Homelessness Among Seniors

Aging & Homelessness: A Growing Crisis

According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, seniors will be the group that experiences the highest rate of mental illness in Canada by 2041. Additionally, seniors with mental health problems face the double-stigma of experiencing mental illnesses coupled with being elderly in society. As the shelter population ages, service providers and policymakers will need to better determine how to address seniors’ mental health needs, including depression, dementia, Alzheimer’s, delusional disorders, and delirium, which are the most common mental illnesses amongst seniors in Canada. The complexity of elder care requires the development of effective preventative interventions on one hand and service provision for seniors experiencing homelessness on the other.

* Nearly 15% of elderly single individuals live in poverty.

* Nearly 2 million seniors receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement, and live on about $17,000 per year. However, the most basic standard of living in Canada is calculated at $18,000 per year for a single person

* The number of older adults and seniors experiencing homeless is rising, making up a combined 4% of shelters users in 2016

* Seniors experiencing homelessness doubled from 2009-2011 in Toronto