Data from 2011 census released on Tuesday has been pointing towards the needs for improvements in care to elderly people, an up-to-date report has revealed.

While the rate is highest in Japan and Italy, France and the United Kingdom have also been ahead with 17.4% centenarians per 100,000 persons. Canadians also have soaring life expectancy with more number of women living for
100 years than men.

It has been revealed in population projections by Statistics Canada that where a decade ago, 3,795 Canadians were of 100 years of age or older, the number has mounted to 5,825 in 2011. Also, as per the estimations, the figure would reach nearly 80,000 by 2061.

Andrew Wister, the chair of gerontology at Simon Fraser University, says that the figure has a positive aspect too. Living longer without any disability or weakness, not only shows improved health-care system in the country, but awareness of people to live health-conscious lifestyles as well.

“We’re going to see more people living to extreme old age and we have to think in the future about what we need to do in society to support an aging population”, says Dr. Wister.