Wealth Status and Transitions to Seniors’ Housing: An Analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging

Abstract Background and Objectives Older adults in Canada are experiencing increasing demand for housing, but limited evidence exists on how wealth status relates to the transition to seniors’ housing. We investigated the association between wealth status and transitions to seniors’ housing. Research Design and Methods We conducted a longitudinal study using the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) data. The primary outcome was the transition to seniors’ housing from participants’ own homes, assessed at baseline to follow-up 1, and follow-up 1 to follow-up 2. The wealth status was the primary exposure measured by “total savings and investments”. We used a multivariable generalized estimating equation (GEE) model adjusted for confounders. Results We included 17,837 participants at baseline and 19,756 at follow-up 1, aged 65 and older. Higher wealth (100,000 to < 1 million CAD) was associated with 40% lower odds of transitioning to seniors’ housing (aOR = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.46–0.78) than lower wealth status (50,000 CAD). Being older, living alone, being a home care recipient, mild ADL impairments, poor general health status and eyesight were associated with higher odds of transitioning. Wealth was significantly associated with transition to seniors housing in Alberta and Quebec, but not in British Columbia, Ontario, Atlantic, or the Prairie provinces. Discussion and Implications The association between wealth and transitions to seniors’ housing suggests that, overall, in Canada and across the provinces, financial resources play an important role in determining transition to seniors’ housing. These findings highlight the need for targeted policies to reduce inequalities across jurisdictions.