The number of Canadians with positive views of aging is declining, a new survey has found.
Only 57 per cent of Canadians over the age of 50 have positive feelings about aging, the National Institute on Ageing’s new annual survey shows. That is down from 62 per cent last year.
“When we’re seeing that optimism about aging slipping, I think it’s a good indicator of some areas that we need to pay better attention to to support this huge proportion of our population,” said Talia Bronstein, director of policy at the institute.
The five per cent drop was the “steepest drop” the institute has seen since it began conducting the survey in 2022. In all other years, the number of people with positive attitudes about aging had remained stable, Bronstein said.
The survey also showed that several concerning trends remain largely unchanged. Nearly a quarter — 22 per cent — have only $5,000 or less saved for retirement, down three per cent from last year’s survey. And social isolation remains high.
Some researchers wonder whether negative views of aging contribute to social isolation or not planning for retirement.
“We don’t like to think about negative things, so we avoid thinking about it,” said Larissa Zwar, a psychology professor at Brock University in St. Catherine’s, Ont., and Canada Research Chair in the social psychology of aging.
Attitudes about aging
The National Institute on Ageing, a research centre at Toronto Metropolitan University, has surveyed Canadians over 50 about their well-being every year since 2022. The survey focuses on social connections, financial stability, poverty, health care and whether people want to age at home.
The most recent survey, released Jan. 20, showed some improvement, particularly for dental and health-care access. Sixty-eight per cent reported having a regular primary care provider, a record high for the survey.
Other results have remained stable. The survey has consistently found that most respondents want to age at home.
Loneliness has also remained a top concern. In 2025, 57 per cent of respondents reported feeling somewhat or very lonely and 43 per cent said they were at risk of social isolation.
“We have seen no improvement” in loneliness and social isolation, Bronstein said.
But the sudden drop in positive feelings toward aging is particularly worrisome, she says. Ongoing political tensions with the United States and concerns about the cost of living could contribute to the negative perception many have of growing older.
The survey also suggests that ageism — negative attitudes toward people because of their age — also contributes to the gloomy outlook.
Seventy per cent said they had experienced what the report calls “everyday ageism.” This ranges from jokes about aging or older people, to assuming older people cannot use technology. Twenty-two per cent said people had assumed they do not do anything useful or valuable.
“When you are being bombarded with these messages that older adults are less valuable or don’t have as much to contribute to society, I think that can also impact your perceptions of aging and your future outlook on getting older,” said Bronstein.
‘Self-fulfilling prophecy’
Declining social connections can reinforce negative views about aging, says Kahir Lalji, vice president of International Longevity Centre Canada, a research organization.
“Loneliness heightens the experience of both internal and external ageism,” he said.
External ageism refers to the negative attitudes others have about older adults, while internal ageism refers to the negative feelings people may have about their own aging.
People may spend less time with others because they think that people view them as a burden, Lalji says. Modern family structures can reinforce this belief, he adds.
“In a world with so many competing priorities, family ties are loosening,” he said. “Those family dynamics are eroding, and people feel like they’re a burden.”
Zwar says fears about aging can become a “self-fulfilling prophecy.”
“If we think [declining capability] is how aging looks, we may restrict ourselves,” she said.
Weak social connections
The survey results show many older Canadians have weak social networks, even though they may desire stronger social ties.
Only one-third of respondents said they participate in weekly social activities. And only half said their social participation was at the level they wanted.
Healthier and wealthier people were more likely to be satisfied with their social lives, the survey found.
People with poor health are more likely to become socially isolated, but social isolation also worsens their health, says Bronstein.
“It becomes hard to break that cycle,” she said.
The survey does suggest people’s attitudes about aging become more positive as they age: 65 per cent of those in their 80s had positive views of aging, compared to 50 per cent of 50- to 60-year-olds.
Bronstein says she thinks people in their 80s have come to see that aging was not as bad as they feared.
“They have that benefit of being able to look backwards and have that wisdom that comes with age,” she said.
