Renowned social demographer Bernard Salt has shared an exclusive update on the future of ageing at a special forum held in Brisbane as part of Queensland Seniors Month celebrations.
More than 200 people attended, with about 500 tuning in via the live stream, to hear Mr Salt’s future projections for older Queenslanders as they reach the “sweet spot” in their lives.
The keynote speaker shared his thoughts on how older people are shifting into what he has coined “The Great Contentment”, rather than traditional retirement years.
The forum at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, hosted by the Palaszczuk government and Council on the Ageing Queensland, explored key issues affecting older people and insights into what matters to them.
Important information about concessions, rebates, supports and services available for older people was also shared, helping seniors save thousands of dollars each year and improving their social health and well-being.
By 2050, it’s estimated that nearly one in five Queenslanders will be 65 years of age or older, equivalent to 20 per cent of the population or 1.6 million people.
Mr Salt said “The Great Contentment” was a time where the stresses of work recede, kids are partnered, grandkids arrive and health issues are manageable.
“Over the balance of the 2020s we will see baby boomers pass through this period of great contentment,” he aid.
“Others in this time of life will face many challenges including failing health, family breakdown and financial worries.
“Due to this wide variation in the likely lived experience of ageing boomers, it is important that government agencies as well as the wider community develop the awareness and capabilities needed to support older Australians in these sometimes joyous, sometimes challenging years.
“With due planning and the good will of our society, I am confident that together we can deliver the necessary support they will need.”
