Impacts of an Ageing Population on New Zealand Society Mason Duri e Massey University
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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
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