27/07/2010
Eight out of 10 people are concerned over the lack of infrastructure and affordable housing to deal with the nation’s growing and ageing population, new independent research has revealed.
Polling by Galaxy in all states showed that Australians across all age groups believe not enough is being done to prepare for these population changes.
Commissioned by The Benevolent Society, the research found that more than 90 per cent of Australians believe that federal and state governments need to do more to deal with the funding shortfall as the country’s population over 65 doubles and the number of taxpayers to support them halves.
“What struck us the most about the research results is the high level of concern across all age groups from 18 year olds to over 50 year olds,” said The Benevolent Society CEO Richard Spencer.
“It’s surprising that 90 per cent of respondents expressed concern about Australia meeting the costs associated with our ageing population, and even more in each age group agreed on the need to create more affordable housing.”
When asked specifically about housing needs for older Australians, 86 per cent said all governments must do more to make sure people can access affordable housing as they get older.
Professor Peter Phibbs, of the Urban Research Centre at the University of Western Sydney says these findings support recent Australian research studies that show older Australian renters on low incomes are one of the most vulnerable groups in the housing market.
“Researchers would agree with the respondents to the Galaxy survey that all Governments need to do more to provide better housing opportunities for older Australian renters. State Governments can use their land use planning systems to encourage the sorts of affordable housing outcomes that would be suitable for this group,” said Professor Phibbs.
New types of housing developments that include universal design features were seen by the overwhelming majority of people surveyed as a way to meet housing needs, and 90 per cent agreed with the need for a high allocation of low cost or subsidised housing.
When asked what they thought were the main benefits of The Apartments for Life model, proposed by The Benevolent Society, the top-line answers were: maintaining independence, easy access to health care services and being able to live close to family and friends.
“We hope that the positive response to the Apartments for Life concept will inspire more housing and aged services providers – government and non-government – to plan to provide the kind of housing that will support people to stay independent near their established support networks for as long as possible, without excluding those with low incomes or assets,” said Mr Spencer.
“We know from previous research that older Australians don’t want to move into nursing homes. They want more choices for late old age than the current options of staying in unsuitable houses where they risk accidents; institutionalised nursing home care, or distant retirement villages where they are cut off from family, friends and established support networks.”
Media enquiries to Carolin Wenzel on 0411 766 682 or Erin Schrieber, 0410 003 924
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