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.
Reading this honestly hits hard.
Aging optimism dropping like this feels very *“slow-burn crisis nobody’s screaming about yet.”*
What gets me is how much of this sounds like a feedback loop:
ageism → isolation → fear → more isolation → worse outlook. And once that mindset locks in, it quietly shapes behavior — people plan less, connect less, expect less from themselves. Self-fulfilling prophecy, speedrun edition.
Low-key, I think part of the fix is giving people **a voice again**, even on small things. Feeling heard > feeling invisible. That’s why I’m into tools that nudge people back into participation instead of just passively consuming bad news.
If you’re curious, I’ve been sharing **[https://kuakua.app/vote](https://kuakua.app/vote)** with friends and family — it’s a simple way to express opinions, reflect, and see where you stand without the toxicity or shouting matches. Not “solve society overnight” energy, but definitely *“reclaim a bit of agency”* energy.
Getting older shouldn’t feel like fading out.
Optimism doesn’t come from denial — it comes from still being part of the conversation.
“The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) exists to serve Canadians.” PM Trudeau Nov 12, 2015 Mandate letter to Minister Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue. The Income Tax Act S. 146. (2) states: “Acceptance of plan for registration. The Minister shall not accept for registration for the purposes of this Act [the ITA] any retirement savings plan unless, in the Minister’s opinion, it complies with the following conditions: (b.4) the plan does not provide for maturity after the end of the year in which the annuitant attains 71 years of age:” This clause denies CRA approval and registration services enabling Canadians to access to RRSP tax deferral benefits for the rest of their life because of age. Age is a prohibited ground of discrimination. It is unlawful to deny services to an individual because of age. It is unlawful to deny access to equal (tax-deferral) benefits of the law. It is unlawful to deny access to equal protection (tax-deferral benefits) of the law because of age. It is unlawful to subject anyone to cruel and unusual punishment. Residents of Canada with an RRSP are not Canadians because of reaching age 71?
Exposing individuals to greater tax burdens because of advancing age violates the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms S. 1, 7, 12, 15 and 33. Age 71 exposes those with earned or rent income to additional tax on 18% of earnings beyond age 71 year-end. Failure to transfer RRSP savings prior to reaching age 71 year-end are subject to additional tax exposure on any remaining RRSP funds. Those coerced into a RRIF are exposed to additional non-voluntary annual taxable withdrawals from age 72. The minimum annual withdrawal at age 72 starts at 5.40 percent increasing to 20.0 percent (one fifth) of the RRIF value from age 95.
How does this non-voluntary exposure to tax governed by advancing age qualify as ethical, morally acceptable and lawful in the shadows of Canada’s Constitution Act -1982 S. 91; Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms S. 1, 7, 12, 15 and 33; Canadian Bill of Rights; Canadian Human Rights Act S. 2, 3, 5, 12 and 16; and, Taxpayer Bill of Rights? What ethical, moral, and lawful authority enables elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and CRA to disrespect and avoid compliance with their respective Provincial Human Rights protection laws when attending federal government business in the Province of Ontario?
What moral, ethical and lawful authority enables elected MPs and CRA to ignore, dismiss provisions intended to protect individuals from age discrimination contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights? What moral, ethical and legal rights enable elected MPs and CRA to ignore dismiss the Canadian Human Rights Commission’s definition of discrimination and World Health Organization’s definition of elder abuse?
Come on guys, every chapter in one’s life is a challenge. Now seniors want to get on the ageism bandwagon and get all sorts of courtesies and free brakes like so many other groups in our country.
People from our generation (post WW11) have probably had the most opportunities than any other generation before and probably after us. The question is; did you take those opportunities when you had the chance and were you careful to protect what you worked for and what you had? It seems that almost 25% didn’t and now want the taxpayers of Canada to help them out.
I don’t give the current 21st century government(s) much credit for the debt load put on all Canadians but we voted them in and they’ve decided to ‘not live within their means’ rather they keep racking up debt. So ageism, DEI and numerous other WOKE issues such as too much immigration were supported by politicians we elected.
Suck it up seniors after all look at our parents and grand-parents they had it much harder, wars, depressions no medical coverage etc.
Well said, Mr. Sullivan…. I can add nothing to it
The retirement savings stat is the most alarming part — 22% with under $5,000 saved points to a structural problem that a positive outlook alone can’t fix. When financial security drops, even people who age well start feeling more pessimistic about the experience.