As the population of Canada ages at a rapid rate, a new study from the C.D. Center indicates that the country could make more efforts to improve access to elderly care and overall equality in the healthcare system.

The study, released on Friday, compares the performance of elderly care in Canada and its provinces with that of other wealthy countries using data from the Commonwealth Fund, a U.S.-based organization dedicated to improving healthcare systems, and identifies areas for improvement.

The organization's 2021 survey on international health policy for the elderly focused on a random sample of seniors aged 65 and older in 11 developed countries and asked them about their experiences, interactions, and perceptions regarding the healthcare system and health.

Among the countries surveyed, Canada ranked eighth in elderly care, ahead only of France, the United Kingdom, and Sweden.

Areas of strength and weakness...

Based on the survey data, the C.D. applies a study by the Howe Institute on elderly care in Canada's provinces, as co-author of the study Rosalie Young explained in an interview with CTVNews.ca, "We are actually 13 healthcare systems, not one system."

The study found that most provinces exceed the international average in the process of care, which includes factors such as coordination among healthcare providers and patient engagement, but they fall below the average regarding equity and access to care, which includes factors such as wait times.

It also notes that access to medical care poses a barrier for low-income seniors, indicating in the study that 15% of seniors in Canada do not visit a dentist and that 8% do not receive the home care they need because they cannot afford it.

Additionally, four provinces – Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta – scored above the international average overall, while some provinces – particularly Newfoundland and Labrador and Quebec – recorded lower scores than most international comparisons.

Among their policy recommendations, Young and co-author Tingting Chang suggest improving comprehensive access to care for seniors, enhancing the timing of care, and reducing cost barriers to prescriptions, dental care, and home care services across the country.

International examples...

The study analyzed countries such as Germany and the Netherlands, which rank higher than Canada in elderly care, to inspire local solutions.

Young noted that the Netherlands stands out as "much better" in obtaining care after regular working hours compared to other countries and Canadian provinces.

She also stated that this is due to the fact that doctors in the Netherlands are required to provide at least 50 hours of after-hours care each year to maintain their licenses.

On the other hand, Germany recorded the best health outcomes among seniors.

For its part, the federal government expects the number of seniors, or individuals aged 65 and older, to increase and reach nearly a quarter of Canada's total population by 2040.