farmer's daughter:

a) TFSA? You can shelter a fair chunk of your investments and not pay capital gains as you sell. 

b) More net worth with a reverse mortgage than without? Really? 

This is sort of like saying the average person should take out a mortgage on their house and invest it in the stock market, except you have to do twice as well in the market. 

So what are they charging these days for a reverse mortgage? 5%? 6%? Okay you can find some stocks that have a dividend payout of that rate. But ... they aren't risk free. And, I dare say, most people who might be considering a reverse mortgage aren't likely the most financially sophisticated.