Population ageing is a result of increased life expectancy (lower mortality) and decreased fertility rates (UN, 2019). For the first time in history, in 2018, people aged 65 years or over outnumbered children under five years of age (UN, 2019). The world’s population is ageing. The United Nations (UN) (2019) estimates that, globally, the number of people aged 65 years and over will increase from 693 million in 2019 to 1.6 billion in 2050 and 2.5billion in 2100. Australia’s population is also ageing. In 2018, about 3.9 million Australians were aged 65 years and over, representing 16% of the total estimated population (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) 2020a). Healthy ageing is gaining momentum as an important goal for societies experiencing population ageing. This chapter presents the public health issues relevant to the wellbeing of older people, now and in the future.
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