Skaha Lake, Penticton

Canadian Seniors are Active
How do Canadian seniors spend their time? It is not surprising to find that older  Canadian men and women spend more time doing leisure activities than younger Canadians. However, there are different types of leisure activities - passive leisure and active leisure. Passive leisure includes watching television, listening to the radio, driving for pleasure. Active leisure involves a wide variety of activities such as reading, educational activities, attending entertainment events, doing hobbies, using the computer, socializing with friends, travel, and physical recreation.. For Canadian men up to the age of 75, the majority spent more time doing active than passive leisure. For senior women, more time was spent doing active leisure than passive leisure even after the age of 75 years.

Active and Healthy Okanagan Seniors
The most active seniors in Canada live in British Columbia, and the most active seniors in BC live in the Okanagan Valley. Okanagan seniors take advantage of the year round recreational activities, and there are local programs such as the Kickstart Kelowna program which pushes seniors to increase their activity levels. Reid Oddleifson, director of the Kickstart Kelowna program, states that “compared to even five years ago, I see a more active older adult population here. We see a substantial increase in sports like volleyball, softball and drop-in hockey. The older adult of today wants more out of their lives. The (Baby) Boomer’s demand for public recreation facilities will only increase as they are clearly stating that they want more time in our pools, on our trails and in our gyms.” It is widely acknowledged the combination of good genes and an active lifestyle are the key to a long and healthy life. While research is currently trying to identify the genetic base of ageing, there is growing evidence that where and how you live may be a more important factor. Greater evidence shows physical activity can improve memory and cognitive abilities, prevent cognitive decline and potentially help restore brain functions. A healthy diet is also important. The Okanagan Valley is a fruit and vegetable growing region, and many of the newly arrived seniors are from the agricultural regions such as the Canadian Prairies. Sower and grower clubs, greenhouses, and community gardens are extremely popular in the Okanagan towns and cities. The effects of this combination of outdoor exercise and healthy eating is clearly visible. While exploring the Okanagan, visitors will notice there are fewer obese seniors here than in other parts of the country.  As a result of this healthy lifestyle, seniors in the Okanagan are living longer. A 65 year old living in the Okanagan has an average age-adjusting life expectancy of 85 years which is higher than the national average. There is current research being done by UBC-Okanagan College on the active and healthy Okanagan seniors, and how governments can learn from their lifestyles to deal with the growing population of seniors in other parts of Canada.

Sources:
Mary Ann Murphy, "An Okanagan Gerentopia," University of British Columbia Alumni Affairs, Trek Magazine, Issue No. 18, Summer 2007.
Bud Mortenson, "Okanagan Experience May Dispel Aging Time-Bomb Myth," UBC Reports, Vol.53, No. 10, October 4, 2007.
Martin Turcotte and Grant Schellenberg, "A Portrait of Seniors in Canada," Statistics Canada.