Major challenges face ageing Australia

International Day of Older Persons is celebrated today to acknowledge the contribution of six million older Australians. It also provides an opportunity to draw attention to some of the important issues facing older people and challenges facing an ageing society.

The ageing of the population is a “mega trend” influencing life across the world, according to Sue Hendy, COTA Victoria chief executive.

The number of people aged 60 years and over will soon exceed that of people aged 15 years and younger. This has profound social and economic implications for individuals and for society as a whole.

“Australian governments don’t seem to comprehend the impact that an ageing population will have and are yet to put in place strategies to deal with the challenges,” Ms Hendy says.

“Unfortunately, ageism and age discrimination is alive and well in Australia and our age discrimination laws are weak despite the fact that a third of older Australians say they have experienced age discrimination,” she adds.

According to Ms Hendy, discrimination in the workplace is costing Australia billions of dollars.

“Nearly a third of the people who are long term unemployed are over 55 years and are on the inadequate Newstart Allowance.  Many of them face poverty, unable to find employment and unable to get the pension until they are 65,” she says.

She adds that appropriate housing is another issue, with a decline in social and public housing over the past decade.

“There’s an increase in the number of aged pensioners forced into poverty and homelessness because of rising rents in the private sector.

“There are opportunities and challenges associated with the ageing of the population and we need to work together if we are to have a healthy and prosperous society.”