The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
It's no secret that our community is aging, but sometimes harsh realities fail to sink in until you see them in black and white. That's what happened for many readers Monday when The Reminder, quoting Statistics Canada figures, reported that nearly one in three Flin Flonners is 50 or older. Despite a resurgence of sorts in the last couple of years, ours is a populace based largely around baby boomers, the youngest of whom turn 43 this year and the oldest of whom turn 61. And there are virtually twice as many residents 40 and up than there are aged 19 or younger - 51 per cent versus 26 per cent. The facts are plain for all to see. Now the question is, what does our greying populace mean for the future? For our city and town councillors, it means continuing to work with governments and the private sector to bring more seniors housing to fruition. They've already had success in that regard, but clearly the need has not stagnated. As of last week, the complex to be built behind the Aqua Centre had 27 interested occupants - more than its dozen suites will accommodate. And that number is only going to increase as today's 40- and 50-somethings become tomorrow's senior citizens. Our elected officials, both present and future, must keep this fact at the forefront of their agendas. For our health authorities, the aging population means planning ahead to a time when perhaps more staff, specialized equipment and care facilities will be needed. In the next decade alone, Flin Flon, Creighton and Denare Beach will see another 1,235 citizens reach the age of 65. This stands to increase the demand on a wide range of health care services based both in and outside the hospital. Finally, for our provincial governments, the new Statistics Canada data means moving at a non-government-like pace in addressing seniors' issues. When the Hemlock seniors apartments burned to the ground in 2002, for instance, it took the Manitoba government well over three years to rebuild and reopen the complex. Such a drawn-out timetable (do you think that would ever happen in Winnipeg?) wasn't acceptable then, and it is far less acceptable now and looking ahead with more elderly people calling our communities home. The provinces would also be well advised to lessen the burden of medical travel on our seniors. Those torturous 14-hour bus rides to Winnipeg take their toll and should be avoided at all costs. Of course we cannot enjoy every specialized health service in a small community, but surely we can do better than the status quo. Thanks to Statistics Canada, government officials at all levels now know the challenges facing Flin Flon. There is now no excuse for them to act accordingly in the coming years. Local Angle runs Fridays.
