Thursday Three - 27 07 2023

  • New AAG special interest group

  • Get ready for AAG 'pulse checking': Polls and buzz sessions

  • AIHW report on life expectancy

New AAG special interest group

AAG is pleased to invite members to the launch of the new Creativity, Art and Design (CAD) Special Interest Group (SIG). This SIG is committed to identifying, amplifying and leveraging the potential of creativity, art and design (participating, performing, creating, and making) to positively transform the experience of ageing.

CAD SIG's first priority is to develop an engaged and supportive community of practice. Come along to this online event at 11 am AEST on Wednesday 2 August 2023 and hear about:

  • The aims and objectives of CAD SIG
  • New arts-informed projects
  • Ways to develop practical and impactful strategies for implementing design and arts-based approaches into your research practice

For details and to register, go to the AAG website.

Get ready for AAG 'pulse checking': Polls and buzz sessions

AAG's role includes contributing to evidence-based policy and practice. As part of this, we'll soon be conducting online 'pulse checks' on topics relating to ageing and aged care.

First, high-level topics will be set by AAG and the Department of Health and Aged Care. AAG will then run the online polls, and members can use the online community to discuss the poll results. From there members can also take part in shortlisting topics and pitching their priorities. A selection of pitches will then progress to a 'buzz session', where AAG members will try to convince a panel of the merit of their idea and that it warrants further work. From these, up to three pitches will be invited to develop a paper or evidence review, in collaboration with AAG, or towards other partnering opportunities.

The first poll will be conducted in the coming weeks. Get ready to share your ideas! Any enquiries in the meantime can be directed to Dr Amber Mills, AAG Policy and Research Manager, at [email protected].

AIHW report on life expectancy

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has released its latest report on life expectancy and longevity. 'How long can Australians live?' was picked up by mainstream media, there was much talk about what it takes to live to 110, with several interviews with Australians who are aged over 100.

On 14 July, ABC Hobart and ABC Northern Tasmania interviewed AAG president, Dr Claudia Meyer. From our preparation for the interview, we're sharing some points we've been listing in our efforts to shift the 'doom and gloom' conversation about population ageing to one that is fairer and more realistic. These include, in random order:

  • Contrary to pessimistic attitudes to population ageing, satisfaction with life increases as we get older and most older Australians are active and positive
  • Older Australians perform millions of hours of voluntary work each year (volunteering is a measure of social capital and an indicator to a healthy civil society)
  • Grandparents contribute some $4 billion to the economy in unpaid childcare; additional benefits include greater flexibility for parents and fostering inter-generational contact
  • The arts benefit from an ageing society: older people attend concerts, theatres, art galleries and libraries more than younger people
  • Older people tend to be more law abiding (homicide rates are expected to drop as our population ages)

Maybe we should keep adding to this list, so we have answers at hand when faced with the all-too-common ageist rhetoric of older people being a burden on society.