Kinless Elderlies

Canada is the fourth country in the world with the largest number of elderly people without relatives (Kinless elderly)

Unfortunately, Canada is one of the countries where many elderly people are without relatives (kinless).

According to an article called "kinless Around the World" published in 2018 in the Oxford Journal of Aging Studies, it was found that in 2011, about 11% of Canadians aged 55 and over had no living spouse or children.

Part of a growing group of older people in Canada who are called kinless, meaning people who don't have close family to help them as they age.

What elderly people without relatives need?

Kinless elderly need health care the most. In Canada, there are companies that provide all kinds of care such as help with daily tasks, bathing, laundry and house cleaning, shopping, cooking and health care such as blood pressure and blood sugar control and even 24-hour nurses to the elderly, like "TangelaCare" company, but it seems that their number is not enough for this growing population.

For their mental health, these people need care and communication with socially satisfying communities.

What is the reason for being kinless?

Several demographic factors have caused an increase in kinless, some of which we mention in this article are as below:

1. Lowering the marriage rate
2. Rising divorce rate
3. Married people not having children
4. The increase of the so-called gray divorce, after the age of 50
5. Longer lifespan than family members

A study of middle-aged and older adults in Canada found that those without a partner or children (the study did not include data on siblings) had lower levels of mental and physical health and higher levels of loneliness. They were less likely to participate in activities such as sports, cultural or religious groups, or service clubs, which causes depression and isolation in these people.

Ways to control isolation in the kinless elderlies

The idea that the kinless elderly is alone and without anyone is not true, and this mentality among the kinless elderlies should disappear. Life expectancy and efforts to maintain health in these people should be increased. Many kinless elderlies establish strong connections with neighbors, friends, etc. to the extent that they can be considered like a family. These people should be encouraged to communicate with their peers and develop their connections.