No. 33 - Seniors with disabilities

One in four Canadian seniors has a long-term disability or handicap. In 1999, 25% of all people aged 65 and over living at home had such a condition, compared with 18% of people aged 55-64 and less than 10% of those between the ages of 25 and 54.

Not surprisingly, the proportion of seniors with a long-term disability rises sharply with age. In 1999, 35% of those aged 85 and over had a disability or handicap, versus 28% of those aged 75-84 and 22% of those aged 65-74.

In the 75 + group, women and men about as likely to report some level of disability. However, among those aged 65-74, women are considerably less likely than their male counterparts to have a disability. In 1999, 18% of females aged 65-74 reported some level of disability, versus 26% of males in this age range.

Percentage of seniors with a long-term
disability or handicap, 1999