Population Ageing: How to Turnaround Attitudes to Older Australians?

Attitudes towards older people have changed. The group once seen as needy and deserving is often considered a burden these days, says Hal Kendig, chief investigator of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Population Ageing Research, based at the University of New South Wales. Stereotypes are unhelpful in the drive to support an increasing number of older people towards productive and healthy later years. Australia will need its older workforce in future, and a new body of research highlights its capabilities. Signs of a turnaround in attitudes are also on the horizon.