PA youth still outnumber seniors

A 2011 StatsCan census of Prince Albert shows seniors comprising 13.5 per cent of the population, well behind the 21 per cent that youth under 14 accounted for.

Prince Albert’s senior population at the time was lower than the national average of 14.8 per cent.

Hunt acknowledged that senior’s groups are growing, and was “an emerging pressure point for our population.”

Balancing the two populations will be one of Hunt’s main goals.

“We need to start thinking of…how do we ensure that our programs will serve the needs of all but also with a focus on that growing senior’s population?”

Increased handicapped parking spots at Victoria Hospital are being examined, as well as improved pick-up and drop-off transit times.

Hunt considered the issues “on our radar screens.”

Growing senior’s populations also increase strain on hospitals as more patients require long term care, decreasing the flow through the hospital.

“The goal is to keep people at home much longer,” said Carol Gregoryk, vice-president of integrated health services for Prince Albert Parkland Health Region.

“People continue to see long term as one of the choices for their care when it should really be your last choice.”

She illustrated her point at the Prince Albert Parkland Regional Health authority (RHA) meeting on Sept. 30 with data from a different health region.

That region analyzed their long term care and concluded that, if aging populations continued to use long term care as they have been, the hospital would be building 100 beds every 18 months until 2033 to accommodate everyone.

“It’s a great place to be when you need it,” Gregoryk continued, “but the idea is you stay at home where you want to be.”

ssterritt@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @spencer_sterrit

by Spencer Sterritt

PA youth still outnumber seniors

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