Aging Issues in Canada

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Discussion
Conclusion
Works Cited

Introduction

Ageing comes with many challenges and if not properly managed, it may turn chaotic. People need to anticipate and plan for ageing for it is inevitable, whether planned for or not. Amongst these challenges are retirement benefits; something that Canada will grapple with in near future if drastic measures are not taken. Older people are mostly depressed; however, there are certain things that could bring satisfaction to this group of important people in society. There have been cases of assisted suicide amongst older people and even other groups of people; however, this has raised several ethical concerns. Nevertheless, death is the ultimate event in one’s life. Death is a psychological event and this is why Kubler-Ross deeply analyses the stages involved in dying process. This paper addresses aging issues running from retirement benefits in Canada, through satisfaction in old people and assisted suicide to Kubler-Ross model for the psychological processes of dying.

Discussion

In contemporary Canada, there is an impeding crisis in senior citizens benefits. The crisis is that the Citizens Benefits might not be in a position to pay every retiree appropriately. This crisis is inevitable for one simple reason; the number of potential retirees will surpass the number of tax-paying workers in the near future. This fact owes it roots to ageing baby boomers. According to Bender, “In about 10 years, Canada may have more people at the age where they can leave the labour force than people at the age where they can begin working” (Para. 4). This means that, the Citizens Benefit would not have enough money to compensate retirees hence the crisis. Unfortunately, there are no many options to obviate this impeding crisis; however, concerned authorities might think of encouraging workers to defer their retirement age. Institutions should consider offering more working hours and come up with restyled pension plans that address the impeding crisis. Older people would also think of investing in private businesses to supplement their retirement benefits.

As aforementioned, depression is a major problem amongst older people; fortunately, there are treatment therapies to deal with this disorder. Commonly used treatment strategies are medication and psychotherapy; they can be used individually or as a combination. The available medicines antidepressants like celexa, prozac, luvox, and paxil among others. On the other side, commonly used psychotherapies are, “cognitive-behavioural therapy, supportive psychotherapy, problem-solving therapy and interpersonal therapy” (Alexopoulos, Katz, Reynolds & Ross 5).

Nevertheless, prevention is better than cure and depression in older people could be prevented by, realizing early symptoms, engaging in support and socialization groups, volunteering in different activities to keep mind busy, exercising, maintaining good diet and finding new hobbies.

If older people continue to work, they would be successful in workplace. Provided these people are healthy, their productivity would remain relatively high and would be satisfactory. Advantages of older adults to employers are that these people have the necessary experience; therefore, employers would not incur expenses in training younger workers. Moreover, older people are mature and they give employers easy time for they know what has to be done, when. However, employers are concerned about older people’s health status hence, productivity. Ailing person cannot perform efficiently and employers fear that these old people may have health problems leading to reduced productivity. If I were an employer, I would hire older people because they have the necessary experience and are easy to deal with courtesy of their maturity.

Determinants of satisfaction amongst the elderly are economic well-being, education, spirituality, and social networks. According to Santrock, Mackenzie-Rivers, Leung, and Malcomson, a 1999 research shows that “elders with high economic well-being, low subjective health status and formal education and connected to social networks reported high levels of life satisfaction” (476). For instance, if an elderly person were not faced with the issue of terminal illness, he/she would be satisfied given the fact that many people are not prepared for death, which looms largely around old age. Moreover, if an individual is economically stable, he/she is not worried about children’s education, or health issues for his/her money takes care of these issues.

Active and passive euthanasia are among the four types of euthanasia. The two differ in that active euthanasia involves “taking specific steps to cause the patient’s death, such as injecting the patient with poison while passive euthanasia is withdrawing medical treatment with the deliberate intention of causing the patient’s death” (Gorman 12). Therefore, whilst passive euthanasia involves withdrawal of medication, active euthanasia involves ‘introduction’ of medication especially overdose. Passive euthanasia involves ‘taking away’ while active euthanasia involves ‘introducing’; nevertheless, the results are the same; death.

Assisted suicide compares strongly with Euthanasia; however, there are several issues surrounding assisted suicide with some people supporting it and others rejecting it. Supporters argue that assisted suicide helps those in need of it and it should be allowed. However, critics say that, “problems are not solved by getting rid of the people to whom the problems happen” (Gorman 14). In summary according to critics of this issue, assisted suicide is murder and to some extent, this move approves murder in society whilst supporters of it argue that assisted murder is a reprieve to those in need of it like the terminally ill.

Kubler-Ross model; commonly known as five stages of grief, expound what people undergo during tragedy or grief. The stages are “denial, anger, bargaining depression, and acceptance” (Kubler-Ross 92). In denial, people deny the fact that they are in the situation they are in and mostly they say, “This can’t be happening, not to me” (Kubler-Ross 93). Unfortunately, denial can neither last nor justify anything and as the reality sets in, the involved people resort to anger, the second stage. In anger, people ask many questions including why should it happen to them and not others. Rage and envy sets in and Kubler-Ross fears that, it may be hard to care for such people, enraged and envious people. In addition, as envy, anger, and resentment continue, these people enter into bargaining stage. Here they hope to postpone their death and they start promising what they would do if they had some few more years to live. Kulber-Ross notes that, these people are saying, “I understand I will die, but if I could just have more time…” (96).

Nevertheless, this does not change the inevitability of death and as this reality sets in, dying people enter into depression; the fourth stage. At this point people become withdrawn and antisocial preferring to spend time alone either crying or grieving. Finally, the final stage, that is, acceptance, sets in. At this point dying people accept that they can do nothing about death and so they give up the fight against it. Acceptance brings with it tranquillity and thoughtfulness. Kubler-Ross calls this stage, “the end of the dying struggle” (109).

Kubler-Ross’ model has come under criticisms and George Bonanno is one of such critics. After 20 years of rigorous study, Bonanno indicates that there is no sufficient information to validate Kubler-Ross’ claims. Moreover, research performed by Yale University shows that some of Kubler-Ross’ arguments are inconsistent. Other people have also written in different journals questioning validity of the five stages of death model. Despite these critics, this model has helped those working with the terminally ill to know how to handle the patients.

Conclusion

Old age brings with it both positive and negative issues. In Canada, an impeding crisis is set to plunge Senior Citizens benefit in to chaos. Due to the large number of baby boomers set to retire in the next few years, the senior citizen benefits would not be in a position to compensate retirees. This is because the number of tax-paying citizens would be lower than the number of retirees depending on this scheme for livelihood. Nevertheless, people may consider prolonging their retirement date and investing in private businesses to avert this crisis. Depression is another problem associated with old age; however, depressants and psychotherapy is used to treat the same. Despite the many problems that come with old age, older people area valuable asset in any workplace due to their rich experience. Research indicates that economic stability measures as one of the satisfaction factors amongst the old people. Old age precedes death and Kubler-Ross gives five stages of dying viz. “denial, anger, bargaining depression, and acceptance” (Kubler-Ross 92). Nevertheless, this model has come under criticism with critics arguing that it lacks sufficient information to substantiate these claims.

Works Cited

Alexopoulos, George, Katz, Ira, Reynolds, Charles, and Ross, Ruth. “Depression in Older People.” Comprehensive Neuroscience, Inc. 2001.

Bender, Rosemary. “Canada is Ageing, Thanks to Baby Boomers.” 2007. Web.

Gorman, Daniel. “Active and passive euthanasia:the cases of Drs. Claudio Alberto de la Rocha and Nancy Morrison. 1998. Web.

Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth. “On Death and Dying.” Britain; Tavistock Publication Services, 1970.

Santrock, John, Mackenzie-Rivers, Anne, Leung, Kwan, and Malcomson, Thomas. “Life-Span Development.” Montreal; McGraw-Hill Ryerson Higher Education, 2005.

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Aging Issues in Canada

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