How CARP Benefits Aging Canadians

What is CARP? Yes, I know it’s a fish but CARP also stands for Canadian Association of Retired Persons. It is a national advocacy organization that serves the needs of Canadians age 50 and over.

According to CARP’s website, their mandate is to enhance the quality of life for all Canadians as we age, and advocate for social change that will bring:

The group is committed to ensuring that the marketplace serves the needs and expectations of this generation.

Lofty goals indeed, but timely. Consider the following statistics taken from their website:

  • Today there are more people over the age of 50 than under age 30.
  • By 2016, for the first time in history, there will be more people over 65 than under age 14.
  • 6.4 million Canadians are either retired or semi-retired.
  • 7 in 10 Canadians plan to keep working during retirement.

How CARP benefits aging Canadians

Affinity Programs

CARP members can save hundreds of dollars a year through their affinity programs. Great discounts and extras are available from a number of national companies. You can save on items such as:

  • Insurance, such as health, dental, life, critical care and travel.
  • Optical, hearing aids and senior personal care.
  • Travel benefits from hotels, car rentals, cruises, coach tours and tourist attractions and golf.
  • Entertainment discounts on restaurants, theatre and festivals.
  • Fitness, lifestyle and household services.
  • Phone plans – land and cell.
  • Sunlife Financial gives financial and investment advice as well as retirement and estate planning.

Click here for a complete listing of benefits.

Events

The CARP website has a calendar of seminars and events. Those listed for January and February include:

  • “Vitality of Aging” 50+ workshop in Vancouver
  • “Cluttermania” free musical in Vancouver
  • Seminar on “Nutrition and Brain Function” in Toronto
  • Discount on the theatre production of “When the Cats Away” in Pickering, ON

Sadly, nothing was listed for my area. I guess retired people who live on the prairies don’t like to venture outside when it’s freezing cold.

CARP website

The website provides online information on services and tools for a broad range of topics, from federal programs to what to do about age discrimination. There are lots of FAQs and links to sites of interest to seniors and retirees.

Becoming a CARP Member

Membership is $14.95 annually or $29.95 gives you a subscription to Zoomer magazine (9 issues). Also available is a free e-Newsletter that provides day-to-day news events in your province.

Their goal is to reach 1 million members. Check out their website at www.carp.ca.

3 Comments

  1. Louise McClelland on February 11, 2017 at 9:25 am

    Re editorial in Ottawa Sun on Sat. Feb. 11,2016 with regard to the flu shot…it is my understanding that the Flu shot is already covered for Seniors…my doctor gav

  2. Les Richards on May 27, 2020 at 9:37 am

    Federal government are doing a lot of talking about senior care l know that some time ago the main item they were talking about the best place for seniors is in there homes and I believe as well as most others seniors this to be the case
    We need more money in order to do this with some sort of enjoyable life iam not talking A worry free life just one that is manageable
    Iam not talking about persons who have company pensions and financial help of a sort a large percentage of retired persons have to live on what is given by the government a very low fixed income
    My wife and myself just don’t have enough to have a life
    Something needs to be done we have earned a better class of life than this
    What is this group doing for this group of people

  3. Panayiota Alexandrou on June 20, 2020 at 3:34 pm

    Hello. I was wondering if I am able to sign up for this? Is there anything specific that I need to do? I am a Canadian living abroad. My children live in Toronto and Burlington, Ontario. I am 63 years old. Thank you much for the information.

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