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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, February 19, 2015 | 4 Halton residents live longer, especially in Oakville by Bob Mitchell Oakville Beaver Staff Want to live longer? It seems as if moving to Halton Region will do the trick. Halton residents have a longer life expectancy than other Ontario residents, according to a report filed this week with the Region's Health and Social Services committee. If you want to squeeze out a few more years then it seems Oakville is the place to be. Residents living there have the longest life expectancy, followed by Milton, Burlington and Halton Hills. But even those living in Halton Hills are outliving others in the rest of the province. Since 1967 You deserve to be comfortable Custom Custom made new new Sofas, Sofas, Chairs, Headboards & More. 1000's of Designs Fabrics, Styles & Colours to Choose Designer on Staff upholstery & design 2345 Wyecroft Rd, #11 Oakville · 905.616.3156 · www.baiers.ca Sofas · Chairs · Headboards · Throw Pillows · Drapery & Hardware www.oakvillebeaver.com Income apparently is one of the driving factors of good health, according to Dr. Hamidah Meghani, Halton's Medical Officer of Health. "The social and economic environment has the greatest influence on health as there is a strong connection between higher socioeconomic status and better health outcomes," Meghani's report indicated. It's also true that good health can be a factor in income earning because those with good health generally are able to hold onto their jobs and retain their income for the lifestyle. "Income does play a much larger role than getting care from your physician," Meghani told committee members on Tuesday. A better income provides better access to food and better access to physical activity, she said. As well, higher income seems to allow one to cope better with stress, which plays a large role in the health of an individual. Meghani said income also was a factor in Halton Hills having a lower life expectancy than other Regional municipalities. "We use median income and we know that Halton Hills has a lower median income for individuals and families," she said. The top three causes of death in Halton and Ontario, for that matter, are cancer, diseases of the circulatory system and respiratory system diseases. These three account for more than twothirds of all deaths. In breaking this down further, ischemia heart disease, dementia/Alzheimer disease and lung cancer are the top three causes of death in Halton and Ontario. Strikingly, intentional self-harm is the leading cause of death for those aged 10-44 while ischemic heart disease is the No. 1 killer for those 45 years and older. Statistics used for the report indicate mortality rates are higher among those living in lowerincome neighbourhoods compared to those residing in higher-income areas. Based on data obtained from the latest report covering the years 2007-11, life-expectancy rates also appear to be increasing. Since the last report on the subject (2003-07), the life expectancy of males living in Halton has increased from 80 to 82 years while the life expectancy of Halton women has risen from 82 to 86 years. Staff will use the data to assist in program planning and policy development for health concerns going forward. The goal is to prevent premature mortality by reducing the burden of preventable chronic diseases and injuries, and controlling infectious diseases. Some 23 per cent of all deaths in Halton are considered potentially avoidable (those deaths before the age of 75). The increasing life expectancy of Halton residents combined with the aging baby-boomer population means the percentage of older adults in Halton will continue to grow faster than any other age group, according to the staff report. Voted the Best in Oakville We Invite you to find out why! Call today for your personal tour. We'd love to have you join us! Retirement Living 380 Sherin Drive, Oakville, Ontario (905) 847-1413 www.vistamere.ca At Its Best