Count us out

Although I'm not convinced that mathematics is the language in which all true theories are written there certainly are times when a number is worth a thousand words. And here's one, from the latest Institute for Marriage and the Family Canada study to cross my desk, namely Derek Miedema's “Care-Full? The Demographic Crunch and Senior Care in Canada”. Here's the number: “in 2002, 35 per cent of seniors aged 65-74 had 4 or more children still living, while only 11 per cent of parents aged 45-54 had the same number.”

Can you say demographic catastrophe?