Why is seeking to minimise your personal need
for Aged Care a worthwhile goal?
Within ten years, there will be more people
over age 65 than under age 14 in Australia.
There are already half a million people over
85, two thirds of whom are women.
We need Aged Care when we can no longer
live independently. The current Royal
Commission into Aged Care will uncover the
need for more resources to provide adequate
support for older people.
This will go beyond just improving present
Aged Care practices. Although the projected
lifespans of newborns are on average still
increasing, there are signs the wellness of
people over 85 may be declining – so even
more resources are likely to be needed to
maintain the quality of life of older people.
The trigger for entry to Aged Care is often a
physiological or a medical one which affects
your ability to be independent. It frequently
reflects a chronic condition which has built up
over time.
It makes sense for each of us to take early
action to reduce the likelihood of such an
event. The good news is that much is possible.
What’s the first step?
A good start is to take stock of yourself. The
SHAPE Analyser is designed for this, so you
can use the upgraded version as a start. The
orange answers of your SHAPE results provide
a focus for your first steps.
Community trends
Age Care is a consequence of dependency.
This table (based on average Australian
data) shows the longer you live, the shorter
your dependency is likely to be. This is not
what many people thought previously.
| Age |
65 |
75 |
85 |
| Male Dependant Years |
3.4 |
3.0 |
2.3 |
| Female Dependant Years |
5.6 |
5.1 |
4.1 |
So it’s worth aiming to live as well as you
can for the immediate and the longer term.
What’s the next step?
Exercise, social behaviour, cognitive
maintenance and diet all interact in an
informed approach.
Each of us is different from each other. Our
own plans are not necessarily the best for
someone else.
This is why we developed the Longevity
Plan so each of us can develop a plan for
the future which suits us personally. The
Longevity Plan follows on naturally from
the SHAPE Analyser by encouraging you to
focus on your own characteristics and your
intentions for the future
The Longevity Plan also provides additional
more detailed articles on how to approach
Aged Care and Dependency.
