A recent survey of senior citizens in Canberra has found they have a high level of engagement with the community, are active helping family and friends and stay connected and healthy.
The Age Friendly City Survey conducted in March and April this year attracted more than 760 people to take part, of whom 80 per cent were over the age of 60, and 47 per cent over 70.
Minister for Seniors and Veterans, Gordon Ramsay said Canberra was growing rapidly with 7,000 people arriving each year and 5,800 reaching 60 every year.
“Our city will be home to 500,000 people by 2030,” Mr Ramsay said.
“It is essential to understand the needs of older Canberrans in order to make Canberra an Age Friendly City,” he said.
“Survey respondents were clear on their infrastructure needs such as housing and transport.”
He said many who took part in the survey wanted more ground level, single story, smaller-scale properties and affordable housing, including public and social housing.
They also wanted housing options to be close to transport and amenities.
“They wanted public transport and parking readily available as well as safe walkways,” Mr Ramsay said.
“Senior Canberrans want to be valued, treated with respect and not subject to aged based discrimination.”
The Minister said he was “very concerned” that 29 per cent of respondents said they had been subject to age-based discrimination, including being made to feel invisible or underestimated, often when shopping or in the workplace.
He said he would be seeking advice about that issue from his Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing.
