Should seniors get discounts?

In an article published this week, Macleans magazine claims that seniors should not get discounts. Most seniors aren't poor any more, they tell us; in fact, we're awash in income from pensions, investments, and home equity. So we're selfish too, because we're leaving younger generations to carry the freight. Senior discounts are cruel, they're mean, and they're unfair. Bloody Boomers.

How rich are we? Let's see what the numbers say for senior women on their own. Statistics Canada sets the low-income cut-off for people living in large cities at $23,298. In 2011, the median income for single senior women was $20,200, compared to $30,100 for men. And what about the OAS clawback, which kicks in if your income is in the high $60,000s? In 2010, just 6% of seniors were subject to the clawback. That's the percentage of potential OAS recipients who might be considered high income.

As pensioners, our financial situation is precarious. Unlike younger people, many of us have health issues and do not have the option of going to work. Our fixed incomes can't absorb big increases in food costs and utility bills. Most of us have no extended health care coverage, so we have to pay out of pocket for big-ticket items like orthotics, hearing aids, dental care, and bifocals. As we age and become frailer, we often have to start paying people to shovel the snow, mow the lawn, drive us to medical appointments, do the housework, and deliver our groceries. And once we move into assisted living or long-term care, we'll be lucky if our savings last as long as we do.

That's reality for most seniors. But while we can, we'd like to feel a part of life in our city, whether it means sitting in a classroom with other seniors, or just lingering over a coffee with friends in the fast-food court.

There is a dangerous political game afoot. There are a lot of boomers retiring, and corporations want to preserve their profits. Good-paying jobs are disappearing and governments keep shrinking, so a lot more people are poor. That means a lot more people are angry and looking for someone to blame. This time it's us.