Labour and Social Statistics Section One in every twelve British Columbians living in private households is a senior citizen, aged 65 or older. Sixty-three per cent of seniors live with their own families, that is, with a spouse or as a lone parent. The living arrangements of elderly British Columbians are a reflection of both greater life expectancy of women relative to men, and the fact that more men than women have a spouse younger than themselves. One in every two women aged 75 and over lives alone.
Men are much less likely than women to be widowed.
A declining share of elderly British Columbians live with relatives. 75 or more were living with relatives, down four percentage points from the level in 1981.