Embracing the Future: Tasmania’s Ageing Profile Part II

Embracing the Future: Tasmania’s Ageing Profile Part II includes information about the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of ageing in Tasmania, including older Tasmanian’s:

• Health & Disability;
• Relationships;
• Cultural Diversity;
• Income;
• Housing; and
• Employment.

Full Report

Fact Sheet: Health & Disability, Relationships & Cultural Diversity

Fact Sheet: Income, Housing & Employment

Hard copy fact sheets can be ordered using the form below.

Embracing the Future Part II has a particular focus on social isolation and loneliness, highlighting older Tasmanian populations who may be at risk of these while recognising that these are not normal experiences of ageing. Using data from 2016 ABS Census and other national and state sources, Embracing the Future Part II supports government and community to better understand and plan for Tasmania’s older population.

For more information about Embracing the Future Part II, contact Rosalind Herbert on 6231 3265 or rosalindh@cotatas.org.au.

Key findings from the Report:

• Many older Tasmanians live healthy, happy lives, but social isolation and loneliness are becoming more common. Government and community need to plan and implement strategies, services and supports to make sure all Tasmanians remain connected to their community and can age with dignity, choice and respect.
• Tasmania had the highest proportion of older people who lived alone of all Australia states and territories. 42.4% of Tasmanians who lived in lone person households were aged over 65, and 23.6% of older Tasmanians living with a profound or severe disability lived alone.
• Tasmania had the oldest workforce in Australia in 2016, with 45.5% of the labour force aged over 45, and more than 50% of the workforce was aged over 45 in six of Tasmania’s 19 industries. The proportion of the workforce aged over 65 has increased since 2011.
• Tasmanians aged over 65 had some of the greatest levels of engagement in healthy behaviours, and low engagement in unhealthy behaviours, of all Tasmanian age groups in 2016. 74.5% of Tasmanians aged over 65 felt they had good, very good or excellent health, despite over half living with disability.
• The proportion of older Tasmanians who were widowed decreased from 2011 to 2016, while those who were divorced or separated grew.
• 2% of Tasmanians who identified as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander were aged over 65 compared to 19.8% of non-Indigenous Tasmanians.
• One in five older Tasmanians were born in a country other than Australia, most from a European or English-speaking country. A higher proportion of Tasmanians aged over 85 years spoke a language other than English at home, compared to those aged 65 to 84 years.
• 1% of older Tasmanians received the Age Pension, the highest proportion of Australian states and territories. 10,000 Tasmanians aged 45 to 65.5 years received Newstart and are at risk of entering older age in financial stress.
• The proportion of Tasmanians experiencing homelessness who were aged over 45 grew by 3.4% from 2011 to 2016. This growth was faster for women than for men.