Number of Canadians living to 100 hit a record high, new census figures show

The variety of Canadians residing to 100 and past reached a file excessive in 2021. Some centenarians say getting there may be all about maintaining your arms busy, having a loving household and having fun with life’s small pleasures.

New figures launched by Statistics Canada present that the variety of Canadians aged 100 or older has elevated from simply 1,065 in 1971 to 9,545 within the 2021 census. Most Canadian centenarians — 7,715 — are girls.

The rise cannot be defined by easy inhabitants progress. In 1971, simply 4.9 folks out of each 100,000 Canadians have been 100 or older; in 2021, it was 25.8 per 100,000.

Laura Tamblyn Watts is the founder and CEO of CanAge, a nationwide seniors’ advocacy group. She mentioned that Canadians live for much longer now because of improved drug therapies and vaccines, coupled with a extra lively way of life.

“We’re out extra on the planet, we’re strolling extra, we’re engaged in additional bodily train and we now have extra flexibility in our work schedule,” she mentioned.

“It is a large change from actually being caught in places of work and factories as we have been used to in a lot earlier years. Motion issues.”

Watts mentioned that loneliness additionally shortens lives and folks immediately have extra methods to remain in contact than earlier generations did. However the greatest issue, she mentioned, is the drop in tobacco use.

“We’re actually beginning to see a narrowing of that now as generations that aren’t smoking as a lot,” she mentioned.  

Mildred Leadbeater, previously of Cape Breton, N.S., is 101. She mentioned she’s trying ahead to celebrating her 102nd birthday this coming June — an event that normally means a present of scotch.

She mentioned she solely takes a small drink on weekends, by no means makes use of ice and by no means provides sufficient water to “drown it.”

“The physician from the clinic got here to Cape Breton and he mentioned, ‘If you happen to drink scotch, you may stay an extended life and you will not have any peculiar illnesses,'” she mentioned from her daughter’s residence in Pembroke, Ont., the place she now lives. “And I haven’t got any peculiar illnesses and I’ve lived an extended life. He informed the reality.”

Born in 1920, Leadbeater was the seventh little one of Scottish immigrant dad and mom in Glace Bay, N.S. She was a twin however her sister and mom died in childbirth; she herself was sickly as a new child. Her dad, she mentioned, discovered himself a single father of six youngsters and ill-equipped to cope with a baby who was not anticipated to stay very lengthy.

A neighbour supplied to undertake Leadbeater and she or he grew up subsequent door to her organic siblings, outliving all of them and happening to be the mom of seven youngsters herself.

Leadbeater mentioned she believes her longevity was made attainable by enjoying piano and maintaining a optimistic angle.

“I come from a Scottish household and performed a variety of Scottish music with the fiddlers … so I assume that helped me alongside the highway,” she mentioned.

“The lord gave me a very good disposition and I nonetheless have it and do not know, I chortle at a variety of issues, I do not take note of an excessive amount of.

“I take a look at the completely happy facet of life and I’ve had a contented life. That is why I am nonetheless right here. It is simply my make-up. I used to be at all times easygoing. If one thing occurs I simply say, ‘Effectively it occurred, recover from it, no use making a giant story out of something.'”

Jane Rylett is the scientific director of the Institute of Growing old on the Canadian Institutes of Well being Analysis. She mentioned that whereas Leadbeater is heading in the right direction, genetics additionally play a component.

“I believe angle is price an entire lot on this realm. I actually assume it’s a mixture of fine genes, angle and a very good wholesome way of life,” she mentioned. “It does not imply you possibly can’t have a glass of scotch at times.”

A optimistic angle did appear to make a distinction for Douglas Keirstead, who turned 103 this yr. Born in Coles Island, N.B., Keirstead was married twice. After his second spouse handed away, he lived on his personal up till the age of 100.

He now lives within the Veterans’ Well being Centre in Moncton, N.B., the place he has nothing however good issues to say in regards to the folks he spends his days with.

“It could not be higher. So far as I am involved, it is excellent,” he mentioned of the residence. “They’re simply such nice folks. I do not understand how they may ever spherical up so many which are so good.”

Keirstead additionally mentioned he was fortunate to have a “fantastic household rising previous” and retains completely happy reminiscences of his family members.

“They’re simply so near me it is unreal,” he mentioned.

His life hasn’t at all times been straightforward. Unsettled by his time serving within the Second World Struggle, he mentioned it took a very long time for him to ease again into civilian life afterward. He had a coronary heart assault in 1985 and spent 12 days in intensive care, however bounced again from that as nicely.

Like Leadbeater along with her piano enjoying, Keirstead — a father of two and stepfather to 2 extra — retains himself busy hand-weaving vibrant blankets. He is engaged on his fiftieth now.

“They usually’re virtually all in my household,” he mentioned. “I am engaged on one, and have material for 2 extra and they’ll be for my great-granddaughters.”

Keirstead mentioned he would not understand how he managed to make it previous 100 — he by no means considered it till it occurred — however having a loving household and optimistic outlook has at all times helped him.

“I have been fairly completely happy at every little thing,” he mentioned. “I had an exquisite household rising up.”

Leadbeater mentioned she is trying ahead to her 102nd birthday this summer time and that, “lord prepared,” she expects to stay to have a good time one other one after that. Requested what youthful folks might do to observe in her footsteps, she gives some easy recommendation.

“What they need to do is, in their very own personal life they need to be completely happy, and never depressing, however completely happy and do what they assume is correct,” she mentioned. “And don’t fret about it.”