Life begins at 51: Have you hit your prime?

Many older Australians believe their best days are ahead, a new survey finds. Compare your views on ageing to others your age.

Many older Australians consider their best days are still ahead, a new survey finds

Three in five Australians aged 50 and over feel they are yet to hit their prime.

And for those who say they already have, the average “peak” age is 51, a new survey reveals, though the older people are the later they believe they were at life’s zenith.

For those in their 50s the average prime age was 44 years, 53 for 60-somethings and 59 for those aged 70+, the Australian Seniors survey of more than 5000 people aged 50+ reveals.

Among a raft of findings that show older Australians still believe they have plenty left in the tank, one in three say their happiest times occurred after 50.

And one in five 70-somethings say their current decade is their happiest, with almost half reporting their best times came post-50, a sense driven by wisdom and life experience peaking later in life.

“For many of us, discovering unexpected joys in simple pleasures (61 per cent) and developing a greater appreciation for living in the moment (56 per cent) play an important and satisfying role in our journey towards ageing,” the Gen Seen Report 2024 says.

“We also find meaning in travelling and exploring new places (51 per cent), building stronger relationships with our friends and family (46 per cent), taking care of our physical and mental health (44 per cent), and reflecting on our personal growth and our past experiences (38 per cent).”

But it’s not all beer and skittles for the over-50s, with nine in 10 feeling they are stereotyped based on their age, and 70 per cent experiencing some form of ageism.

The survey, taken in January and February this year, finds 73 per cent agreeing that people become less visible after turning 50, particularly between the ages of 60-64.

Older Australians say they have much to look forward to, new survey finds.

And 80 per cent believe that ageism is prevalent in society, with Gen Z the worst offenders.

Nearly a quarter had been the subject of a slur such as “OK, boomer”, and one in six women had been called a “Karen”.

“As we get older, we tend to stop publicising our age,” the report says. “Despite growing wiser and more fulfilled later in life, the value placed on youth by the world around us can leave us feeling unseen and unheard.”

The survey finds the workplace is a hotbed of ageism, with three in four people surveyed saying it is prevalent and work and 42 per cent feeling less visible in the workplace after turning 50.

“This ‘invisible’ feeling manifests in various ways, from feeling undervalued (83 per cent), having our efforts go unnoticed (78 per cent), or feeling overlooked for job opportunities (27 per cent), promotions (23 per cent) and pay rises (19 per cent).

“Many of us agree that our employers tend to view us differently as we age, with almost a quarter (24 per cent) of us pinpointing the ages between 50-54 as the most notable shift in our visibility at work,” it says.

Dr Marlene Krasovitsky, a consultant on the Global Campaign to Combat Ageism, World Health Organisation, said ageism is “so deeply ingrained in our society that it often goes unnoticed”.

“While many believe their prime years begin at 51, this is often when perceptions of us begin to change,” Dr Krasovitsky said.

“Despite our optimism for the future, especially regarding our potential, this sentiment is not always shared by others, particularly prospective employers.”

She said older Australians can take positive steps to combat the overt and covert ageism in their lives.

“Because ageism can be hard to define, instead of getting sucked into a debate about what is or is not funny, you can describe how that joke or comment made you feel and ask the person to stop,” Dr Krasovitsky said.

“Ask your health professional to explore your treatment options. At work, beware of the subtle hints about retiring, and if you are not thinking of retiring, let people know.”