Housing arrangements of the elderly in Canada

Overview

In this lesson, students interpret data on the housing choices of Canadian seniors.

Contributor: Ann Cunningham, Statistics Canada Support Teacher

Objectives

• To become familiar with Canadian demographic data relevant to the issue of housing choices of the elderly in Canada
• To develop skills in locating and interpreting data, including the ability to analyse Statistics Canada articles, tables, charts and graphs
• To learn to appreciate the factors (social, economic, medical, etc.) involved when Canadian seniors make housing choices

Suggested grade level and subject area

Secondary
Family Studies and Home Economics

Duration: approximately 90 minutes

Vocabulary

Census family - Refers to a married couple (with or without children of either or both spouses), a couple living common-law (with or without children of either or both partners) or a lone parent of any marital status, with at least one child living in the same dwelling. A couple living common-law may be of opposite or same sex. "Children" in a census family include grandchildren living with their grandparent(s) but with no parents present.

Materials

• Access to E-STAT
• Student worksheet
• Reading material from the Resources section.
• User guide for the Search Censuses module

Resources

2006 Article

• Large increase in number of one-person households

2001 Articles

• More seniors living with a spouse, more living alone and fewer living in health care institutions
• Seniors aged 85 and over: More living alone in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, more living in health care institutions in Quebec

Classroom instructions

1. Provide to students:
   1. The student worksheet
   2. Read the selection found under the Resources section.
2. Have the students meet in groups of three or four members, review their questions and answers, and draw conclusions. Have students submit their groups' conclusions.

Evaluation

Mark your students' responses to question 3 in the worksheet using these answers:

1. For those seniors living with relatives, what type of relative do you think this would usually be?
   
   Seniors would probably live with their spouse or children.
2. What province has the highest number of seniors living with relatives, with non relatives. Explain.
   
   Ontario has the highest number of seniors living with relatives.
   Ontario has the highest number of seniors living with non-relatives.
   Answers will vary (e.g., Ontario has the largest number of persons age 65 years and over.)
3. What province has the highest number of seniors living alone. Explain.
   
   Ontario has the highest number of seniors living alone.
   Answers will vary (e.g., Ontario has the largest number of persons age 65 years and over.)
4. Compare the graph and the table. Which format displays the information best?
   
   See Vertical bar graphs in the Power from Data!
5. In Ontario, what percentage of persons 65 years and over belong to a census family? Would you expect this percentage to be higher or lower for those 85 years and over? Why?
   
   

   1,023,005	X 100
   (94,535 + 23,715 + 395,220 + 1,023,005)

   
   
   
   1. =65.6%
   2. You would expect the percentage to be lower. Their spouses are more likely to be deceased for those 85 years and older.
   3. The likelihood of seniors living with members of their immediate family declines sharply in older age groups. Why?
      
      Answers will vary. (e.g., Their spouses are more likely to be deceased. They may need institutional or professional care.)
6. In the coming years, the elderly, who have had fewer children than previously, will not always have children to care for them. Besides the possibilities mentioned here (living with relatives or with friends), what options will they have? What kind of pressures will this situation put on society and government?
   
   Answers will vary. (e.g., They may live by themselves, in institutions, or in non-institutional co-operatives or group homes).
   
   There may be increased demand for (possibly subsidized) places in institutions, seniors' apartments, home care, etc.

Enrichment

In E-STAT, generate other graphs and tables to compare the housing arrangements of the elderly with the housing arrangements of the population in general (making sure that the scales used are the same).

In E-STAT, calculate the percentage of number of elderly persons living with relatives, non-relatives and alone for each province.

Please e-mail comments or examples of how you used this exercise in your class.