Healthy life expectancy trends reversed, not just due to COVID-19

By the Editorial Team · Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Healthy life expectancy at age 65 in Canada began declining around 2019, reversing previous gains observed across income levels and sexes, with the decrease continuing through 2023 even before the COVID-19 pandemic. This trend highlights the need for targeted healthcare policies and further research into non-pandemic factors affecting the well-being of older adults.

Healthy life expectancy (HLE) in Canada has shown a reversal in previously positive trends, with declines evident even before the COVID-19 pandemic began, according to recent analysis. HLE, a measure of the number of years an individual can expect to live in good health—considering factors such as vision, hearing, mobility, cognition, and pain—has long been a key indicator of population well-being, particularly for older adults. This analysis focuses on HLE from age 65, a benchmark relevant for retirees and those approaching retirement.

Data indicate that while HLE had been rising steadily for both men and women across income levels through 2017, the trajectory changed around 2019. Notably, in the case of men in the highest income quintile, HLE increased by more than two years between 2000 and 2017, likely reflecting advances in medical care and healthier lifestyle choices, including reductions in smoking rates. Women in the top income group generally exhibit longer healthy life expectancy than men, whereas men in the lowest income bracket have the shortest HLE. However, differences in HLE between the top and middle income quintiles remain relatively modest—under two years—and sex differences in HLE are also less than two years on average.

Despite these gains, HLE began to decline as early as 2019, before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and this downward trend continued through 2023. While the pandemic undoubtedly contributed to the decrease in healthy life years—due to direct health impacts and broader disruptions to healthcare and social services—it does not fully account for the decline observed prior to 2020. This suggests that other factors, possibly including emerging chronic health issues or environmental influences, may also be affecting the quality of life in older Canadians.

Researchers emphasize the importance of ongoing monitoring of HLE trends, given the implications for healthcare planning and policy development aimed at supporting seniors. Understanding the underlying causes behind the reversal in HLE gains is crucial for addressing health inequalities and fostering improvements in healthy aging across different demographic groups.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.