Six in Ten Canadians Say Canada isn't Doing Enough to Support Seniors Aging at Home, New Survey Finds
New national data from Heart to Home Meals reveals a widening support gap in Canadian senior care, and what families say they actually need to feel at ease
Heart to Home Meals, a Canadian meal delivery service designed specifically for older adults, today released new national survey data showing that most Canadians believe there's more to be done when it comes to supporting seniors who want to stay home as they age. Only 24 per cent of Canadians agree that Canada is providing adequate support for seniors living independently at home, while 61 per cent disagree, pointing to a widening support gap that families are quietly closing on their own.
From adult children logging hours of unpaid caregiving each week to seniors skipping meals because cooking has become increasingly difficult, the findings paint a picture of a support system that isn't keeping pace with how Canadians are actually aging. The data is being released in line with Seniors Month, recognized in Ontario each June, and at a time when conversations about home care capacity, healthcare wait times, and aging at home are top of mind for families across the country.
Key Findings
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Only 24 per cent of Canadians agree that Canada provides adequate support for seniors who want to live independently at home, while 61 per cent disagree.
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Canadians with aging loved ones are spending an average of four hours per week supporting them with meals, errands, and household tasks, with some spending 15 hours or more.
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More than one-in-five Canadian seniors (22%) have skipped meals, eaten less, or relied on less nutritious food in the past year because preparing meals had become too difficult.
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88 per cent of Canadians say not having someone nearby to help is a key difficulty for seniors living independently at home, the top-cited barrier among six factors tested.
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94 per cent of Canadian seniors say they are confident they can continue living independently at home for the next five years, but only 71 per cent of Canadians with aging loved ones share that same confidence about their family members.
The Invisible Labour Holding Canada's Senior Care System Together
Behind the experience of every senior aging at home is, very often, an adult child putting in real hours of support each week. Canadians with aging loved ones are spending an average of four hours a week helping them with meals, errands, and household tasks, and a meaningful number are spending far more than that. Roughly one-in-three caregivers spends one to three hours a week on this kind of support, another 20 per cent spend four to seven hours, 8 per cent spend 8 to 14 hours, and 6 per cent are putting in 15 hours or more every single week.
The findings make it clear that conversations about aging at home need to include the people doing the helping, not just the people being helped.
A Confidence Divide Between Seniors and Their Families
The survey also reveals a striking gap between how seniors see themselves and how their families see them. While 94 per cent of Canadians aged 65 and older say they are confident they can continue living independently at home for the next five years, with 64 per cent saying they are very confident, that optimism is not fully shared by the people closest to them. Only 71 per cent of Canadians with an aging loved one feel the same level of confidence about that family member, and a quarter of them have real doubts about whether their loved one can keep aging at home.
The Real Threats to Senior Independence
When Canadians were asked what stands in the way of seniors living independently at home, the answers pointed to a set of interconnected challenges rather than a single issue. Not having someone nearby to help came in at the top, with 88 per cent of Canadians agreeing it is a key difficulty, followed closely by mobility and getting around safely (87%), loneliness and social isolation (85%), managing health conditions and medications (79%), affording the cost of staying at home (75%), and meal preparation and nutrition (74%).
When someone lacks the regular support of a person nearby, meal preparation tends to suffer too, isolation deepens, and small health concerns become harder to stay on top of.
One-in-Five Seniors are Skipping Meals Because Cooking Has Become Too Hard
One of the most concrete findings in the survey is also one of the most difficult to read. More than one-in-five Canadian seniors (22%) report that in the past year they have sometimes or often skipped meals, eaten less, or turned to less nutritious food because preparing meals had become too difficult. Among Canadians with aging loved ones, the picture is even sharper, with 30 per cent saying their family member has struggled with meal preparation at least sometimes in the past year.
“What this data tells us is that Canadians are already stepping up for the seniors in their lives, often invisibly and without recognition,” said Matt Diestl, Director of Heart to Home Meals. “Our role is to make that easier, and to ensure no senior ever skips a meal because cooking has become difficult. That's not just a service, that's why we exist.”
“These findings reflect what our delivery teams hear every day at the door. Seniors want to stay home, and their families want that for them too, but the support isn't always there to make it possible,” said Matt Diestl, Director of Heart to Home Meals. “Behind every senior aging at home is usually a family member doing more than most people realize – the grocery runs, the meal prep, the check-ins – and Heart to Home Meals is here to share that load, so families can spend their time on the relationship instead of the errands, and so no senior has to worry about what's for dinner."
What Heart to Home Meals is Doing for Canadian Seniors and Their Families
Heart to Home Meals is built specifically for older Canadians who want to keep living at home with dignity, independence, and good food on the table. The service delivers a wide variety of chef-crafted frozen meals, soups, and desserts developed with the guidance of dietitians, with options for different appetites and dietary needs including low sodium, high protein and fibre, and pureed and minced diet options. Meals are dropped off by familiar, locally based delivery teams who know their customers by name, and there are no subscriptions or contracts, so customers can order what they want when they want it.
Powered by the same global food expertise trusted by healthcare systems around the world, and delivered through locally owned franchises across most of Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, Heart to Home Meals is designed to make daily life simpler as people age. For seniors, that means knowing the next meal is taken care of. For families, it means a regular knock at the door from a familiar face, a check-in they can count on, and fewer hours spent on errands and meal prep so they can spend that time on the relationship instead.
What Canadians Say Would Give Them the Most Peace of Mind
When asked what would give them the most peace of mind about an aging loved one at home, Canadians pointed first to knowing their loved one could quickly get help in an emergency (26%), followed by living closer to family or support networks (25%), and access to affordable in-home support services (21%). Heart to Home Meals already provides these services every week, with regular knocks at the door from a familiar driver, reliable nutrition, and a model of care that puts real human connection back into how seniors are supported at home.
To learn more about Heart to Home Meals or to place an order for yourself or a loved one, visit hearttohomemeals.ca.
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About the Survey
The survey was completed by Heart to Home Meals and conducted between April 21st and April 23rd, 2026. For this study, a representative sample of 1,502 online Canadian adults who are members of the Angus Reid Forum were surveyed in English and French. For comparison purposes only, a probability sample of this size would carry a margin of error of +/-2.53 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
About Heart to Home Meals
Heart to Home Meals, part of the global apetito group with over $1 billion in annual sales and a legacy of nutrition-focused care since 1958, delivers chef-crafted, nutritious meals directly to the homes of older Canadians. With a wide variety of menu options developed with the input of dietitians and tailored to a range of dietary needs, including low sodium, high protein and fibre, and pureed and minced diet options, Heart to Home Meals helps seniors age in place with dignity and ease. Operated through locally owned franchises across most of Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Manitoba, Heart to Home Meals serves thousands of Canadian seniors each year. Learn more at hearttohomemeals.ca.
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