Aging in Australia: Different Policies and Services for the Aging Population
Dylan Kowalchuk
Aging in Australia
Plymouth State University
This paper focuses on aging in Australia, the different policies and services for the aging population, and provides some examples about what it would be like to age in Australia. First, it is important to understand the age care policy in Australia. There are four different components to this policy: the old-aged pension system, pursuit of the aging-in-place policy, self-funded services and supports, and residential and frail aged care. The aged care policy in Australia is “built on the premise of independence and individualization and assumes that older people will remain in the community for as long as they are able to” (Gray & Heinsch, 2009, p. 108). In order to fully understand these different components of this policy, each of them will be looked at more closely. Old-aged pensions were the first form of income support provided for the aging population and today, nearly two-thirds of retirees in Australia rely on this pension as their main income source (Grey & Heinsch, 2009). Currently, it is required that men be 65 years of age in order to receive this pension, and an estimated 63.5 years of age for women. It is estimated that by 2014, women will also be required to be 65 years old to receive the pension. One component of the old-aged pension is the superannuation guarantee, which was introduced in 1992; it consists of a mandatory employer contribution to a private pension plan, and the rate has been 9% of employee earnings since the 2002-03 tax years (“Australia”, n.d.). According to Gray and Heinsch (2009), aged pensions make up the largest portion of the welfare budget (about $22.6 billion in 2006-2007). Generally, the Australian public seems to be pleased with the old-aged pensions and often desire increases to the pension. Next there is the pursuit of the aging-in-place policy, and this is maintained through community care. The public opinion in Australia generally sways in
Aging in Australia
Plymouth State University
This paper focuses on aging in Australia, the different policies and services for the aging population, and provides some examples about what it would be like to age in Australia. First, it is important to understand the age care policy in Australia. There are four different components to this policy: the old-aged pension system, pursuit of the aging-in-place policy, self-funded services and supports, and residential and frail aged care. The aged care policy in Australia is “built on the premise of independence and individualization and assumes that older people will remain in the community for as long as they are able to” (Gray & Heinsch, 2009, p. 108). In order to fully understand these different components of this policy, each of them will be looked at more closely. Old-aged pensions were the first form of income support provided for the aging population and today, nearly two-thirds of retirees in Australia rely on this pension as their main income source (Grey & Heinsch, 2009). Currently, it is required that men be 65 years of age in order to receive this pension, and an estimated 63.5 years of age for women. It is estimated that by 2014, women will also be required to be 65 years old to receive the pension. One component of the old-aged pension is the superannuation guarantee, which was introduced in 1992; it consists of a mandatory employer contribution to a private pension plan, and the rate has been 9% of employee earnings since the 2002-03 tax years (“Australia”, n.d.). According to Gray and Heinsch (2009), aged pensions make up the largest portion of the welfare budget (about $22.6 billion in 2006-2007). Generally, the Australian public seems to be pleased with the old-aged pensions and often desire increases to the pension. Next there is the pursuit of the aging-in-place policy, and this is maintained through community care. The public opinion in Australia generally sways in