Canada’s demographics are undergoing a fundamental change. According to the Government of Canada’s statistics, in 2012, only one in seven Canadians was a senior. By 2030, however, about a quarter of Canadians are expected to fall into that category. This unprecedented shift in our demographics presents new challenges for our country’s health care system and for our customers.
One can easily imagine that as the population ages, a larger proportion of our society will have increasingly complex health care issues. The fundamental problem with this is that it will use up more resources but will also require significantly more engagement from caregivers and a more comprehensive approach to health care information.
The aging population, however, is not ready to rest on their laurels. More and more seniors are continuing to play an active role in the labour force. In fact, between 2000 and 2013 the rate of participation of seniors in the labour force has nearly doubled. While remaining active has many benefits to their physical and mental health, these working seniors will undoubtedly be dealing with complex medical issues. As a business, it is important to understand the needs of your insured employees and provide them with easy access to clear, understandable information.
In the foreseeable future, as the population ages, there will also be more demand placed on caregivers; they may be required to care for the elderly at home, take them to appointments, communicate with their health care team, and so on. Unless resources are in place to support caregivers in these daily responsibilities, a predictable outcome of this will be a loss of productivity in the workplace.
In other words, insurance companies will need to provide their customers with solutions for aging employees and their family members. Those who are elderly and those who are providing care for their aging loved ones need access to effective resources that help them navigate our complex health care system and ensure they have access to the resources they need. In order to remain on the cutting edge of providing health care information and to have a business advantage, it is important to present an understanding to your customers of the needs of an aging society and provide comprehensive and easy-to-understand health information that will supplement or facilitate their use of the health care resources available to them.
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