I’ve been humming the old Anne Murray song to myself a lot lately, because I love her music and because ‘We sure could use a little good news today’. As I write this, we are in a minus 40 deep-freeze, we are mad as hell about world chaos being caused by a single person and we were already tired of dealing with cost of living challenges. The list goes on and on, and then came the results of a Canadian study that shows one in five seniors may be living in poverty.
It’s distressing to consider anyone of any age living in poverty, and this is reportedly the first study that shows data from Canada’s senior demographic. This age group, of course, is who I write about the most. According to a new survey released by the National Institute on Ageing (and reported in The Toronto Star), 14 percent of Canadians 65 and older are living in poverty-level conditions. Data shows the cohort aged 50-64 is most impacted by financial stress – where NIA indicates there may be 29% in this age group experiencing a poverty-level standard of living. And many seniors regardless of finances, are struggling with social isolation and loneliness.
This is a lot – what can be done? I pause for a moment of gratitude that I don’t find myself in those numbers, but clearly many people do. Whenever I have faced struggles in my life, I always feel better when I know I have options. What options are available for aging persons who no longer have time for course-corrections to recover their financial realities? If there are options to continue working, even part time, that is my ideal.
But there are a variety of local options being delivered by caring community neighbours, like the new Community Kitchen initiative in Innisfail. Participants join a registered dietician to cook and eat a meal together, and then take leftovers home for another meal. It is only offered periodically at present, but there may be similar programs where you live. Like the Red Deer Food Bank’s ‘Kitchen 49 Classes’ which offer hands-on, in-person cooking classes to help grow confidence in the kitchen. These types of gatherings also grow a sense of community, which can alleviate social isolation and loneliness that so many people are feeling.
While we’re on the topic of Food Banks, that, of course, is another option. Community shelters, local church programs, organized initiatives – when a person asks for help they may find a whole new community and a whole lot of new options. A great big huge shout out to everyone who makes the choice to share their time, talent and treasure in any way that extends a helping hand to others. Survey numbers tell part of the story, and it’s your actions that fill a stomach and warm a heart and tell the good news part of the story. And we sure could use a little good news today.