More older adults can’t afford to retire as optimism about aging drops: survey – CTV
January 20, 2026
TORONTO — A new survey suggests optimism about aging fell sharply over the last year, with financial insecurity and loneliness dampening how many Canadians feel about their golden years.
The National Institute on Aging surveyed just over 6,000 adults aged 50 and older in June and July for its fourth annual report titled Perspectives on Growing Older in Canada, released Tuesday.
While the majority – 57 per cent of respondents – still said they had positive feelings about aging, that’s down from 62 per cent in 2024. The figure had previously been stable for years.
Talia Bronstein, director of policy at the National Institute on Aging, said the latest findings show that older adults increasingly can’t afford to retire and feel lonely and socially isolated. She also said many respondents don’t have primary care doctors, though that has modestly improved.
A growing number of people say they can’t afford to retire when they had hoped to — 43 per cent compared to 38 per cent in 2024.
Social isolation and loneliness remained “stubbornly high” and unchanged over the last four years, with 43 per cent saying they’re at risk of social isolation and 59 per cent experiencing loneliness.
