Sun still shining on our golden oldies
THEY are the healthiest, wealthiest, happiest and longest living older generation we’ve ever known – and they’re determined to enjoy themselves.
Experts say “70 is the new 50” with senior Aussies, many of whom fall into the Baby Boomer generation, now redefining what it means to be old.
National Seniors commissioned a large-scale survey of Australians over 55 at the end of last year and discovered most people reported “feeling” an average 10 years younger than their chronological age, with the effect more pronounced among women.
Research director Professor John McCallum said the results showed that we should “redefine middle age” up to age 75.
“The community needs to realise this and not be surprised or embarrassed about older people wanting to stay active and involved, in other words ‘acting young’,” he said
According to social researcher Mark McCrindle, based on current demographic trends, for the first time in Australia’s history by 2028 there will be more people aged over 60 than aged under 20.
“We see massive increases in longevity, this is a generation that will live longer than any other generation and there’s an extra incentive to remain healthier for longer,” Mr McCrindle said.
When Australia’s age pension started in 1909, life expectancy at birth was 57 — today it is 80 for men and 84.5 for women.
“In fact based on years of life expectancy, a 65-year-old today is the equivalent of a 54year-old in 1950,” a report by Mr McCrindle says.
Former photographer and filmmaker Alby Falzon, 74, surfs most mornings and has been a vegetarian for 40 years.
“The truth be known is we’re ageless,” he said. “People get hung up about age, but it’s in your mind.”
He gets up an hour before sunrise to write every morning and says surfing makes his life very happy.
“I’ve read a lot of philosophy and thought about what makes people happy, and I believe you need to really live in the present and be grateful for that. You just have to live for the day and realise each and every moment is the precious gift. Connecting with nature helps achieve that,” Mr Falzon said.
Like 93 per cent of his generation, he doesn’t smoke and along with 72 per cent of his compatriots says he’s in good health.
Seniors are also becoming more switched on digitally – 78 per cent of seniors aged 65 to 75 own a smartphone. And as a generation who valued home ownership – 76 per cent own their own place – they are also asset rich.
“Being debt free helps,” Mr Falzon said. really
They’re also working longer, with the proportion of older Australians participating in the labour force doubling between 2000 and 2015 from 6 per cent to 13 per cent.
However, ageist attitudes still exist. The Human Rights Commission notes that 43 per cent of Australians aged 65plus have experienced discrimination because of their age – from being overlooked for work, to being ignored by sales staff, or made being the butt of jokes about technology.
But despite those barriers it turns out they’re the happiest of all of us.
Deakin University senior research fellow Dr Delyse Hutchinson, who works on the annual Australian Unity Wellbeing Index measuring satisfaction with life, said Australians over 66 show up as the most content in life.
“Typically we see the highest scores for wellbeing among those 66 years and over, it is a statistically meaningful difference,” Dr Hutchinson said.
“Once people come into those later years we do see a time when some of those pressures from earlier lift a little, and people enjoy a bit of time back.”