Background

The fact that greater numbers of people are reaching old age is a major achievement, the result of improved living conditions and medical advances over various forms of disease. Future generations of older people will be better educated, have better health and have more financial resources than their parents.

Population ageing on this scale is a relatively new phenomenon for Australia, and we need to ensure that we are prepared for the challenges and opportunities that it brings. Too often only the negative aspects of population ageing are portrayed, for example; the view that an ever growing population of frail older people will place increasing financial burdens on a diminishing pool of tax payers.

Population ageing has implications for individuals and families, communities and governments. Individuals need to plan for their own retirement and communities need to identify the barriers that prevent older people from participating fully in community life whilst considering the gains to be made from making Australia more of a society for all ages. All of us need to consider new ways of thinking about ageing and retirement.

The changing nature of ageing could have significant implications for the way time is allocated to certain activities over the life cycle. However, the potential for more active older years is not always recognised. For example, the improving life expectancy and health of Australian men in their 50s and 60s stands in stark contrast to their decline in the labour force. If people in their middle and older years enjoy good health they might continue in the paid workforce, or play a greater role in the volunteer sector. Age might not necessarily define the roles we fill in the way that it has in the past.

To address issues arising as a result of Australia's ageing population, the Government has announced the development of a National Strategy for an Ageing Australia. The National Strategy will develop a broad ranging framework to identify challenges and possible responses for government, business, the community and individuals to meet the needs of Australians as they age. The National Strategy will take a whole of government approach and will build on work already undertaken to look at possible impacts of ageing in particular areas, for example, in superannuation accumulation and use, and appropriate housing. The National Strategy will be the Commonwealth Government's key policy response to the 1999 International Year of Older Persons.

Population Ageing

The term 'population ageing' means that there are proportionately more people in older age groups within a population. Population ageing, in the current Australian context, results primarily from declining fertility rates in conjunction with individual ageing (people living longer). Australia, like other OECD countries is undergoing a significant demographic transition associated with low fertility rates and reduced mortality rates. Relatively large scale immigration since the Second World War, and a fertility rate that is still higher than many other OECD countries, have meant that Australia has had a relatively younger age profile than many other comparable countries. Australia's population is now ageing relatively quickly.

• Between 1997 and 2051 the population aged 65 and over rises rapidly both in terms of numbers and as a proportion of the total population. This age group rises from 2.2 million in 1997 to about 4.0 million in 2021 and around 6.3 million in 205 1.
• As a proportion -of the population, this represents increases from 12% in 1997 to about 18% in 2021 and around 26% in 2051 (ABS 1998:3).

Although Australia's population ageing is neither as fast nor as extreme as other developed countries. Other countries have already experienced levels of ageing which are future scenario's for Australia. Whereas in 1960 Australia had higher proportions of persons 65+ than Japan by 1990 Japan had rapidly surpassed Australia and is now among the most rapidly ageing countries in the world (ABS 1998).

Challenges of Population Ageing

The OECD has outlined four key challenges associated with ageing populations:

1) fiscal - the interaction between increasing government expenditure, GDP growth and increasing dependency ratios;

2) market responsiveness - facilitating labour markets to respond flexibly to changing demographics;

3) active ageing - encouraging people to remain active and independent as they age; and

4) examining the balance between collective and individual responsibilities- the respective roles of the public and private sectors, and ensuring that individuals are able and confident in expressing choice and taking responsibility for their lives. (OECD 1996: 15-16).

The Research Project

The research targeted two discrete groups: the people who are old now, and the large group of people who are generally referred to as the 'baby boomers" (born between the mid-1940s and the early 1960s) who are the cohort that will bring Australia into the next century of ageing policy.

Three essential questions dominated. the parameters of the study: how does the broad community view ageing/older people, what are the prevailing attitudes to ageing and what are people's expectations and attitudes to their own ageing?

The research study involved two major phases - the first qualitative and the second quantitative. The qualitative research stage involved a range of focus group discussions, individual in-depth interviews, family interviews (reflecting intergenerational attitudes expressed together as a family group) and discussions with community organisations who deal with older people. The main purpose of the quantitative research stage was to quantify the main hypotheses and findings identified in the qualitative stage, together with providing a nationally reliable sample and a benchmark against which any communication activities can be measured. The quantitative stage involved a statistically valid sample of 1,863 people who participated in a telephone survey.

Major Findings of the Research

WHO IS OLD?

Age is clearly a state of mind rather than a chronological measure. Older Australians are very definite about their perception of being only as old as they feel, and "baby boomers' are largely in denial about the prospect of getting old. There is no workable definition of what constitutes 'old" - for most people it is older than themselves and for younger people (those under 35) it tends to be related to retirement from the workforce or ages of grandparents. Younger people tend to characterise old age by physical descriptors while older people see failing health (frailty and disablement) as the point which indicates old age.
Younger people see older people in generally a stereotypical and narrow focus, despite the fact that they often claim to like or see value in the older people they know (which usually means grandparents).

Work and Retirement

While content to be active and busy, older people recognise a link between retirement and the end of community "usefulness". There are indications that this could become a potent issue as older people may wish to continue in some form of paid work. Older people feel they have a contribution to make to society and see their role being threatened by negative attitudes. This is confirmed by such findings in the quantitative report as:
younger people will resent older people if they are seen as a financial burden" (57% agree with this statement);
"older people are not made to feel useful today" (60% agree); "there are too few role models who are older" (57% agree).

However, there are strongly held views within our society that:
"older people have contributed a lot more to the nation than they're given credit for" (90% agree); "enjoy the company of older people" (90% agree); and
"children have to help look after their ageing parents" (70% agree)

. Younger people are not particularly focused upon retirement, which can contribute to their lack of adequate planning for later life. The current generation of older people can be seen as being the last generation of the diligent savers. The younger group are concerned that their savings will be insufficient for their retirement and that the age pension will no longer be available to them. The "baby boomers' " denial of ageing contributes to their failure in many cases to embrace planning for it.
Clearly, there are far-reaching consequences in developing strategies and programs for an ageing Australia, particularly because older people themselves and the "baby boomers" want the opportunity to work longer if they want to/need to.

Main Concerns for Older People

The quantitative report looked at the concerns that older people have about themselves which were, in order of preference:

• financial security;
• health;
• personal safety;
• being a burden on others/ being- dependent/unable to manage by oneself,
• isolation
• physical/mental well-being.

Community Attitudes Towards Older People

The research revealed that there was general agreement among all age groups that the perception of older people is fairly negative. (Perhaps ethnicity has a moderating effect here.) Traditional roles as nurturers, upholders of moral values and a stabilising family influence are diminishing and older Australians' community role in volunteer work goes largely unnoticed outside their peer group.

Current media representation of older Australians does not contribute to creating a more favourable image of older people. Our society rejects age and ageing in an image sense. The "cult of youth" appears to be gathering pace despite the gradual increase in the numbers of mature members in the community.

There also appears to be a growing intergenerational gap between young and older people, with many young people having little or no contact with older Australians outside their immediate families. These groups are becoming isolated from each other and the basis for mutual understanding and empathy is evaporating. One in five (23 %) under 40 year olds suggest that there "are no benefits' in developing new or any relationships with older/aged persons.
To counter this, it is important to note that 48 % of people under 40 years of age see the main benefit of maintaining relationships with older people as being because they provide 66 wisdom/good advice/that they've been there, done that before" and for the "knowledge of the past". A small number (3 %) of people under 40 years of age gave " preservation of fundamental skills" as a benefit. It is interesting that this comment was most notably mentioned by indigenous Australians (18%) who are perhaps more socially aware of the value of preserving fundamental skills.
Technology is changing the traditional role of older Australians as valued sources of knowledge and expertise in their families and communities, and it is also affecting their work options. Perceptions of how older Australians might be viewed in the future are also more negative than optimistic. However, prevailing attitudes to ageing are positive among those entering into later life or currently in what could be described as "old age". This group believes that life does not end when one becomes old; it merely changes and such changes can be for the better for themselves.

Some positives - that older people associate with later life include:

• "having more time to do the things I want to" (36%);
• "spending more time with the family " (24 %);
• "having the ability to travel" (15 %).

Australian Bureau of Statistics (I 998) Population Proiections: 1997-205 1. ABS Cat No 3222.0.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (1996) Ageing in OECD Countries: A Critical Policy Challenge. Social Policy Studies No 20.

Worthington Di Marzio (I 998) A Research Report on A National Strategy for an-Ageing Australia and the 1999 International Year of Older Persons (Qualitative First Stage Office for Older Australians, Department of Health and Family Services (unpublished).

Worthington Di Marzio (I 998) A Research Report on A National Strategy for an Ageing Australia and the 1999 International Year of Older Persons (Quantitative Second Stage). Office for Older Australians, Department of Health and Family Services (unpublished).

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