Investment needed in aged care as baby boomers grow old

INVESTMENT in the aged-care and health sectors going forward will be very important to Toowoomba’s future, Australia’s leading demographer Bernard Salt says.

Aged care generic seniors elderly. Picture: Obencem

INVESTMENT in the aged-care and health sectors going forward will be very important to Toowoomba's future, Australia's leading demographer Bernard Salt says.

Data analysed by Mr Salt revealed the number of people aged between 55 and 74 is set to drop in the next decade, but the number of people aged 75 plus will rise drastically.

"Baby boomers are going to move into their late 70s and early 80s," Mr Salt said.

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"Hip and knee replacements, aged-care service and financial management support will all be important going forward. I tend to think baby boomers will retire from farm land, move into Toowoomba, buy units, apartments, go on cruises and spoil their grandkids."

Mr Salt said Cranley was currently the retirement capital of Toowoomba, with the northern suburb having the highest percentage of residents aged over 75.

"About seven per cent of Australia is aged 75 plus. In Cranley it's 16 per cent," Mr Salt said.

Harristown has the second highest proportion of residents aged 75 plus, at 14 per cent, and Kearneys Spring is third at 12 per cent.

"You'll often find aged-care homes in places like that as the demand for services is greatest in those areas," Mr Salt said.

Only 1.0% of Meringandan residents are aged over 75.

Originally published as Investment needed in aged care as baby boomers grow old