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Population Aging and the Maintenance of Social Support Systems*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Frank T. Denton  and
Byron G. Spencer
Frank T. Denton
Affiliation:
McMaster University
Byron G. Spencer
Affiliation:
McMaster University
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Abstract

The baby boom generation is now well into middle age, and over the next few decades will reach old age. As the boom generation grows old the costs of maintaining existing social support systems will rise, and the ability or willingness to sustain those systems has been called into question. In this paper we discuss a number of issues related broadly to population aging in Canada and the associated social “costs,” including the costs of public services. We conclude that while population-related cost increases should be expected, and reallocations of resources required, the overall increases should be of manageable proportions.

Résumé

La génération des baby boomers est maintenant parvenue au milieu de sa vie et atteindra un âge avancé d'ici quelques décades. Les coûts de maintien des systèmes de soutien social actuels augmenteront à mesure que cette génération vieillira et la capacité ou la volonté de les assumer est remise en question. Dans cet article, nous abordons un certain nombre d'enjeux liés étroitement à la question du vieillissement de la population au Canada et aux «coûts» sociaux qui y sont associés, notamment les coûts des services publics. Nous concluons qu'il faut prévoir une augmentation des coûts liés aux services à la population et qu'il y aura lieu de réaffecter les ressources. Toutefois, l'ampleur des augmentations devrait se confiner à des proportions manoeuvrables.

Keywords

Population AgingSocial CostsVieillissement de la populationcoûts sociaux.
Type
Articles
Information
Canadian Journal on Aging / La Revue canadienne du vieillissement , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , Fall/Automne 1997 , pp. 485 - 498
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1997

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