Older Australians publications

The proportion of people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds in Australia's older population (65 and older) is growing. Identifying the changing geographic distribution of this older population is of particular importance because location plays a significant role in understanding and planning health and aged care services. As most of the culturally and linguistically diverse population aged 65 and over in Australia live in metropolitan areas, this bulletin focuses on the change over time to the older populations in capital cities.

Examines the level and patterns of government health and welfare expenditure on older Australians. It describes the main areas of expenditure, and argues that the controls put in place in each of these areas to contain costs have resulted in a manageable increase in government expenditure. Current until 1 December 1999.

Documents health differentials in Australia using national population health and mortality data relating to the late 1980s. The first, entitled Health Differentials Among Adult Australians aged 25-64 years, was published in 1994 by the AIHW.

This bulletin examines the relationship, as far as Australia’s 2001 National Health Survey (NHS) allows, between obesity and absenteeism from work in almost 10,000 employed men and women who participated in that survey. It also assesses whether the results are consistent with the likelihood of having consulted a health professional and with self-assessed health status. The relationship between obesity and labour force status is also examined.

This bulletin examines levels and trends in the prevalence of obesity in the context of an ageing populations and the likely health and economic consequences. The focus is confined to obesity rather than lesser degrees of overweight because obesity has significant health consequences at all ages. The findings will inform policy makers and program deliverers who have the task of tackling the obesity problem, particularly among older Australians.

Prepared by AIHW and DHFS for the 1997 World Congress of Gerontology, this publication provides an overview of the health, wellbeing and social circumstances of older Australians and their health and welfare services.

Prepared by AIHW and the Office for Older Australians in the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, this publication provides an overview of the health, wellbeing and social circumstances of older Australians and their health and welfare services.

Australia's population is ageing and as baby boomers move into old age this trend is set to gather greater momentum over the next three decades. Significant changes will flow to all aspects of social and economic life as both the number and proportion of older people in the community increase. This third edition of Older Australia at a Glance provides insights into the diversity of the older population of Australia at the beginning of the 21st century, where they are living, what they are doing, how healthy they are and the services they are using.

Australia's population is ageing and as baby boomers move into old age this trend is set to gather greater momentum over the next three decades. Significant changes will flow to all aspects of social and economic life as both the number and proportion of older people in the community increase. This fourth edition of Older Australians at a glance provides insights into the diversity of the older population of Australia, where they are living, what they are doing, how healthy they are and the services they are using.

In 2011 the Department of Health and Ageing asked the AIHW to update tables and figures for three sections of the report: 

•  Section 1 - Demographic profile;
•  Section 2 - Social and economic context; and
•  Section 5 – Special population groups.

These tables and figures can be found on the additional material tab on this web page. There is no accompanying analysis of the data presented in this material.

Hospital use increases with age for both admissions and length of stay. This bulletin examines patterns of hospital use among people aged 65 and over. Hospitalisation, length of stay, diagnosis, type of care and destination on discharge are examined.

Visual impairment is an important health issue facing the present and future generations of older Australians because it can affect physical, functional, emotional and social wellbeing, and reduce quality of life.The main aim of this bulletin is to present the most reliable, robust and up-to-date estimates of the prevalence of major vision problems among older Australians. The prevalence of vision problems among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is also reported. These estimates are important for use in planning prevention and treatment interventions. The bulletin also presents estimates from the range of Australian data sources available and reports on a number of data quality issues.