Older Aussies living ‘scary reality’
We can’t control what Mother Nature throws at us but we can make sure older Australians aren’t hit hard in the back pocket, according to Ian Yates, COTA’s national chief executive.
We can’t control what Mother Nature throws at us but we can make sure older Australians aren’t hit hard in the back pocket, according to Ian Yates, COTA’s national chief executive.
Mr Yates writes in The Australian about his concerns as Australia’s population ages and electricity prices climb.
“All electricity users are going to be doing it a bit tougher staying cool and making ends meet, but for older Australians, the implications are worse,” he claims.
As older Australians generally spend more time at home and rely more on their residential energy supply, they are more likely than others to be forced to make sacrifices and forgo other activities to ensure their bills are paid in full and one time.
“While electricity bills have risen 40% the aged pension will have increased just 11% for single people and 4% for couples. For self funded retirees, low interest rates mean income from their savings has actually decreased,” Mr Yates writes.
“This means older Australians are also less able to afford measures to improve the energy efficiency of their home, such as replacing old fridges or electric hot water systems, or to take advantage of solar generation opportunities, measures of great benefit to consumers who are in a financial position to act,” he adds.
As summer heats up, the urge to constrain energy costs can have serious, sometimes devastating, health effects for older Australians.
In the 2009 Victorian heatwave there was a 64% increase in deaths, with the largest increase among people aged over 75 years.
There has been a giant leap in electricity prices, Mr Yates claims, describing it as a “scary reality” that many will be forced into making a choice between food and air conditioning.
At the end of last year the federal government released an energy white paper with recommendations on how to help people deal with the increase in electricity prices.
“They are a step in the right direction and all state and territory governments should feel obligated to implement them so households can get through the summer a bit easier,” Mr Yates says.
“But because older Australians have different electricity consumption patterns and budgeting habits, it’s important to understand the implications these recommendations will have on them.”
