Our population is now the oldest it ever has been, with more people currently aged 65 and older than there are children under the age of 15. As with any significant demographic shift, this trend has significant implications for society at large, impacting health care, finance policy, infrastructure, family relationships, and legal issues.

As our population ages, issues involving capacity can be expected to become more prevalent in the coming decades. Consequently, being able to identify these issues effectively will become increasingly important in balancing the dual goals of protecting vulnerable people.

Given the increasing numbers of aging Canadians and the vulnerability that is often associated with old age, the field of elder law is gaining momentum. The aging population brings with it specific types of legal issues. These are not issues that did not exist until now, but are familiar issues that are now emerging with greater frequency than in the past.