In examining the oldest population in the western world it becomes evident that our society's definition for "old age" is in need of a serious update. Traditional retirement and seniors benefits usually begin at the age of 65, and yet it is not uncommon for a person to live an additional 20, or even 30 years, beyond that age. And the difference in health and vitality between a 65-year old and an 80-year old is often enormous (Government of Canada, 2010). According to Baltes & Smith (2003), there are two ways of defining the oldest old population. The first is to draw the line at the age where 50% of the birth cohort are no longer alive; this approximately around 75-80 years of age (Baltes & Smith, 2003). The second way is to recognize that each person, by virtue of their genetics, history and lifestyle, ages differently: a person at the age of 80 can be in better health and contain more inner vitality than another person at the age o...