Ageing should be celebrated as a time of purpose, connection, freedom and discovery, not simply a period of decline, according to a new report from the Council on the Ageing NSW (COTA NSW).
Golden Eras: The Joy of Ageing in New South Wales challenges the way ageing is often portrayed in Australia and highlights the many ways older people across NSW are finding meaning and happiness in everyday life.
The report brings together conversations with older people in NSW who are embracing new experiences and activities later in life and includes lessons from Indigenous perspectives and international approaches to ageing well.
COTA NSW CEO Gohar Yazdabadi said the report is an invitation to change the way society thinks and talks about ageing.
“We talk a lot about the challenges of ageing, but we don’t talk nearly enough about the joy. Growing older can bring greater perspective, confidence and freedom. It can mean having more time to pursue the things that matter, stronger relationships, new interests and the opportunity to contribute to our communities in ways that are deeply meaningful.”
“Ageing is not something that happens to ‘other people’. We are all ageing, and we need to build a society where people can look forward to later life rather than fear it.”
The report notes that NSW is undergoing a profound demographic change, with approximately one in four NSW residents expected to be aged 65 or over by mid-century.
Yet ageing is still too often framed around dependency, retirement, declining health and loss. The peak body for older people in NSW argues that this narrow narrative fails to recognise the enormous social, cultural and economic contribution older people make.
The report also highlights the importance of tackling loneliness and social isolation. COTA NSW research has found that 60 per cent of people aged 50 and over report feeling lonely and 50 per cent report being socially isolated. At the same time, around three in four Australians aged 65 and over describe their health as good, very good or excellent.
The report was launched at NSW Parliament House by the Minister for Seniors, Jodie Harrison MP.
Case study
The report features the stories of older people living in NSW who have found joy in remarkably different ways.
They include Mary, who joined the circus and learned trapeze at 55 before establishing the 50 Up Circus, giving older people opportunities to develop circus skills, creativity and confidence through performance.
“It’s pretty simple, really. Find an activity you love – one that keeps you moving, sparks your creativity, and connects you with others. You might need to try a few things to find it. And keep an open mind to trying things that might make you think, ‘I could never do that!’ Because you may well be able to do it, as we at 50-Up have all found out.”
“I’m in my early 60s, so people are always surprised – but then they’re even more surprised when I mention that one of our members is Delwyn, a 76-year-old who performs on lyra. She didn’t start until she was 75! That’s when they are really taken aback.”
Fresh from recent high wire Sydney Fringe Festival performances, the group’s motto captures the spirit of the report: “Joy has no age limit.”
Other examples include a woman who discovered Korean dramas during COVID lockdowns and has now travelled to South Korea four times; an older woman who checks in with friends every day, visits people living with dementia and maintains a garden of more than 100 pots; and a woman who volunteers with people experiencing illness, disaster and end-of-life care alongside her trained therapy dog, Sunny.
Lessons from other countries
The report points to international examples that demonstrate how societies can create the conditions for joyful ageing.
In Japan, the concept of ikigai emphasises having a reason for being and a sense of purpose, while Silver Human Resource Centres provide opportunities for people aged 60 and over to undertake part-time and community-based work.
In Denmark, cohousing communities bring older people together in environments designed to reduce loneliness and support independence. Singapore’s Kampung Admiralty integrates housing, healthcare, community facilities, childcare and social activities in a “vertical village” designed to help older people age in place.
The report argues that NSW already has many of the ingredients needed for joyful ageing, including the NSW Ageing Well Strategy and programs supporting social connection, active ageing and community participation.
Golden Eras: The Joy of Ageing in New South Wales is available at www.cotansw.com.au
About us:
Council on the Ageing (COTA) NSW is the peak organisation representing the rights, needs, and interests of people over 50 in New South Wales. Membership is free at www.cotansw.com
