Canada and other countries are changing the age for public pension eligibility. A policy concern is the welfare of those individuals exiting the labour force before the age of pension eligibility. This study, through the use of the Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics data, addressed early retirements by (a) examining the incomes of those who are not working at near-retirement ages, and (b) examining how these Canadians avoid economic hardship. It found that around three-quarters of those not working have been able to avoid low-income status. Most important for avoiding low income are other family income sources, good health, and employment-related pension income.

This study investigated the reciprocal relationship between parental caregiving and labour force participation to determine whether (1) caregiving related to subsequent employment; (2) employment related to subsequent caregiving; (3) caregiving and labour force participation had a reciprocal relationship across time; and (4) gender differences existed in these relationships. A cross-lagged panel design was applied with structural equation modeling. The study sample included adult children aged 51 or older with living parents or parents-in-law. No reciprocal relationship was found between caregiving and labour force participation, but gender differences were evident. Women caregivers in 2006 were less likely to be working in 2008, whereas employment status was not related to subsequent caregiving. In contrast, men working in 2008 were less likely to be caregiving in 2010, whereas caregiving was not related to subsequent employment status. Findings suggest that gender plays an important role in the relationship between caregiving and labour force participation.

The principal objective of this study, the first of its kind to use this population, is to describe the factor analysis and validity of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale (EAD) among 895 French Canadian seniors living as couples. A confirmatory factor analysis was carried out using structural equation modeling. Results support Spanier’s hierarchical model questionnaire (1976). Results also indicate evidence of validity and reliability satisfactorily set aside for the Affective Expression subscale having a lower Cronbach alpha coefficient. The results also indicate strong validity of the scale according to indices of convergent and discriminant validity. Finally, a discussion is presented addressing considerations to be taken into account for using the questionnaire among older couples.

Cultural adaptation is important to assess; however, most acculturation measures are unidimensional with little psychometric data for older immigrants. This study assessed a bidimensional measure, the Vancouver Index of Acculturation (VIA; Ryder, Alden, & Paulhus, 2000), among 149 (mean age: 73.92 years) Chinese Canadians. Internal consistencies were .84 and .83 for the Mainstream and Heritage subscales respectively, and they were orthogonal. Convergent and discriminant validity were demonstrated by predicted correlations between the VIA subscales and age at immigration, years in Canada, English fluency, and the Belief in Chinese Culture and Values Scale (BCCV; Lai & Chau, 2007). The VIA accounted for significantly more variance in language ability than the BCCV, above and beyond acculturation proxies. Exploratory factor analysis replicated the two-factor structure reported by Ryder et al. (2000). A confirmatory factor analysis indicated poor fit. This study supports a bidimensional model of cultural adaptation among older Chinese Canadians.

Older adults living in residential long-term care or nursing homes have increasingly complex needs, including more dementia than in the past, yet we know little about the unregulated workforce providing care. We surveyed 1,381 care aides in a representative sample of 30 urban nursing homes in the three Canadian Prairie provinces and report demographic, health and well-being, and work-related characteristics. Over 50 per cent of respondents were not born in Canada and did not speak English as their first language. They reported moderately high levels of burnout and a strong sense of their work’s worth. Few respondents reported attending educational sessions. This direct caregiver workforce is poorly understood, has limited training or standards for minimum education, and training varies widely across provinces. Workplace characteristics affecting care aides reflect factors that precipitate burnout in allied health professions, with implications for quality of care, staff health, and staff retention.

Despite Canada’s increasing population of seniors and the varying long-term care (LTC) strategies that provinces have implemented, little research has focused on understanding the extent to which publicly funded residential LTC bed supply varies across provinces, or the factors influencing this variation. Our study involved an analysis in which we examined the association of three select jurisdictional characteristics with LTC bed supply: population age demographics, provincial wealth, and provincial investments in home care. No significant cross-jurisdictional “ecology” or inter-relatedness was found between the variation in LTC bed supply and any of the examined variables. Interprovincial variation in bed supply also did not statistically influence alternate level of care days specific to LTC waits, suggesting that these days were not influenced simply by differences in LTC bed supply and that other provincial-level factors were in play.

Strong evidence has established the medical and health services utilization benefits of home care services for older adults. However, sparse research has been conducted on potential psychosocial benefits. Older adults (65 and over) receiving home care with their needs met are compared with persons who have unmet needs (whether they received home care or not) on three key indicators of quality of life – life satisfaction, loneliness, and perceived life stress. Data are drawn from the 2008–2009 Canadian Community Health Survey respondents who met the study criteria (n = 3,244). Regression analyses showed that older adults who had their home care needs met reported higher levels of life satisfaction, and lower levels of loneliness and perceived life stress, than those with unmet needs, net of co-variates. The results suggest that filling this home care gap would significantly raise quality of life by increasing social and environmental resilience to age in place.

This study examined how patients experience transitions to community from hospitals, inclusive of daily living problems and medical concerns. Analysing qualitative data from interviews with 36 individuals including 17 high-risk older adults with multiple chronic health conditions recently discharged from hospital, and 19 family members who provided the patients with ongoing care, we asked (1) What are the challenges that patients experience in transitioning home from the hospital, and (2) What are the system and policy solutions that can address the challenges these patients experience? Our findings reveal both short- and long-term challenges associated with transitions back home. Short-term challenges include preparing the dwelling for the patient and understanding the organization of care at home. Long-term challenges are associated with practical and emotional concerns. Reflecting on our findings, we suggest that patients’ social needs may be equally important to their medical needs during post-discharge recovery, and we discuss implications for policy.

Research on dementia care continues to develop, yet little attention has been given to the dementia experience in rural, northern communities. This study explored the dementia journey through the viewpoints of health service providers, caregivers, community members, and people living with dementia. The findings highlight the complexity of dementia awareness and understanding. Sound awareness and knowledge of dementia itself, the community services available, as well as of the perspectives of individuals living with dementia and care partners specifically in rural, northern Ontario are fundamental to quality care and support of individuals with dementia. Practical service implications and the need for greater developments with respect to the awareness and understanding of dementia in rural, northern communities are discussed.