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 of 65. Unfortunately it is hard to come up with a clear definable measure for this second perspective that would allow researchers to clearly separate the idea of effective age from chronological age. It is for these reasons that my research on the oldest old is particularly interested in the population that is over 75 years old.
Unfortunately the differences between the young old and oldest old are often not reflected in the literature on aging. While there are studies that focus on a population over 75 years of age there are a number of attrition factors that make research on this cohort particularly difficult: the imminence of death, institutionalization, and the prevalence of cognitive decline, physical disability and social isolation to name a few (Kelfve, Thorslund & Lennartsson, 2013). In spite of this, research on the oldest population is more relevant than ever before with the population of Canada set to double within the next 20 years (Statistics Canada, 2016). As the baby boomer population retires and ages, more research is needed in order to properly anticipate and respond to the specific needs and challenges it will encounter, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally.
References
Baltes, P. & Smith, J. 2003. New frontiers in the future of aging: From successful aging of the young old to the dilemmas of the fourth age. Gerontology, Mar/Apr 2003, 49, 123-135. doi: 10.1159/000067946
Government of Canada. 2010. Chapter 3: The Chief Public Health Officer's Report on The State of Public Health in Canada 2010 – The health and well-being of Canadian seniors. Retrieved April 10, 2018 from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/corporate/publications/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/annual-report-on-state-public-health-canada-2010/chapter-3.html#fig3-5.
Kelfve, S., Thorslund, M. & Lennartsson, C. 2013. Sampling and non-response bias on health-outcomes in surveys of the oldest old. European Journal of Ageing, Vol 10, 3, 237-245 doi: 10.1007/s10433-013-0275-7
Statistics Canada. 2016. Research Highlights on Health and Aging. Retrieved April 10, 2018 from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-631-x/11-631-x2016001-eng.htm
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 of 65. Unfortunately it is hard to come up with a clear definable measure for this second perspective that would allow researchers to clearly separate the idea of effective age from chronological age. It is for these reasons that my research on the oldest old is particularly interested in the population that is over 75 years old.
Unfortunately the differences between the young old and oldest old are often not reflected in the literature on aging. While there are studies that focus on a population over 75 years of age there are a number of attrition factors that make research on this cohort particularly difficult: the imminence of death, institutionalization, and the prevalence of cognitive decline, physical disability and social isolation to name a few (Kelfve, Thorslund & Lennartsson, 2013). In spite of this, research on the oldest population is more relevant than ever before with the population of Canada set to double within the next 20 years (Statistics Canada, 2016). As the baby boomer population retires and ages, more research is needed in order to properly anticipate and respond to the specific needs and challenges it will encounter, not only physically but also emotionally and mentally.
References
Baltes, P. & Smith, J. 2003. New frontiers in the future of aging: From successful aging of the young old to the dilemmas of the fourth age. Gerontology, Mar/Apr 2003, 49, 123-135. doi: 10.1159/000067946
Government of Canada. 2010. Chapter 3: The Chief Public Health Officer's Report on The State of Public Health in Canada 2010 – The health and well-being of Canadian seniors. Retrieved April 10, 2018 from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/corporate/publications/chief-public-health-officer-reports-state-public-health-canada/annual-report-on-state-public-health-canada-2010/chapter-3.html#fig3-5.
Kelfve, S., Thorslund, M. & Lennartsson, C. 2013. Sampling and non-response bias on health-outcomes in surveys of the oldest old. European Journal of Ageing, Vol 10, 3, 237-245 doi: 10.1007/s10433-013-0275-7
Statistics Canada. 2016. Research Highlights on Health and Aging. Retrieved April 10, 2018 from http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-631-x/11-631-x2016001-eng.htm
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