RENOWNED social demographer Bernard Salt has shared an exclusive update on the future of ageing at a special seniors forum 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.
“For years, I have been speaking about the transitioning of the baby boomer generation into their ‘retirement years’ and now what I am calling The Great Contentment, which by many measures is emerging as a sweet spot in the Australian lifecycle,” Mr Salt said.
“For many Australians this is a period in the lifecycle when the stresses of work recede, kids are partnered, grandkids arrive, there’s enough super to travel, and health issues are manageable.
“Over the balance of the 2020s we will see baby boomers pass through this period of great contentment.”
The forum at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, hosted by the Queensland Government and Council on the Ageing Queensland, explored key issues affecting older people and insights into what matters to them.
Seniors Minister Craig Crawford said he wanted Queensland to be considered the nation’s most age-friendly state.
“It is great to think baby boomers are in the sweet spot of “The Great Contentment” in the Australian lifecycle,” he said.
“But what does the future hold for Gen X, Y and Z when they become seniors?
“It shows we have to meet the needs of our ageing population.
“Seniors must feel connected to community, cared for by world-class services, and celebrated for their contributions.”
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 wellbeing.
By 2050, it’s estimated that nearly 1 in 5 Queenslanders will be 65 years of age or older (20 per cent or 1.6 million people).
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