Premium
LIFESTYLE IMPLICATIONS OF AUSTRALIAN RETIREMENT PATTERNS
Author(s) -
McCallum John
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
australian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 0726-4240
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6612.1985.tb00874.x
Subject(s) - population ageing , life course approach , demographic change , population , gerontology , demographic economics , sociology , psychology , economics , demography , social psychology , medicine
The completion of the demographic transition in Australia with consequent population ageing will bring social and economic consequences of an expected and an unexpected kind. Economic costs are much debated but the lifestyle implications are less clear and less discussed. Three points are discussed in this paper. Firstly on the basis of Australian surveys, it is established that a relatively active and independent retirement is an accepted life phase for Australians. This development is characteristically Australian and not a necessary consequence of demographic changes. Secondly international evidence is presented to show the influence of culture on lifestyle and the health implications of different lifestyles. It is the culture within which one ages which is important in determining lifestyle and health in late life. In economic class subcultures what happens during one's life may be more important than what happens in late life in determinins health and well‐being. Finally, information or educational strategy is proposed for harnessing the undirected changes from demographic transition. The problem lies in deciding what areas of lifestyle throughout life we are prepared to change lo produce more desirable states in late life.