Population ageing and Australia's future

Population ageing and Australia’s future

Population ageing is emerging as one of the major global issues of the 21st century. The 2014 Symposium provides a timely opportunity for the Academy, in collaboration with the ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research (CEPAR), to lead national thinking on the long-term challenges and opportunities of an ageing Australia.

This multi-disciplinary symposium on individual and population ageing will present the facts about and consider responses to the policy challenges of population ageing.

Age Discrimination Commissioner The Hon Susan Ryan AO will open the Symposium and speak on older people’s views, attitudes, and age rights. Addressing the Australian Government’s Strategic Research Priorities area of promoting population health and wellbeing, leading experts will examine research contributions relating to social support and participation, and opportunities for enhancing cognitive capacities over the life span. Participants will be invited to consider responses to the social inequalities and diversity that arise in terms of gender, socio-economic resources, ethnicity and geographical location.

The final session will consider national directions for action by individuals and families as well as for governments, business and not-for-profit organisations. it will focus on strategies for achieving secure incomes, organising and financing health care, and housing and intergenerational relations. The symposium will conclude with a broader discussion of the impact of an ageing population on the medium to long term future of Australia’s economic viability, social cohesion and security.

The Symposium is convened by Professor Hal Kendig FASSA, Professor John Piggott FASSA, Professor Peter McDonald AM FASSA, Professor Kaarin Anstey FASSA and Professor Jan Pakulski FASSA.