Canadian Seniors Staying in Their Homes Until Their Late 80s

A housing report from Altus Group found Canadian seniors can't be lumped into one category when it comes to housing.

The report categorized Canadians aged 65 and over into three groups: younger seniors (ages 65-74), middleaged seniors (ages 75-84) and older seniors (ages 85 and over).

Findings included the fact that the majority of seniors live in private households opposed to collective dwellings (dwellings such as nursing homes, long-term care or retirement homes) with only one in 12 seniors living in such places in 2011. "The housing choices of younger seniors are very similar to the general population," said the report. "A predominance of living in single-family homes and very few living in collective dwellings."

One of the triggers for a senior to move out of a single-family home is the loss of a spouse as census data shows only 15 per cent or so of residents of retirement homes are living with a spouse. Out of those most are women with 2.4 females for every single male living in a collective dwelling.

"Given that women on average still live longer than men (and therefore are more likely to be the surviving member of the couple), it's not surprising that females make up the majority of seniors in collective dwellings," said the report.