Story: Older people
Page 1 – Demographics of older people
Older people are defined as those 65 years of age and above. Turning 65 is a milestone – it was the official age of retirement, and is currently the age at which people are eligible for national superannuation. Because the group of older people spans about 35 years, people within it vary widely in terms of age, employment and health. Sometimes people between 65 and 80 are referred to as ‘young-old’ and those above as ‘old-old’. In 2006, 74% of older people were between 65 and 79. Older people have differing life experiences and beliefs which span the 65-plus generation.
Living history books
Older people in the 2000s had lived through some key events in New Zealand’s history – the 1930s depression, the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake and the Second World War. They experienced technological firsts that people of the 2000s take for granted, like passenger travel on aeroplanes and antibiotics.
Many older people see their 60s and 70s as a time to enjoy life without the worries of work or family. Those who can afford it go on holidays around the world, or tour Australia or New Zealand in a campervan. They may begin new hobbies such as genealogy, and undertake voluntary work. They also spend time with their family and in community and political affairs – some local and national politicians are 65 or over. Some remain in paid work. Life can slow down when people reach their 80s, though some remain active into their 90s.
A happy bunch
A 2007 survey found that older people in New Zealand were generally happy and content and had a high level of wellbeing. They had the highest level of satisfaction with life of all age-groups.
Ageing population
In the early 2000s New Zealand’s population was rapidly ageing. This is one of the most significant demographic changes in New Zealand history. In September 2009 there were an estimated 556,100 people aged 65 and over. One in eight (12.5%) New Zealanders was aged over 65. By 2031, it is estimated that there will be over 1 million people aged 65 or over – approximately one in five people. By the late 2020s there will be more people 65 and over than children aged 14 and under.
An ageing population has many social implications. There may be fewer people of working age paying income tax, and more older people needing government-funded superannuation and using public health services than in the past. There will be more economic and political pressure to increase the age of superannuation entitlement. However, it is also likely that older people will work and pay income tax for longer than they did in the past.
Gender
There are fewer men than women among older New Zealanders – the 2006 census showed that 45% were men and 55% women. This is because women live longer than men by an average of four years. As men and women age this difference becomes more pronounced. In 2006, 31% of people aged 85 and above were men and 69% were women.
Ethnicity
In the 2006 census most older people (89%) identified themselves as European. This was projected to fall to 80% by 2026.
Few Māori are over 65 years – 25,700 in 2006. Although Māori were 15% of the total population, only 5% of all people over 65 were Māori, and only 4% of the Māori population were over 65. The Māori population is increasing rapidly and by 2026 there will be around 72,000 older Māori – 7% of the older population, and 9% of the Māori population. As with non-Māori, there are more women than men over 65.
In 2006, 4% of people 65 and over were Asian (which is projected to increase to 10% by 2026) and 2% were Pacific Islanders (3% by 2026).
