给子女买房不如你有一个好健康

许多中国父母都认为帮助成年子女减轻财务负担的最佳策略就是帮他们买房。但是，加国统计数据显示加国老年人口激增，且许多移民老人都面临健康危机，这一信息或许会让你对帮助子女的财务策略进行三思。

Many Chinese parents believe that the best way to help your grown-up children financially is to help them buy a home. But stats about the surge of senior demographic in Canada and the health crisis that aging immigrants are facing may make you think twice about that strategy. 

 

父母含辛茹苦几十年将子女抚养成人，而成年子女以赡养年迈父母而回报其养育之恩，尤其是在他们在遭受慢性病困扰，或是因罹患精神疾病而丧失自理能力时承担护理义务也是天经地义的。中国的孝道文化更是将赡养扶助年迈父母视为子女应尽的道德义务。但是，这即将来临的赡养负担可能也会导致你的成年子女额外开支大幅增加，从而令他们陷入财务危机。

It takes decades for parents to support their children, and it is certainly fair for adult children to help their senior parents in return – especially when they suffer from chronical conditions or lose independence to mental illness. The Chinese filial piety culture has only made the taking care of senior parents a moral obligation for adult children.  However, the impending caregiver burden may cause significant additional expenses to your adult children, taking a heavy toll on their financial wellbeing.

最新人口普查数据显示，加国的人口正在加速老化，老年人口在人口普查史上首次超过儿童人口数额。根据估计，到2031年时加国将有近四分之一人口为65岁以上老人。

According to latest census, Canada faces a growing aging demographic, with senior population exceeding that of children the first time in the census history. It is estimated that almost one quarter of the population will be 65 and older by 2031. 

 

虽然加国老人的寿命越来越长，但很多与年龄相关的疾病都会在人们走进生命尽头的晚年发作。尽管加国有公共健保系统，但老年人尤其是低收入老人所导致的部分医疗开支仍会无可避免地落到成年子女的头上。加拿大帝国商业银行发表的一份报告显示，有近200万加国人士需要自掏腰包支付65岁以上年迈父母的护理费用，而他们每年的老人护理费开支平均高达$3300元。但这一费用还会继续飙升，并预计（计入通胀后）在未来10年的涨幅将达到20%。

Canadian seniors live much longer, but age-related disease tend to be compressed into a shorter period at the end of life.  Despite the exsistance of Canada’s public healthcare system, part of the medical costs incurred by elders -- particularly those in low income groups, will inevidably become a responsibility for their adult children. A report issued by CIBC Economics has found that close to two million Canadians carry caregiving costs for their senior parents 65 year and older, with average expenses fetching as high as $3300 a year. And the prices will keep surging, and are expected to grow by 20 per cent over the next 10 years (after inflation).

 

但是，如果将加国人士为照顾父母告假而损失的收入考虑在内，他们每年护理年迈父母的实际成本要远远高于$3300元。根据加拿大帝国商业银行的报告，在合计直接和间接成本后，加国人士每年护理年迈父母的总成本可能高达$330亿元。

But when considering the lost income due to time taken off from work, the actual cost of looking after aged parents is much higher than $3300 a year. According to the CIBC report, by adding up the direct and indirect costs, the total expenses may reach as high as $33-billion annually. 

然而，如果说统计数据只是突显出加国一般老人所面临的健保挑战，那移民老人的情况可能更加糟糕。一份最新研究报告显示，少数族裔老人的健康状况远远不如加国老人，而这会导致他们的成年子女背负更重的健保费负担。

However, if the stats have only highlighted the healthcare challenges for the general population, immigrant seniors may face a much worse situation. A new study shows that elders in racialized minority groups are struggling with an inferior health status than their Canadian counterpart, which would lead to much higher healthcare costs for their adult children. 

韦利斯理学会的研究报告显示,移民老人，特别是少数族裔及不讲英语的老年人士的总体健康和心理健康状况不如非移民加国老人。

According to a study by the Wellesley Institute, immigrant seniors, especially those racial minorities and from non-English background, reported poorer health status, in both overall health and mental health than non-immigrant seniors. 

这项以中国移民老人为第三大抽查样本的研究报告指出，族裔身份、英语缺陷和移民背景往往会对收入、就业状况、归属感和医疗健保机会等这些对人口健康起决定性作用的社会因素产生负面影响。

With China being the third largest source of country for senior immigrants in the sample, the study points out that racialized identity, English language  deficiency and immigrant background have an adverse impact on social determinants of health – such as income, employment status, sense of belonging and healthcare access.

 

根据该报告，只有19%加国婴儿潮一代报告健康状况一般/较差，但同时有34%近期和中期移民以及26%长期移民自认为健康状况一般/较差。报告还发现心理健康的自我评估数据也得出类似结论。此外,依靠社会救济为生和赚取低收入的少数族裔老人之比例比非少数族裔老人高出一倍，并且这些族裔老人更有可能从事自雇职业并缺乏强烈归属感。

According to the study, while only 19 per cent of Canadian boomers reported fair/poor health, 34 per cent of recent and mid-term immigrants and 26 per cent of long-term immigrants rated their health as fair/poor. Similar patterns were found in self-reported mental health. Racialized immigrants are also twice likely to rely on social assistance, earning a low income, and more likely to be self-employed and to report lack of strong sense of belonging. 

身体健康是人生的最大的财富。改善饮食，减少吸烟和加强运动等更健康的生活方式对于提升身心健康至关重要。如果在年轻时不加以重视并采取措施， 老年时你可能就会陷入健康危机，并会给你的成年子女带来不可避免的种种麻烦，导致其承担惊人的高额账单。

A good health is the best wealth. Adapting to more healthy lifestyles, such as eat better, smoke less and exercise more -- are the keys to improve physical and mental health. Without taking actions at a younger age, you may face health crisis later on, leaving your adult children to face the unenviable onslaught of distress and caregiving bill shock in the near future.