 yet, the creator and producer of Saturday Night Live - Harrison Ford (80), starring in the latest *Indiana Jones* movie and two streaming series. - Jane Goodall (89), continuing her work in primatology and conservation. - Warren Buffett (92), serving as chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. The Future Workforce: Age Has No Limit As the number of older workers rises—particularly those aged 75 and up, whose workforce participation is expected to increase by 96% this decade. The rise of the 80-plus worker is a testament to the shifting landscape of retirement and the workforce. As people like Bill VanGorder and others continue to thrive well into their 80s and beyond, it's clear that the concept of aging—and what it means to be a productive member of society—is being redefined. This new chapter in the workforce not only challenges traditional notions of retirement but also offers exciting possibilities for the future.

Proposed Federal Pharmacare Legislation, Bill C-64, Risks Being Rushed Ahead to the Detriment of Seniors and their Families. The Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) supports universal drug coverage for seniors but as the largest seniors and older Canadians advocacy group in Canada, we have concerns that Bill C-64 is not designed for the coverage many of our 225,000 members and their family’s need to cover effective and world class care in 2024. We also have concerns that this approach will leave others, currently funded by workplace plans, behind. CARP believes every Canadian should have access to the medications they need when they need it most. Bill C-64 focuses on providing universal, single payer drug coverage for diabetes medications, devices and supplies. We applaud selecting diabetes as one of the two initial conditions for coverage under Bill C-64. Diabetes management is key to a more effective, well managed healthcare system but the current announced coverage uses federal funds to cover people that already have coverage for these medications through their workplace. In doing so, does not cover the range of medications and supports required by most seniors with diabetes.

The '90s called and they want their adult vaccination programs back Remember the days of rummaging through VHS tapes at Blockbuster or scrambling for change to use the nearest pay phone? Yes, times have changed — but apparently not when it comes to our adult vaccination programs. Did you know that in some cases, we’re still using vaccines first approved several decades ago? Just as we now fire up Netflix when we want to watch a movie or pull out our smart phones when we want to call someone, today’s modern vaccines offer huge leaps in improvement. Many of the newest vaccines are more effective and provide more comprehensive coverage than the ones developed decades ago. It’s crucial that our adult vaccination programs keep pace with this innovation. This will ensure that Canadians have better access to new vaccines such as shingles (herpes zoster), respiratory syncytial virus and pneumococcal disease (pneumonia). That last one — pneumococcal disease — is particularly misunderstood by many seniors and governments. A recent survey conducted by CARP found that only about half of the people surveyed knew how serious pneumococcal disease is. Aside from the devastation it causes to individuals and families, it also represents a massive strain on the health system. To put things in perspective, a study found each hospitalization costing over $12,500. Even those who didn’t need hospitalization cost the system an average of almost $1,600. However, vaccination rates are not where they should be to ensure Canadians and their health systems get maximum benefit. For example, only about half of Canadians aged 65 and over are vaccinated against pneumococcal disease. We need to ensure greater vaccine coverage through better communication to inform people about the value and safety of vaccines. We also need to update our tools. Free public adult vaccination programs of most provinces only provide pneumococcal vaccines approved for use decades ago. The National Immunization Strategy is also over 20 years old and though it’s been refined since then, it hasn’t received a major funding infusion for two decades. These programs and the national strategy should keep up with the latest technology approved and recommended in Canada. Some of the newer vaccines offer more comprehensive protection and were specifically developed for the older adult population. While we’ve come a long way from VHS tapes and pay phones, it’s essential that our health systems keep pace with advancements in medicine. Canadian governments need to invest to update adult public vaccination programs. CARP’s recent survey showed that 90%+ of respondents support this. It’s time to bring adult vaccination programs back into the 21st century. The cost of inaction — to individuals, families, and health systems — is too great. — Bill VanGorder is the Chief Advocacy and Education Officer of CARP. See full Op-Ed in the Toronto, Winnipeg and Ottawa Sun here: https://lnkd.in/eRc4EMWx

Canadians need better Pharmacare, not a top-down plan from Ottawa Earlier this month, the federal government unveiled Bill C-64, its long-awaited pharmacare legislation. The new bill lays out a plan for the government to work with provinces and territories to provide “universal, single-payer, first-dollar coverage” for a number of contraception and diabetes medications. However, if this is the beginning of a federal program that replaces existing drug plans, the question remains: will this approach give us better access to medicines? Here’s the short answer: It won’t. In fact, we’ll pay more, get less, and wait longer. The problem is that a single public program will inevitably make it harder for Canadians to access many of the newest and most effective treatments. Public drug plans are notoriously slow at covering new drugs. In fact, Canadians on public plans wait about three times longer to access new medicines than those with private coverage. See more here https://lnkd.in/gRWJVuhw

Today is NATIONAL CAREGIVERS DAY. We all know it is difficult - but the new Stats Canada data shows how heavily it weighs on those who provide the care.

Moving Seniors Safely...The Canadian Association of Movers (CAM) and the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) are pleased to present Moving Seniors Safely to raise awareness and set seniors up for success with moving. Register for the Mar 27th Webinar (see times below) https://lnkd.in/eAr_eCRy The program aims to equip seniors to be proactive and safe throughout the moving trajectory: from researching future living options, communicating with loved ones about preferences, decluttering and organizing, packing up, and finally ensuring a reliable moving company is secured and potential scams avoided. Register now Here: https://lnkd.in/e_kWnB-u... to watch our Moving Seniors Safely webinar led by CAM and CARP on March 27 at 11 am Pacific, 12 noon Central. 1pm Eastern, 2pm Atantic, 2:30 in Nfld. Some of the information focuses on moving scams that trick seniors into giving money upfront to seemingly reputable moving companies, which ultimately hold shipments hostage for outrageous sums of money.

Moving Seniors Safely...The Canadian Association of Movers (CAM) and the Canadian Association of Retired Persons (CARP) are pleased to present Moving Seniors Safely to raise awareness and set seniors up for success with moving. Register for the Mar 27th Webinar (see times below) https://lnkd.in/eAr_eCRy The program aims to equip seniors to be proactive and safe throughout the moving trajectory: from researching future living options, communicating with loved ones about preferences, decluttering and organizing, packing up, and finally ensuring a reliable moving company is secured and potential scams avoided. Register now Here: https://lnkd.in/e_kWnB-u... to watch our Moving Seniors Safely webinar led by CAM and CARP on March 27 at 11 am Pacific, 12 noon Central. 1pm Eastern, 2pm Atantic, 2:30 in Nfld. Some of the information focuses on moving scams that trick seniors into giving money upfront to seemingly reputable moving companies, which ultimately hold shipments hostage for outrageous sums of money.

After years of CARP Manitoba volunteer advocacy, the new Premier agreed to legislate a Seniors Advocate; Manitoba PC's are blocking the bill in the assembly. Manitoba Seniors will have their Advocate - and these delays only hurt the most vulnerable of them.

CARP in the News https://lnkd.in/gjuiqBtc