Veterans Affairs committee  One of the things that we see with this cohort of older adults is that they're probably, in general, not nearly as demanding as we expect the next generation--the baby-boom generation--to be, for services. I can't say--I just don't know--whether veterans have expectations that are different from those of other seniors about services.

Veterans Affairs committee  The idea of the veterans integrated services, which we're proposing in the report, is that the veteran could be given services that would range from those that are mostly health promotion—getting information, for example, about making their home safer, or getting connections to a physical fitness program that might help them remain more physically fit and able to do things for themselves—right through services that might help support someone who's quite frail and who may need personal care.

Veterans Affairs committee  I think that this program is certainly the kind of model that those of us who are experts in aging think is ideal, and I would be delighted to see something like this extended to other seniors.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  We don't have the expertise with younger veterans, so I can't speak to that issue specifically. Except that we do know that as people move along life's track they become different from one another, so that there is great diversity. Situations make a huge difference. Younger vets—

Veterans Affairs committee  Do you mean a different expectation by veterans compared with other seniors?

Veterans Affairs committee  I would say that in general, what people of all ages, and certainly older adults, wish to do is to be able to live their lives in the place where they'd like to be. For older adults who may need particular supports to do that, absolutely, it's a question of getting access to the people or the services that can help them to do that.

Veterans Affairs committee  An excellent question. I think there is a fairly high level of understanding now that we are in that kind of third era in which families, in particular, are doing the vast amount of care of frail older adults and of younger adults with disability. In fact, in our own work, we and others would suggest that about 80% of the care of older adults is provided by families.

Veterans Affairs committee  Do you mean in terms of the support?

Veterans Affairs committee  Not in a nationally coordinated fashion, or even coordinated at the provincial level. Much of the education and training of people who are caregivers is being provided, I think, through the voluntary sector, NGOs and so on. This is not a job, I think, that most people anticipate, even though we do know that we're all getting older, as are our parents.

Veterans Affairs committee  Unfortunately, I'm not an expert on the departmental numbers of teams and the training that those team members receive. I'm certain that the department would be happy to provide you with that information, but I'm not in a position to do so.

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, you know, there is some of that migration. It's interesting that we're beginning to see some of that migration of people out of cities to smaller communities at retirement, so there is a bit of that. There is the other direction, of course, too, where young people are leaving the small communities and coming to the larger centres for work.

Veterans Affairs committee  Well, I think one of things we tried to emphasize a great deal in this report is that eligibility for services from the department should be based on two criteria. One is military service, and the other is need, period. So if we can do that, I really think people in the department would be terribly grateful.

Veterans Affairs committee  Wonderful. Thank you.

Veterans Affairs committee  Thank you.