Ageing is not a problem we have to fix

There is a misconception that as we age, we stop contributing to both our communities and the economy at large, writes Professor Briony Dow.

The release of the federal government’s 2023 intergenerational report reiterated what we already knew – Australians are living longer.

The report projected our average life expectancy to increase with the number of Australians aged 65 and over set to more than double, and the number of Australians aged 85 and over to triple in the next 40 years.

Many of us would assume this news – that Australians are living healthier, longer lives – would be warmly received.

However, disappointingly, the dominant narrative around these projections is a negative one – with an ageing population conceptualised as a problem to fix or a burden on future generations, rather than a remarkable achievement.

It seems our society is depicted as split in two: the young and the old.

Younger generations are portrayed as the poor recipients of this burden – as if they will never grow old themselves and require health and care services.

Older generations are portrayed as entirely dependent – as if they have not paid taxes throughout their working lives that have contributed to building our first-rate healthcare systems.

There is a great misconception that as we age, we stop contributing to both our communities and the economy at large.

Continuing to work into older age is becoming increasingly common in Australia.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, over the past two decades workforce participation for older men has almost doubled – from 10 per cent to 19 per cent – while older women’s participation almost quadrupled – from 3 per cent to 11 per cent.

In April 2021, more than 600,000 older Australians were actively contributing to the labour force.

There are also contributions being made that have an enormous impact outside of direct economic measures.

Family carers account for up to 80 per cent of care for older people, with almost 30 per cent of primary carers aged over 65 years old. Older people are also increasingly called upon to care for grandchildren, enabling their sons and daughters to participate in the workforce.

Of course, an ageing population does require new and innovative support systems to care for the older people of today, and provide security and stability for future generations.

And central to this is prioritising the voices of older people through the co-design of health and aged care programs and policies. Informed transformation will create change that lasts.

It’s essential that we don’t allow ageist thinking to undermine how we view the population shifts over the next 40 years.

More older people mean more Australians living well for longer. And a healthier society means more people able to contribute and participate to both the economic and cultural fabrics of our society.

Ageing is not a problem that we need to fix – it is an opportunity to be embraced and valued.

Professor Briony Dow is director of the National Ageing Research Institute.

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