Getting on

In: Griffith review 68

Abstract

In a world where seventy is the new fifty, old age isn't what it used to be. By 2060, the ratio of Australians aged over sixty-five will have passed one in four. This unprecedented demographic transformation marks a quiet revolution with far-reaching consequences for both individuals and wider society. As the proportion of older people continues to rise, how will working patterns, leisure habits and modes of living be reshaped and refashioned to answer future needs? How will this shift in the balance of the population be addressed? Will our seniors be celebrated or marginalised, powerful or powerless? What approach will Australia take to the global phenomenon of long life? And how might listening to the wisdom of our elders change everyone's world?