No. 26 - Life expectancy longer for women

Senior women have a longer remaining life expectancy than senior men. A woman aged 65 in 1997, for instance, could expect to live, on average, another 20 years, almost four years longer than the figure for a man aged 65. This difference largely reflects the fact that the remaining life expectancy of senior women increased by over five years between 1921 and 1981, compared with an increase of less than two years for senior men. In the 1991-1997 period, however, the average remaining life expectancy of a 65-year-old man rose slightly faster than that of his female counterpart.

It should also be noted that while senior women live longer than senior men, not all of this time is free of disability. Indeed, a recent study suggested that of the four years that a 65-year-old woman is expected to live longer than a senior man, only one year is projected to be free of disability, while two are expected to involve severe disabilities.

Life expectancy of women and men at age 65, 1921-1997

Source: Statistics Canada