Seniors & COVID-19: A Look At Canada’s Updated Statistics

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the whole world, but seniors are at greater risk for more severe infections and outcomes from the virus.

In Canada, a March 2021 report released by the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) revealed that nursing homes in the country fared the worst among wealthy nations- with seniors residing in long-term care facilities contributing to as high as 69% of the country’s COVID-19 deaths, significantly higher than the international average of 41%.

Let’s take a look at Seniors and COVID-19 statistics in Canada:

During the period of March 2020 to May 2021, senior deaths accounted for 93% of COVID-19 deaths in the country, and 64% of excess deaths. (Excess deaths or excess mortality is the number of deaths that exceeded the expected number, which included deaths not only from COVID-19 infections, but also those that resulted directly or indirectly from the pandemic)

Source: Statistics Canada

Canada experienced excess mortality during two periods, with senior deaths still accounting for a big percentage of the total:

a. Spring of 2020 (end of March 2020 to early June 2020): Seniors accounted for 94% of COVID-19 deaths, and 85% of excess deaths.

b. Winter of 2021 (end of September 2020 to the end of January 2021): Senior deaths made up 94% of COVID-19 deaths, and 75% of excess deaths.

Source: Statistics Canada

In spite of these dismal figures, seniors maintained better mental health compared to younger Canadians. In January to April 2021, 69% or 7 out of 10 older Canadian adults rated their mental health as “very good” or “excellent”, compared to only 51% for those aged 18 to 34, 59% for the 35 to 49 age group, and 63% for the 50 to 64 age group.

This reflects the pattern that seniors indeed have a greater resiliency to stress compared to their younger counterparts.

Source: Statistics Canada

As of December 11, 2021, seniors aged 80 and above had the highest percentage of full COVID-19 vaccination at more than 95% (1,633,436 individuals), followed closely by the 70 to 79 age group at 94.41% (2,959,111 individuals), then the 60 to 69 age group at 91.85% (4,445,816 individuals).

In comparison, the full vaccination rate for younger adults in the 18 to 59 age group is at 82.01% to 88.03%.

Source: Government of Canada

A study titled “Nursing home aversion post-pandemic: Implications for savings and long-term care policy” by HEC Montreal revealed increasing preference for home care versus long-term facility care for Canadian seniors.

72% of respondents said they are less inclined to enter a nursing home, with 70% stating concerns about exposure to health risks in long-term care facilities.

However, since they perceive home care options as more expensive, 25% of respondents said that they plan to save more, in order to avoid entering a nursing home.

70% of the respondents are calling for a government tax policy that would subsidize home care for Canadian seniors.

Source: HEC Montreal

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