Posted at 5:00 p.m.
stay active
It’s simple, just refuse physical laziness by taking your car to go to the corner store or pick up your mail, take a golf cart ride on campsites and estates for 55 years and over. Take a walk alone or with friends, it’s not difficult though! Take out your bike to discover the cycle paths; in winter, using crampons under our boots makes hiking easier. Take your grandchildren to the snow sports center and see the joy it gives them. And if you’re in good shape, skating with them is magical.
Louise Atkins, 70
I am 72 years old. I seek to remain useful not only to help my children, my friends, but also to society. I wrote a dozen chronicles on the history of my region. I have been active in walking clubs and volunteer organizations. What fills me is to have become a municipal councilor and a member of the board of directors of the local Caisse Desjardins. I downhill ski, snowshoe and have started skating and cross country skiing again for the first time in 30 years. What makes me happy, fuels me and excites me is chatting with my companions during the lifts at Tremblant. I learn, I exchange, I share, I experience their pleasure and capture their love for this activity.
Pierre Trudel, 72 years old
Contribute to society
I am 69 years old and for me, it is imperative to continue contributing to society thanks to the talents I possess and all the experience acquired over the years. Of course, I want to be able to do it at my own pace, more part-time than full-time, and so far, I see a great opening in my field of expertise. I think that’s a lot of self-evident as well. Living alone, I wish to meet benevolence around me. So, by being benevolent myself with the youngest, I prepare the ground for the time when it will be more difficult for me to meet my needs… It seems that we reap what we sow.
Carole Miville, 69 years old
Work ! This is the best way to keep yourself intellectually stimulated. Maybe not with a full-time job, but ideally a job that will make you feel useful while providing a little extra income to offset inflation.
Benoit Chartrand
By allowing people who so wish to continue to work in exchange for certain advantages: less taxes to pay, fewer hours to work. By giving the less fortunate the means to have decent housing, adequate health care, including a home care service that is better suited to staying in their home for as long as possible. When you reach the threshold of 70 years, these things are important.
Louise Houle
Have access to health care
The priority as we age is health. When health is fine, everything is fine. Having access to health care within a reasonable time would be a good start. Waiting two years for a hip operation, for an 85-year-old suffering martyr, is simply inhumane. This was the case with my mother-in-law, who has just wasted two years of her life waiting and suffering. At 85, you have no time to waste, especially when you are lucky enough to be healthy. I can attest to that, being 81 years old myself. There is still so much more to do for seniors…
Martin-Richard
I am 70 years old and my husband is 73 years old. Our main concern is to enjoy our home as long as possible and to be able to obtain adequate home care when we need it. We are relatively fit and active, but we are starting to feel the effects of aging. We are concerned about failing health care and hope that services will improve. We live in the region (Haute-Gatineau) and we had excellent health services nearby (Maniwaki) before centralization in the Outaouais. Since then, it has been worrying. Let’s hope that services in the regions return to what they were, already the reality of the regions being very different from the major centres. We want to enjoy our life in our home for as long as possible and many of us care about that.
Diane Brazeau, 70, Sainte-Thérèse-de-la-Gatineau
I am 73 years old, and I believe that adding home care would be a solution that would appeal to all aging people. Offering an allowance according to needs could allow this on a large scale, instead of making homes for seniors, we could offer all the services available to live peacefully at home. Some countries offer these services, it would be interesting to know the satisfaction of this clientele. Those who do not want this system could protect themselves from the services offered in residences, RPA, seniors’ homes. To have a choice is to be respected.
Daniele Tessier, 73 years old
help each other
The government should help people who want to come together to live together, in a small community, in order to share the costs of housing and care. Helping each other among friends would ensure that we age according to our values while avoiding isolation. In small personalized housing projects that look like us. An accessible and simple solution.
Maryse Bouchard
Here is my suggestion to help people to age better: it would be a question of developing in each community an elder and teenager pairing. Thus, the young person helps the elder at different times: in the use of technology, by small errands if necessary. As for the young person, he has a sage, a neutral listening to help him on his journey. As a bonus, a beneficial complicity to humanize this society.
Carole Desautels
Have healthy habits
To age better, society should be more aware of nutrition, physical activity and the importance of finding passions. What we do on a daily basis at 40, 50 or 60 will have an impact on how we will age. For the past two years, I’ve been surprised that we haven’t talked about the benefits of walking every day, doing physical activity, eating less fat and less sugar in favor of more fruit and vegetables, and the importance to sleep well. In addition, we have to take care of ourselves through our hobbies, which helps our mental health. These are all elements that can help us age better.
Catia Bergeron 46 years old
I’m 68 and retired. For me, aging well means eating well and doing physical exercise every day. Have regular sleep. For those who have the taste, continue to work, in their own way. Or, volunteer. Be present with our grandchildren as needed. And surround yourself with positive people who love life.
Monique Dufour, 68 years old
I don’t think it’s the responsibility of society. Each person must make efforts to age better. Exercise, eat well, don’t drink too much alcohol, socialize and take care of your cognitive health. This is the key to success!
Josée Beaudoin, 62 years old