Seniors

Ageing is an inevitable process, so the quality of life that an individual experiences in their later years is of the utmost importance. With Ipswich’s increasing growth, it is anticipated that – like many regions of Australia - the proportion of our ageing population will also keep increasing.

Insight into Ipswich seniors

• According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2016, trends over the last 10 years show that the number and proportion of seniors aged 65 and over are increasing. The percentage of seniors growth rate per annum went from 3.3% in 2006 to 5.8% in 2016 based on a five-year census period.
• However, when our city's age profile is compared with Queensland, Ipswich City is significantly younger in age. In Ipswich, the median age was younger than Queensland by five years in the 2016 Census.
• Queensland has a higher proportion of older people than Ipswich. The data shows that in 2016, seniors in Ipswich made up 10.8% of the population, whereas in Queensland the proportion of people aged over 65 was higher at 15.9%.
• The ABS Census shows that the median age recorded among Queenslanders grew from 35 to 37 years of age from 2001 to 2011. On the other hand, Ipswich City's median age was noted to be 32 years of age in both 2001 and 2011 census periods.  This has remain unchanged since 2011, with Ipswich still reporting the median age at 32 years and Queensland 37 years.

Valuing our seniors

Ipswich Council plays an active role in enhancing the wellbeing of all community members, regardless of their age, in alignment with the following principles:

• Promoting positive community attitudes towards and acceptance of older people and their right to independence, self-determination, dignity and choice.
• Valuing the skills, resources and diversity of older people and providing them with an opportunity to grow to their fullest capacity and make a lifelong contribution to the community.
• Providing access to appropriate information, employment, training, learning, housing, transport, cultural, recreational, safety, security and care services appropriate to the diverse needs of older people.
• Encouraging partnerships within the community that enable people to age positively within a supported environment.

Queensland: an age-friendly community

The City of Ipswich is aligned with the overarching principles of the Queensland Government's vision of building an age-friendly state in which all Queenslanders, regardless of their age, can stay active and connected and contribute economically, socially and culturally. To this end, Ipswich City Council supports the Queensland age-friendly community strategic direction and action plan:

Queensland: an age-friendly community - Strategic Direction Statement
Queensland: an age-friendly community - Action Plan