The Retirement Living Council (RLC) is calling on governments across Australia to prioritise age-friendly housing in response to the country’s ageing population.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) recently released its regional population data for 2023, finding:

• 7% of the population in Australia's capital cities is aged over 75.
• 9.4% of the population outside capital cities is aged over 75.
• Over 55s represent 26% of the population in capital cities.
• Over 55s make up 34% of the population outside these cities.

RLC Executive Director Daniel Gannon says the data underscores the urgent need for all three levels of government to tackle the challenges of housing an ageing population.

“We have known about our ageing population for a long time now, but governments seem flat-footed in their response to accommodating and caring for this growing cohort of older Australians,” Mr Gannon said.

“Over the next two decades, the number of Australians over 75 will increase by 85 per cent, which will have significant socio-economic impacts on the nation.”

Given the demographic trends, Mr Gannon emphasised the need for age-friendly housing solutions to address a problem that is only set to escalate. He called on governments to better appreciate the benefits of increasing age-friendly housing supply. 

“Hospital beds are already full, ambulances are ramping in most capital cities, aged care facilities are at capacity, and most retirement villages have lengthy waiting lists,” he says.

Mr Gannon warned the situation will only worsen with the expected addition of 1.7 million Australians over 75 within the next 15 years.

“Governments should be throwing the kitchen sink at unleashing more retirement villages given they are proven to keep people healthier and happier for longer," he says.

Statistics show that retirement village residents are “41 per cent happier, 20 per cent less likely to require hospitalisation after only nine months, 15 per cent more physically active, five times more socially active, twice as likely to catch up with family or friends and have reduced levels of depression and loneliness”, according to Mr Gannon.

As a result, these communities are reducing older Australians' interactions with GPs and hospitals, while also delaying entry into taxpayer-funded aged care, saving the government $945 million annually. 

“The added bonus is that when older Australians ‘rightsize’ into a retirement village, it frees up important supply in the housing market for young couples and families,” says Mr Gannon.