Currently, 17.1% of Manitoba’s population is older than 65 (229,000), placing increasingly heavy demands on support systems from health care to housing to transportation to social networks.
Recognizing that we are an aging population has compelled successive provincial and urban governments to invest in age-friendly services and amenities. Rural towns, like Gimli, position themselves as “age friendly.”
But more than labels are required.
Our health services do struggle to keep up, but that is common across Canada and many western countries. Transportation networks increasingly accommodate mobility issues and make to-the-door scheduling a part of the networks. Almost every sidewalk in every Manitoba community now is designed to allow wheelchair inclines and curbs, so that people with walkers, scooters or wheelchairs are able to move about freely.
Legislation also ensures that private facilities, from retail to housing, accommodate disabilities and aging needs.
Tax credits and incentives are offered for people wanting or needing to make their homes or businesses mobility-friendly, but other adaptations for health and aging issues beyond mobility are not evolving as rapidly.
We have a large supply of assisted living, supportive living, nursing homes and independent living facilities for seniors, but more are needed as the population ages.
Winnipeg and most smaller cities in Manitoba continue to develop and maintain good seniors’ facilities, from physical activities like swimming to social clubs and seniors drop-in centres. This improved quality of life for people who are aging in place makes the province a very appealing place to grow older.
https://www.gov.mb.ca/seniors/docs/demographic-profile-older-manitobans-2023-02-22.pdf
https://mb.211.ca/mb-seniors-guide