New report reveals seniors in Canada are facing mental health struggles
A familiar face welcomes people at the front desk of the Seniors Active Living Centre in Charlottetown on Monday mornings: retired provincial fire marshal David Blacquiere, sorting 50/50 tickets and ticking off members’ names as they walk through the door.
Inside, the centre offers a place for older Islanders to spend time together and enjoy planned activities, from card games like bridge and poker, to yoga and pool, forming friendships that can build over weeks and months.
“We’re providing something here that’s very healthy for them,” said Blacquiere. “If you’re left on your own, what’s there for you?”
New data from the National Institute on Ageing (NIA) suggests many older Canadians are struggling to find that kind of connection — and feeling less optimistic about their later years.
The institute’s 2025 Ageing in Canada Survey found positive feelings about aging fell among people 50 and older, from 62 per cent in 2024 to 56 per cent last year, the steepest drop since the survey began in 2022.
