Bookkeeping pertains to the recording of financial flow within the company or organization. Those who are heavily involved in business administration (learn more: business administration job descriptions) can greatly appreciate this as it will be able to display, in the form of reports, financial statements as well as reports on sales, purchases, inventory flow, and the like. All transactions within the company are recorded and monitored, and reports based off these transactions are generally given to top management for decision making purposes. Tax reports are also done by bookkeepers especially when income tax filing and other government mandated document submissions are required. Find plenty of career information at www.bookkeepersalarydata.com.

Insurance agents, on the other hand, are ones that sell policies that cover a variety of different things. These can range from life insurance, fire protection, to protection against lost of valuables such as jewelry, vehicles, and other items. Here is a link to a great site that clearly outlines the career. Clients would pay premiums and they would be eligible for payments should they get sick, pass away, or have their insured items destroyed or stolen within the time frame specified within the policy. However, people who would like to have themselves or their homes or other belongings insured should make sure to read the fine print of their policies to make sure which situations are covered and which are not.

Investors or stock brokers are people who will handle your money and invest them in a variety of areas, whether it be in funds, stocks, or foreign currency exchange. This, however, can come out as a type of gamble depending on the current economic trends and the decisions made by both you and your broker. While some have made quite a lot of money with these types of services, many have also experienced small fluctuations in their earnings while some have also lost a huge amount of money. Stock Broker Salary Data is the best resource we could find on the career. Among other financial services, going into investments or stocks would be the riskiest, as there are no sure gains and there is also a potential for big losses despite having also the possibility of high rewards. Investment banking is another similar field. See this guide for more details.

Financial advisers, in turn, are advisers that will provide you with information as to where it would be more profitable for you to place your money without taking any risk. Unlike brokers, they do not take commissions from your earnings but are instead paid periodically (source). Of course, financial advisers are people, too, and they can make mistakes, and the downside of this is that they would still get paid even if they provided you with advice that you followed and caused you to lose money. Thus, it is important to listen to their advice while still being able to make up your mind in specific matters as well.
Lastly, retirement planners are for those who are reaching retirement age or would like to plan ahead for the future. This type of service encompass several areas such as stocks, insurance, and even time deposits. This ensures that those who have retired would be able to live comfortably even when they no longer have a large source of income due to employment. www.AverageRetirementSavingsGuide.com reports that the average person between the ages of 55 and 64 only has $56,000 saved up for retirement. This is not even close to enough to maintain a comfortable quality of life. Be sure you’re on the right track – ask your advisor.

Getting the services of financial service providers is a great way to make your money work for you, as it typically earns a lot more as compared to having your money sit in the bank. However, these types of transactions always have their risks, so make sure that you take your money to trustworthy individuals that have your best interests in mind. Also, it is important to have your money handled by people and companies that are truly competent in their respective fields, with years of experience and a lot of positive feedback from satisfied customers.

Earning money is difficult, and entrusting them to just anyone is something that no sane person would ever do. Luckily, there are financial service providers that will able to make your money work for you, and with the right person by your side, you would be able to reap a good sized profit without lifting a finger, and all you need is a little bit of research, trust, and knowledge in order to be able to live a comfortable life financially.

You can research on the different types of financial service providers, and you can see as to which one you would be more comfortable with. This, of course, is not a very easy decision to make. Be able to weigh out the pros and cons of each decision, and hire financial service providers that you can trust with your money and savings. You should also be able to balance out all the risks involved, along with the rewards that it entails. You should always be comfortable with where you are placing your money, and good financial service providers will be able to give you that sense of security that you are looking for.

But with cost concerns, people usually reverted to smaller vehicles backed by smaller brands; and though these cars required lesser fuel to be put into the vehicles, the repair and maintenance costs more than compensated for the savings.

Meanwhile as the demands of the average consumers swayed from here to there, the top vehicle manufacturers infused ground breaking technologies and lighter materials in the production of their cars which enabled them to produce vehicles that were not only very reliable and compact, but fuel efficient too. With enhanced bodily designs, the compact vehicles have a lot more space inside although the outsides might be a bit misleading. But that is the core beauty of it; the vehicles look very compact and small, yet they are quite spacious inside. And with a lighter body and a stronger engine, they have improved torque yet efficient when it comes to fuel consumption.

One is likely to find a fuel efficient and compact vehicle from all of the top reliable automobile brands. Below are listed, some of the vehicles which have proven to be some of the best compact and fuel efficient vehicles from the leading names.

The Toyota Prius (51/48 mpg) and the Toyota Prius V (44/40 mpg) are some of the most fuel efficient cars on the market right now. Giving more miles per gallon, these are some of the most luxurious and spacious compact vehicles. The Mitsubishi I (126/99 mpg) and the Nissan Leaf (106/92 mpg) are two of the very compact-sized and fuel efficient cars. Chevrolet Volt (58/62 mpg), Honda Civic Hybrid (44/44 mpg), Lexus CT200h (43/40 mpg) and Mazda 3 are few of the other examples of compact and fuel efficient vehicles.

Whereas most of these cars do give some of the best mileage for a gallon, they are not quite the stuff that some consumers are looking for. For consumers who feel safer in a slightly larger vehicle than the typical sedan or hatchback but who still want their vehicles to be fuel efficient, the modern midsize and compact SUVs are the best as they have plenty of cargo space and 7 passengers or more. See car & SUV reviews at www.7passengervehicleszone.com for reviews of these kinds of vehicles. They are perfect for those people who still haven’t quite gotten over the era when large trucks and vehicles reigned supreme. For more of the best small SUVs on the market, check out these MPG and price comparisons.

Midsize SUVs get the best of both worlds. They are compact, yet spacious from inside. In fact some of the SUVs have an optional 3rd row of seating at the back which increases the seating capacity. They offer easy handling on different terrains besides being easy to maintain. See this complete list of family sized SUVs if you’re interested in a midsize SUV that offers 3 rows. The reliable brands offer the convenience of little amount of transmission maintenance (read more: when to replace transmission fluid?) The following are some of the most compact, reliable and fuel efficient ones.

• The Ford Escape Hybrid giving an average of 32 mpg combined (city and highway).
• Lexus RX 450h producing 30 mpg combined.
• Mazda CX-5 giving 30 mpg on the average, combined.
• Nissan Juke – 29 mpg, combined.
• Toyota Highlander Hybrid giving 28 mpg within city and 28 mpg on the highway.
• Mitsubishi Outlander Sport producing 27 mpg on the average.
• Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equinox and GMC Terrain, all giving 26 mpg combined.

Preventative Maintenance

Taking your car in for its regular oil change is the first step in keeping it running smoothly. At this time the mechanic should check the tire pressure, the gaskets, the air filters and the spark plugs. This gives you a baseline for how your car is running. Oil change coupons offer you a savings on this standard repair and can save you money time and time again by making each a cheap oil change. You should also check your new car financing contract as sometimes it includes preventative maintenance requirements or benefits. That said, be sure you fully understand how 0% financing on new cars works as it is typically only a good deal for those with a high credit score and those that can put plenty of money down on the car.

Windshield replacement and repair is another place where you can save money (further reading: where to get a windshield replaced?) Repairing a chip can keep you from having to pay for the whole windshield replacement. Wheel alignments are also important for keeping your car running correctly. Out of balance tires not only ruins your gas mileage but can put undo stress on your axles according to WheelAlignmentCostData.com. This can cause uneven wear on the tires as well, another expensive replacement cost that can be easily avoided.

Doing Some Work Yourself

As with anything else, doing the work yourself can save you money in exchange for your time. Changing your oil, replacing your brake pads, replacing filters and even auto window tinting (read more: how much is window tinting?) can keep you from having to pay a mechanic to do these things. Your car paint job can even be touched up by you which will save you the money reported by www.carpaintjobcost.net. This type work might not seem like much but it adds up over time, particularly if you are working on more than one car.

Taking a class is a good way to learn more about your automobile and might even give you access to tools you don’t readily have at home. This is often how people start out down the car hobby road. It can be very fun to work on a vehicle, especially if your day job is in an office. There is something cathartic about working on an engine and figuring out problems on your own in a very hands-on way. All of this works as therapy for you and saves you time at the mechanic’s shop. You don’t have to turn in your car and you don’t have to pay for a rental. It can be a real win-win situation.

Building a Relationship with a Mechanic

You should also work on building a relationship with a mechanic. Mechanics like to know they have won over your business. If they can count on you to bring them cars, they can afford to charge you less when you are a regular customer. They need to have a steady flow of work to pay the bills and keeping regular customers happy helps ensure this. It also means they have a vested interest in keeping you happy.

Mechanics often get work through recommendations. They want you to like them and they want you to tell your friends about them. The more people you tell about their services, the more valued a customer you will become. Some mechanics offer particular discounts, will give free estimates or even run diagnostics without having you pay. All of this adds up over time and saves you money each and every year. Such savings can then be extended to other vehicles and you can even get the advice of your mechanic as to what new car you may want to buy next or even check out a great used car.

Saving money on car maintenance is a great way to lower your household bills. Often there are times where it seems that you don’t have enough time to keep up with all the small items, but that can cost you in the long run. Making sure to keep up with preventative maintenance will help you save money and will keep your car working on a regular basis. The smallest things can make a difference and keeping good records of your car’s service will help you stay on top of all the required maintenance. Don’t ignore scheduled service calls, stay on top of the recommendations of the manufacturer and get things tested immediately if they start to go wrong. All of these simple steps will keep your repair bills low while keep your car in perfect working order.

These improvements can pertain to your home, or even to your own body. These can be superficial in nature such as buying new clothes or shoes, or maybe purchasing some new appliances for the living room such as a nice Plasma TV or a sound system. Still, some investments have more impact than others, so here are some ways by which you can invest in yourself as well as your home, giving you more bang for your buck in the process.

The kitchen is where you would be spending most of your time, especially when you have a large family to feed. Thus, it would be great if your kitchen is as functional as possible, without being an eyesore. With this, kitchen remodeling is one of the best things that you can do within your home’s interior, as this can greatly beautify your kitchen while providing some great functionality that will make cooking and preparing meals faster (complete guide). This may include the installation of classy yet very resilient granite countertops, the repair or re-installation of cabinets or cupboards for extra storage space, or the purchasing of new food processing equipment which would greatly but back on food preparation time. For all of these installations, it is very important that you spend a lot of time finding the right installer.

Another way that you can invest in your home is to install vinyl sidings and solar panels. Vinyl siding is a great alternative to wood or aluminum cladding, and is currently the most popular type of weatherproofing material used in the country (read more: how much is vinyl siding?). Solar panels, on the other hand, are cells that use sunlight to generate and store electricity. This is a good way to promote a green environment, and it will also help you save on expenses in the long run due to its ability to minimize energy costs. See this payback period breakdown to determine for yourself if solar panels are worth the investment.

With regards to yourself, you can invest money in leading a healthy lifestyle. As they say, health is wealth, and having a healthy body is worth so much more than any fortune. With this, invest in a good healthcare program, and have regular checkups such as eye exams (read more: when to have an eye exam), dental exams and complete physicals and blood work. This would ensure that you are always healthy and that you would be able to detect any problems with your body and cure it before it gets any worse.

Of course, looking good along with feeling good does not hurt as well. Procedures such as mole removal and dental implants are fast becoming cheap and easy operations, and these would come a long way in improving your looks, boosting your confidence and self-image.

There are a variety of other ways that you can improve on yourself as well as your home. Still, it would be wise to not just spend your money the first chance that you can get. Always look for the best supplier or professional to do the required works for you, and do not be afraid or embarrassed to haggle so that you would be able to get the most out of your money. A few minutes worth of research can go a long way towards spelling the difference between a beautiful home or smile and a disastrous job done haphazardly.
If you have the extra money to spend, then do not hesitate to invest in yourself or in your home. These are just some of the few things that will stay with you all throughout your life, so they deserve nothing but the best of care and protection. This is why it’s important to do some research to find great online resources that explain the process and what to watch out for as well as how much the procedure should cost. For example, Dental Implant Cost Guide. Whether your investment would be something ornamental such as granite countertops or dental implants, or even functional such as solar panels or eye exams, always think that these are great investments that will provide you with better years of living ahead.

As you would any type of investment, find the best possible professional that would help you out with your needs. Find the best possible specialist for mole removal (full details), and get the service of a reputable contractor for vinyl siding installations. Not only will you get the best value for your money, but you will also be assured that the work done is of top notch quality. Only then will you be certain that your investments will truly work for you, and you shouldn’t settle for anything less. Earning money is very difficult, especially in these trying times, and if you are to choose to invest in your home as well as in yourself, then you should choose nothing but the best, and only the best.

Dental braces for the elderly
In bygone days, it was very common for large numbers of people to lose most, if not all, of their teeth by the time they got quite old. For this reason, dentures were typically the order of the day for senior citizens, and orthodontic work being performed on the older generation was virtually unheard of. Nowadays, that has all changed, and large numbers of elderly folks who still have a decent set of teeth are looking to keep them in a healthy state for as long as they possibly can, and even to enhance their appearance if they get the chance!

Teeth do move around somewhat over time, and this phenomenon can be exacerbated when a nearby tooth is extracted. Consequently, older people who have had a few teeth taken out in the past may find the remaining ones shift around a bunch as time goes by. In the past, when this happened, many people thought the only option they had was to grin and bear it, but now awareness of the benefits of orthodontics is definitely on the uptick.

Contrary to what was traditionally believed, there is every reason to make the most of your appearance, even when you are quite advanced in years. You may not win any beauty contests, but is it not a reasonable expectation that you should still have the option of showing a decent row of teeth when you break into a grin? The good news is that, even if your teeth as they stand are rather on the irregular side, a dental brace can definitely turn things around. It is never too late to reap the rewards of orthodontic dentistry.

Even just a few years ago, dental braces were rather unsightly things. While they could work wonders in improving the positioning and orientation of irregular teeth, the braces of yesteryear were not themselves especially pleasing to the eye. Constructed from metal and wire, sometimes augmented with high precision elastic and rubber bands, they did nobody any favors, particularly in view of the fact that they were typically required to be worn for upwards of three years at a stretch. More about dental elastics at http://www.rubberbandsforbraceshq.com.

While there is no dodging the period for wearing a dental brace, it is fair to say that the appliances themselves have improved somewhat in appearance. It is common now to see dental braces that are made from white ceramic material, which blends in with the color of the teeth much better than shiny metallic wire. For traditional braces, grey rubber bands are typically chosen if the wearer wants their braces to blend in with their teeth, but there are a wide variety of colors to choose from and kids often take advantage of having colored braces.

Cost issues with dental braces
To be fair, not all old folks will have the financial resources to pay for dental braces. Those who are living on a very limited day to day budget may just have to give up on the idea of perfecting their smile, as orthodontic work is not cheap. In fact, treatment is around $5,000 on average. However, it should be noted that attractive deals are often available if you shop around. Some people make the mistake of signing contracts to have dental braces fitted without first checking to see if they could have got a much better deal somewhere else. This is definitely something to be avoided, as prices are quite variable across the board for basically the same work, so the deals are out there if you only take the time to look for them. Read more: how much are braces?

Postural and tennis elbow braces for the elderly
Posture is something that definitely becomes a problem for many older people. They have a marked tendency to stoop and slouch, having developed bad postural habits over a lifetime. Bad posture not only looks unattractive but it also leads to chronic back and neck pain. Luckily, posture braces can be very helpful in combating these problems. The back brace for posture is worn on the body like a corset and it forces wearers to stop slouching and slumping. The brace will train you to improve your posture in a way that voluntary gymnasium exercises can rarely do. Exercises can always be skipped or dodged, whereas the corset forces you to do things the right way.

The same is true with tennis elbow braces. These arm-worn devices are a superb way of fighting the pain of tennis elbow according to www.tenniselbowbracehelp.com. Once again, they train you to move your arms and wrists in the correct manner and as such they are invaluable for the elderly, or indeed for anyone.

The term baby boomers is used to describe the sudden boom in babies or birth rates seen during this period. This was an era when war veterans returned to their homes and they were forced to assimilate. To help in their integration process, the governments of different nations passed various bills and reforms which made home ownership, higher education very accessible to the majority of the class. Loans with either little or no interest were easily made available to people and this led to a boom in the financial, social and domestic sector.

Millions of people got married and most of them started their families within months of their marriage. As life was simple, jobs were plentiful, families and the nation as a whole thrived. The average number of babies that were born to a family during these years was around 3.5. The population grew by millions during this post war era and therefore this generation is known as baby boomers.

Now, six decades later, the wave is nearing its retirement or old age and with old age, the health concerns are also on the rise. They make up around 78 million citizens in the United States alone. Although the boomers who are aged 65 and older only make up 12% of the total population of the country, they still account for the greatest number of people who are admitted to hospitals (35%), nursing homes (90%) and clinics or are brought into emergency response centers (38%).

The aging baby boomers make up the majority of people who require the medical care/attention. Including the youngest to the oldest of baby boomers, they together make up around 28% of the total population. 60% of these are diagnosed with chronic medical condition which requires individual medical attention. With these figures, it is evident that the healthcare industry is soon going to face a shortage of healthcare service providers especially in the nursing sector as the nurse to patient ration continuously drops.

The aging citizens require individual nursing assistance; which means that whether the nurses are employed at their own home or the nursing home, there has to be a nurse available for every old individual (in most cases). This, coupled with the fact that majority of the nursing workforce actually is from the baby boomer generation brings forth an intensified demand for Licensed Vocational Nurses. More information here.

The shortage of nursing and other medical care providing staff has led to an increase in employment opportunities in the health care sector. Almost 200 jobs in the different healthcare departments pop up every 10 days and the main reason owing to this boom in healthcare employment is the massive population that is nearing the retirement age.

More and more of the aged baby boomer population have been diagnosed with chronic medical conditions ranging from diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, hypertension among others. All of these conditions require constant monitoring, check up and treatment. A massage therapist and physical therapist can often prove to be quite indispensable in providing relief to the patients from the pain and restricted movements. Both of these specialists work with the muscles of the patient to either assist them in movements or to provide relief from muscular pain. For more information about what these professionals are responsible for, check out http://www.masseusesalary.net or http://www.physicaltherapistsalarydata.net.

In fact the ageing boomers have also built up many employment opportunities for the health information technician, dental hygienists, dietitians and medical laboratory technicians. The medical records technicians have an important role to play in any health care institute as they have to manage all the old and new records of the patients in both physical filing systems and computers. Similarly, the aging citizens require constant advice from service providers as dietitians and dental hygienists who guide the patients about proper diet and oral hygiene respectively. More about the career at DentalHygienistSalaryHQ.net.

The Industrial Revolution carried a groundswell of technological improvements, an upsurge of new machines, steam power, textiles, metallurgy, and communications, not to mention the strides in transportation. The rate of growth of techniques, new gadgets and products that were introduced through this last century has effortlessly exceeded those that were introduced during the Industrial Revolution. As a result, the access that we now have to the high-tech and low-tech industry would have been nearly impossible for great-grandparents, heck, even today’s grandparents to envision.

Some of the technological developments we have today include robots, machinery that is computer-assisted, several innovative technologies in communication, not to mention the Internet. In addition to that, we have a revolutionary breakthrough of medical technology and drugs. We have superior refrigerators, plumbing, less-expensive and better-lighting, television, radio, ground travel and air travel. We have seen a significant increase in culinary and entertainment options. The influence of these and other technologies goes far beyond production reorganization – it saturates every facet of our societal lives.

Predicting the Future

While trying to predict the future as far as high and low-tech careers are concerned is hardly possible. However, judging from the tremendous advances over the last decade can help give us some indication as to what we may expect.

Much of the future of specific technologies, from factory workers being replaced by robots, the possibility of fully automated cars, to new drugs, can be discussed. But, overall, the part of high-tech and low-tech jobs should be clear: there is good evidence that the growth of technological innovations will continue to skyrocket. There are millions of concepts that can be re-introduced into new products and processes, however, each invention presents new problems and unlocks the path for even more innovations.

Think of how social media, tablets and smart phones have shaped new businesses, which are centered on developing submissions for these stages. There is little evidence that the high-tech and low-tech world that we live in now has suddenly satisfied people’s basic needs that there won’t be room for more technology to make our lives easier or maybe improve our lives. There are very few persons who saw the 70’s would ever have predicted our present need for social networking, the Internet, mobile communication – all stemming from breakthroughs in technology.

We can expect that more technology and machines will carry out more of the routine tasks of everyday life and will perform more manual labor. However, change in technology has not diminished the demand for labor for all low-skilled and medium-skilled labor. Studies and research have shown that the demand for employment of several service occupations that involves technology in health-care, personal care and food preparation has increased. Workers in these areas could expect to command increased pay because the trends will probably continue given the fact that the underlying technology will likely grow.

The Best Occupations for Your Grandchildren

Grandparents who are armed with this information, in addition to researching many more of future projection concerning occupations, should be safe in suggesting the following occupations:

Electrical Engineering: If, as a grandparent, you notice any of your grandchildren has talents in the area of math, understands high-tech and has the ability to solve problems, you should suggest this. This is an occupation where workers design better and newer electronics. They also solve problems and test equipment. An engineer designs parts of the electronic devices and designs the circuits. www.electricalengineersalary.net has all the information you need about the career of an electrical engineer.

Diesel Mechanic: If your grandchildren enjoy repairing broken items, you might suggest being a diesel mechanic as an occupation. Diesel mechanics repair, inspect, overhaul trucks, buses and anything that uses or is equipped with a diesel engine. More about the career at this excellent website, DieselMechanicSalaryData.

Automotive Engineering: This is a great and challenging career for grandparents to suggest. Automotive engineers examine the principles of operations of hydraulic, mechanical, electronic systems and electrical systems of automobiles. If your grandchild loves to explore how things function, this is a great career suggestion. If you know someone who is interested in this field, tell them they can find the best schools at www.topautomotiveengineeringschools.com

Engineering internship opportunities are another great opportunity for those taking a degree in engineering. Help your grandchildren keep an eye out for engineering internship opportunities where they can receive on-the-job experience with unlimited occupational careers.

Graphic Design: If your grandchildren like to draw wonderful pieces of art on the walls or paper, a career in graphic design might be the perfect choice. Graphic designers work with painted, drawn, computer-generated items or photographs. They also design TV ads, letters that entail a variety of typefaces that are seen in movie credits and a myriad of other projects. Graphic design is a process that creates and combines technology and art. Here is the link if you would like to learn more about the education requirements and salary statistics of this career.

Truck Driver: This is a good occupation for those whose lifestyle would be able to center on being gone for days at a time, spending time alone and enjoying travel. Resource: Truck Driver Salary Guide

Last but not least, grandparents can always suggest, “Go web, kids, go web.”

In 1998, there were an estimated 3.7 million Canadians aged 65 and over, up 57% from 2.4 million in 1981. In marked contrast, the population in age ranges under age 65 grew by less than 20% in the same period. In 1998, seniors made up 12% of the total population, up from 10% in 1981 and 8% in 1971. The current figure is more than twice that of 1921, when only 5% of Canadians were aged 65 and over.

The senior population will grow even more rapidly during the next several decades, particularly when baby boomers begin turning sixty-five. Statistics Canada has projected that by 2016, 16% of all Canadians will be aged 65 and over, a population numbering almost 6 million. The senior population that has reached old age is also growing. About one in 10 Canadians was aged 85 and over in the mid 1990s compared with about one in 20 earlier in the 20th century.

The population of older people will grow partly because baby boomers are aging, but also because people are living longer. The remaining life expectancy of Canadian seniors has increased substantially over the course of the 20th century. Backbreaking work, infectious diseases and accidents which once carried people off at younger ages are no longer as prevalent as they once were, and modern medicine has enabled people to live many more years than their parents or grandparents. What is increasingly important, therefore, is the quality and security with which people can live out the remainder of their lives.

The Elderly and Health

The National Advisory Council on Aging described Canada’s health care system as institution-based, high-technology and cure-oriented. NACA pointed out that seniors’ health care needs, in contrast, are typically long-term and chronic. It proposed, therefore, that seniors require holistic care and multi-dimensional support, and that, as much as possible, care should be provided by community-based organizations in co-ordination with the institutional and informal sectors.Except for a small proportion of people, seniors, including the elderly, can live at home, but they must have reliable health and social support systems. Such systems are needed because over 80% of the population aged 65 and over living at home has been diagnosed as having a chronic health condition. Over 40% of people aged 65 and over living at home have arthritis and rheumatism. Over 30% have high blood pressure, 22% have food or other allergies, 17% have back problems, 16% have chronic heart problems, 15% have cataracts, and 10% have diabetes. Many also have a number of other health problems — chronic bronchitis or emphysema, asthma, urinary incontinence, sinusitis, ulcers, glaucoma, migraine headaches, Alzheimer’s, or the effects of a stroke. Many seniors experience chronic pain or discomfort.

The elderly and poverty

Most people pay their own way throughout their lives. However, when they become old, employment ceases, income falls, and many things are no longer affordable. Even seniors whose incomes are above poverty levels must watch their dollars carefully.

Among seniors, women are more than twice as likely as men to have low incomes. In 1997, 24% of all women aged 65 and over lived in poverty, compared with 12% of men aged 65 and over. Unattached seniors are far more likely to be poor than those who live in families. In 1997, 45% of all unattached individuals aged 65 and over were considered poor, compared with only 6% of seniors that lived with either their spouse or other immediate family members. Moreover, among seniors who live alone, women are considerably more likely than men to have low incomes. In 1997, almost half of these women (49%) had low incomes, compared with 33% of men.

The Elderly and Isolation

Seniors who live alone, without families or in isolation from their families, have the most difficult time coping with limited incomes, and are likely to experience extreme isolation. Moreover, the proportion of live-alone seniors is rising. In 1996, 29% of seniors lived by themselves, up from 27% in 1981 and 20% in 1971. By comparison, only 9% of people between the ages of 15 and 64 in 1996 lived alone.

Elderly women, especially those in older age ranges, are far less likely than elderly men to be living with family members. In 1996, only 40% of women aged 85 and over and 49% of those aged 75 to 84 lived with members of their family.

The percentage of senior women living with their spouse declines sharply with age.

The Growing Crisis in Elderly Care Costs

As the elderly population becomes a larger part of the Canadian population, the national costs of providing health care will increase dramatically. At the same time, the employed labour force base required to support this population will fall as a proportion of the national population. This base will not only have to support a growing elderly population, it will have to provide the tax revenue for schools, the construction of water and sewer systems, the maintenance of the national transportation system, and all other public functions. Clearly, costs will be cut wherever possible.

One area in which care for the elderly can be reduced is institutional care. Research based on British Columbia estimated that it cost an average of $5,413 annually to care for a patient at home, compared with $12,504 in an institution. The research demonstrates that these savings are realized even when extraordinary costs related to home care are factored in, such as more emergency-room and physician visits, higher prescription-drug use, homemaking services and adult daycare.