Ageing and Learning in Australia: Arguing an Evidence Base for Informed and Equitable Policy.

Background: Given Australia's population ageing and predicted impacts related to health, productivity, equity and enhancing quality of life outcomes for senior Australians, lifelong learning has been identified as a pathway for addressing the risks associated with an ageing population. To date Australian governments have paid little attention to addressing these needs and thus, there is an urgent need for policy development for lifelong learning as a national priority. The purpose of this article is to explore the current lifelong learning context in Australia and to propose a set of factors that are most likely to impact learning in later years.

Establishing and maintaining social connectivity: An understanding of the lived experiences of older adults residing in regional and rural communities.

Objective: To better understand how to plan for an ageing demographic that resides in ever-changing community typologies.

Design: Semi-structured in-depth interviews.

Setting: Community settings in rural and regional towns in Queensland.

Rhetoric to action: a study of stakeholder perceptions of aging well in two local communities.

This qualitative study of local perceptions of policy goals and action in relation to aging reports 31 stakeholder interviews within 2 Australian communities exploring (a) the meaning of aging well; and (b) preferred policy actions to achieve positive aging outcomes. Findings suggest that community perceptions of aging well are broadly consistent with the goals of national and international policy frameworks in focusing on 3 dimensions--health, social engagement, and security. Further, participants believe that achievement of positive aging outcomes requires a mix of self-help, community action, and government intervention--particularly government support and encouragement for aging well initiatives.

What makes a community age-friendly: A review of international literature.

This paper undertakes a comprehensive review of the growing international literature on age-friendly communities. It examines a range of approaches and identifies the key attributes associated with creating a sustainable environment for seniors. The authors critically evaluate emerging policy trends and models and suggest directions for future research attention.