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Invited Essays / Essais sollicités

Vol. 8 (2017)

Settling for Mediocrity: Aging and Health Care in New Brunswick

Submitted
December 7, 2017
Published
2017-11-23

Abstract

Demographic aging is a social, economic, and political condition that will soon affect most parts of the world. Some jurisdictions, like New Brunswick, are already experiencing it. The province’s health care system should be adjusting to take account of the aging population, but it is instead stuck in mediocrity, posting poor health outcomes while occupying greater and greater shares of provincial program spending. This essay examines some of the circumstances associated with the province’s mediocre health performance, with particular attention to the aging challenge; it suggests some steps to improve the system and the health of New Brunswickers as demographic aging proceeds.