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Who's going to care? Informal care and an ageing population
Author(s) -
Neville Christine
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/j.1741-6612.2007.00209.x
Subject(s) - citation , population ageing , library science , population , older people , sociology , gerontology , psychology , medicine , computer science , demography
This study is concerned with projecting the future demand for and supply of informal carers of older persons (persons aged 65 years and over) in Australia. The motivation for study is the co-existence of two continuing trends—the ageing of Australia’s population and a shift in the balance of care, from formal care provided in institutions to informal care provided in homes. The projections were undertaken using a purpose built model, based on ABS population and household projections, and information on the probability of needing and providing care, based on the ABS Disability, Ageing and Carers survey. The study projected a significant increase in the numbers of older persons likely to need informal care in Australia between 2001 and 2031 along with a smaller increase in the numbers likely to be carers. At the same time shifts in the composition of the disabled and carers populations were also projected: both being characterised by a greater concentration of the elderly.