Impacts of an Ageing Population on New Zealand Societynzccss.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/ImpactsAgingPopulationNZ-1.pdf · Impacts of an Ageing Population on New Zealand Society Mason

Impacts of an Ageing Population on New Zealand Society

Mason DurieMassey University

Demographic Trends

12%22%2006

10%25%1985

Proportion of population over

65 years

Proportion of population under

15 years

Demographic Trends – Median Age

2006 2016 2026

36

39

41

Demographic Trends – Median Age Ethnic Groups

2006 2021

30

3540

20

European (39 44yrs)

Maori (23 26yrs)

Pacific (21 24yrs)

Asian (28 36yrs)

25

4550

Life Expectancy - Broad Trends

l non-Māori New Zealanders increase in life expectancy at birth over the period 1985-1987 to 2000-2002. l For Māori there was little change for males or

females during the 1980sl but a dramatic improvement for Maori the five

years to 2000-2002l Between 1984 and 2002 the life expectancy

increased from 65 years for Māori males to 69 years while for Māori females it increased from 70 to 73 years. l in the five years to 2000-2002, the gap reduced

by 0.6 years.

Life Expectancy – Regional VariationThe Social Report 2007 Regional Indicators

81.474.2West Coast81.776.8Otago82.277.0Canterbury81.576.5Wellington80.675.9Taranaki78.972.6Gisborne80.575.4Bay of Plenty82.177.5Auckland80.174.0NorthlandFemale 2000-2002Male 2000-2002

Demographic projections

lOver the next fi fty years the population aged over 65 years will more than double to 1.18 million

l the largest increases will occur during the 2020s and 2030s

lBy 2050 only 28 percent of the popul ation will be younger than 40 years

Four Views on Ageing

lThe Bible

lWilliam Shakespeare

lErik Erickson

lMaori

The Bible

‘A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.”(Ecclesiastices 4:13).

‘Remember, there is wisdom in age and long life brings understanding’ (Job 12:12).

Shakespeare

‘Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful

history,Is second childishness and mere

oblivion,Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste,

sans everything.’

(As you Like It, ii, vii)

Erik EricksonChildhood and Society – Erickson 1963

• integrity vs despair • success vs failed adaptation

Ego integrity ‘is a love of the human ego –not of the self - an experience which conveys some world order and spiritual sense.’

MaoriNga Pepeha a nga Tipuna – Mead & Grove

l He rakau tawhito, e mau ana te taitea i waho ra, e tu te kohiwil An ancient tree with

sapwood just adhering to the outside, but the heartwood standing firml An infirm body but an

indomitable spirit

• Ka haere te mātātahi, ka noho te mātāpuputu

• Youth rushes in where age deliberates

• Ka ruha te kupenga, ka pae kei te akau

• When the old net is worn out it is cast upon the beach

• No longer valued in age

Conflicting Views

lOlder people as burdens on soci ety

lOlder people as contributors to society

The Costs of Ageing

lHealth service utilisationlAge-related disability supportlCare – community, hospitallCosts to fami lieslA reduced dependency rati ol Increased demands on the State for

universal superannuation

Measuring the impact of an agei ng population on society

l The economic costs

l The benefits/contributions

l Costs incurred need to be balanced by contributions made

l Impact is essentially a measure of costs and benefits.

A society without older people

l Is a society without older people disadvantaged ?

lWhat happens when soci ety loses a high proportion of older people ?

The Maori Battalion Experience

• 3,578 volunteers • 70 % casualties. • 649 deaths

Older People as Assets to society

Older people as carriers of culture

Older people as anchors for families

Older People as models for lifestyle

X SmokingX ObesityX AlcoholX DrugsX ‘P’X Binge drinkingX Fast carsX Piracy

Older People as bridges to the Future

Older people as bulwarks for industry

Older people as guardians of l andscape

Older people as leaders of communi ties and nations

Older people

lAs carriers of culturelAs anchors for fami lieslAs models for lifestylelAs bridges to the futurelAs bulwarks for industrylAs guardians of landscapelAs leaders of communi ties and nations

Measuring the Contri butions of Older People to Society

l Valuing paid and unpaid wok

l Valuing social capital

l Valuing cultural capital

l Valuing environmental sustainability

l Valuing intergenerational transfers

New Zealand Association of Gerontology

2007 Conference

Ageing: The Everyday Experience

The Contribution Formula

Contributions to society

– Coststo society

= Net contribution to society

Challenges for Gerontologists

To refocus the debate so that contri butions as well as costs are acknowl edged

To develop measures that can quanti fy the social and cultural capital within older populations

To increase opportuni ties for the real isation of the full potential of older people