Canada among top places to live if you’re over 60, report suggests

Canada places 4th for well-being of older citizens

NEW YORK — Canada ranks fourth when it comes to the well-being of its older residents, according to a global index reflecting economic security, health and other factors.

Norway and Sweden were at the top of the Global AgeWatch Index released Tuesday, while Afghanistan ranked last of the 96 nations in the index.

The list was compiled by HelpAge International, a Londonbased non-profit group with affiliates in 65 countries. Its mission is to help older people challenge discrimination, overcome poverty and lead secure, active lives.

The 13 indicators measured in the index include life expectancy, coverage by pension plans, access to public transit and the poverty rate for people over 60.

The report found 97.7 per cent of Canadians 65 and over receive a pension and 7.2 per cent of those 60 and over have an income less than half the national median.

It also found 83.9 per cent of Canadians age 60 or older had at least a high school education.

Scores of countries were not ranked due to lack of data for some of the criteria, but HelpAge said the countries included in the index are home to about 90 per cent of the world’s 60-plus population.

Switzerland and Germany joined Canada, Norway and Sweden in the top five. The United States was eighth, Japan ninth, China 48th, Russia 65th and India 69th.

According to HelpAge, there are now about 868 million people in the world over 60 — nearly 12 per cent of the global population.

By 2050, that’s expected to rise to 2.02 billion, or 21 per cent of the total, the group said. In dozens of countries, the over-60 segment will be more than 30 per cent of the population.

HelpAge launched the index in 2013. Among the changes for 2014 were the inclusion of five more countries, and Norway replacing Sweden with the highest ranking.