Are we ready for the tsunami of aging patients in the health care system?

By Roy Butler, PhD Roy Butler, PhD is the President and CEO at St. Joseph’s Health Care London

For decades we have been preparing for the wave of aging baby boomers expected to flood our health care system. We have built expertise in geriatrics and pathways to care for older adults that focus on their complex needs while enhancing quality of life. But now that the wave is upon us - at a time of great strain on our system - are we ready for the tsunami of patients yet to come?

According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, Canada’s senior population has more than tripled in the last 40 years, a trajectory that continues. Today, one in five people is over age 65, with that number expected to grow to one in four over the next 25 years. Those over 75, a group at higher risk for frailty, is growing at an even faster pace.

Older adults with frailty are those over the age of 65 who are experiencing increased vulnerability from a combination of physical, cognitive, social

Continued from page 25