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Background: The global population is ageing rapidly and there is a need for strategies to promote health and wellbeing among older adults. Nutrition knowledge is a key predictor of dietary intake; therefore, effective educational programmes are urgently required to rectify poor dietary patterns. Digital health technologies provide a viable option for delivering nutrition education that is cost‐effective and widely accessible. However, few technologies have been developed to meet the unique needs and preferences of older adults. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore technology use among older adults and qualitatively determine the content needs and design preferences for an online nutrition education resource tailored to older adult consumers in Australia. Methods: Twenty adult participants aged 55 years and older (95% female) participated in one of four 2‐h participatory design workshops. In each workshop, prompted discussion questions were used to explore participants' technology use and preferences and to explore content needs and design preferences for an online nutrition education resource specific to older adults. Results: All participants were regularly using a range of different devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets and computers) and reported being comfortable doing so. Participants wanted a website that provided general nutrition information, practical advice and recipes. To enhance engagement, they sought a personalised resource that could be adjusted to suit their needs, included up‐to‐date information and allowed for easy sharing with others by exporting information as a PDF. Conclusions: Participatory design methods generate new knowledge for designing and tailoring digital health technologies to be appropriate and useful for the target audience. Specifically, older adults seek an online resource that has large and simple fonts with clear categories, providing them with practical advice and general nutrition information that can be personalised to suit their own needs and health concerns, with the option to export and print information into a paper‐based format. Patient or Public Contribution: Older adults actively participated in the development and evaluation process to generate ideas about potential features, functionalities, uses and practicalities of an online nutrition education resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Occupational therapists recommending home modifications in Australia are often required by funding bodies to consider 'value' and 'value for money' (VFM); however, clear guidance on how to define and apply these concepts is not always provided. This paper reports on a qualitative study examining how the concepts of value and VFM are currently understood and operationalised by occupational therapists in Australian home modification practice, with the aim of positively contributing to both policy and practice in this area. Methods: The study utilised constructivist grounded theory to collect and analyse qualitative data from 20 occupational therapists who were currently working across Australia and had professional experience in home modifications. Findings: The grounded theory that was derived from the analysis highlights the unique position that occupational therapists occupy in home modification work as they strive to align the values of different stakeholders to create solutions that all consider to be valuable. In the absence of consistent frameworks or methods for determining value and VFM, evidence also emerged of occupational therapists using a range of individual approaches such as using formal and informal care as metrics, cheapest option approaches, and comparative costing. Conclusion: In addition to a clear need for consistent and transparent approaches to understanding and operationalising VFM in home modifications, there is also a need for further investigation into the value systems that underpin this work. A conceptualisation of occupational therapists as street‐level policy agents has proven useful here as it highlights the position occupational therapists occupy, enacting, making, and, at times, challenging policy in day‐to‐day practice as they work to align the values of the various stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial well-being of older Australian retirees. Methods: Thirty Australian retirees (16 females and 14 males), older than 65 years of age, were asked ‘Have your finances been affected by the events surrounding COVID-19?’. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-step approach, and Bronfenbrenner’s socio-ecological model was utilised to analyse thematic responses at individual, household, community and societal levels. Results: Two COVID-19- related themes emerged from interviews: COVID-19 and increased financial stress and COVID-19 and frustration with digital banking. Conclusions: This study revealed that the financial well-being of older Australians and especially self-funded retirees has been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants felt financially worse off primarily due to the volatility of the financial markets, the need to support adult children and the increased cost of living. Also, participants expressed their hesitation and frustration with digital banking services, and their desire for greater personal contact with financial institutions, particularly during times of uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, individuals living in rural and remote areas experience 1.4 times the total burden of chronic disease, including an 80% greater risk of late-life cognitive impairment and dementia, 2.5 times the number of preventable hospitalisations and a reduced life expectancy of up to 12 years compared to their metropolitan counterparts. Traditionally, health service planning and public health interventions have been largely built on the needs and characteristics of metropolitan populations. This disproportional focus can contribute to significant physical and cognitive health status disparities for rural and remote communities. This article focuses on existing challenges and strategies surrounding the cognitive health of rural and remote populations and provides short and long-term opportunities involving Australian public health policy and clinical practice to innovate dementia prevention for rural and remote communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author looks at the treatment and recovery of those with heroin addiction and related policy issues, commenting on the article "Long-term mortality, remission, criminality and psychiatric comorbidity of heroin dependence: 11-year findings from the Australian Treatment Outcome Study" by Maree Teesson and colleagues in the current issue. Topics include harm reduction, relapse, and the difference between the medical and recovery care models in mental health services.

Background: The progressive increase in life expectancy of people with intellectual disability (ID) has resulted in enhanced survival into old age and has also seen a growth in research on both lifelong and emerging ageing‐related health issues. Health issues amongst provider‐supported adults have been previously studied, but these studies have not always included older community‐dwelling adults with ID. Methods: A study examining the extent of mental health of 391 community‐dwelling adults with ID age 60 and older in both metropolitan and rural areas of two East Coast Australian states was undertaken using a cross‐sectional survey. Examined were a range of demographic (age, sex, living arrangements, employment and socio‐economic status) and life (co‐morbidities, adverse life events and social support) factors. Data were parsed by two age groupings (60–65: n = 234 and >65: n = 157). Results: Findings revealed that older community‐dwelling adults with ID have many of the same mental health disorders as do other ageing people, with the exception of significant psychiatric disorders often associated with older age. Over a third (35%: n = 137) reported some one or more mental health disorders. Age, sex, location (rural or urban), financial hardship, social support or type of living arrangement were not statistically significant as risk factors for poor mental health. However, employment status was a clear predictor. Stepwise regression models showed a strong association between mental ill‐health and adverse life events and between mental ill‐health and multiple physical co‐morbidities. Conclusions: The cross‐sectional nature of the study limits causal inference. The cumulative effect of chronic health conditions and adverse life events cannot be prevented retrospectively. However, greater awareness amongst both health professionals and care staff that older adults with ID have a high likelihood of significant and/or repeated traumas and need better health care to limit physical co‐morbidity may assist in providing support that is better tailored to individual needs in older age to reduce the burden of mental ill‐health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ageing is a time of change that might involve financial, health and social losses. To maintain well‐being, older people need to engage a range of resources to cope with these losses. However, national policies mainly focus on financial resources. This study used Folkman and Lazarus's transactional theory to identify coping methods engaged by older adults living in three rural communities. Design: A qualitative research design was undertaken using an ethnographic case study approach. Setting: Three rural communities within northern Australia. Participants: Older Australians aged 65 or over, living in their own homes. Main outcome measures: Exploration of techniques that older adults use to cope with ageing (including both problem‐focused and emotion‐focused strategies). Results: People in rural areas planned their ageing journey using both problem‐focused and emotion‐focused coping strategies, to deal with the uncertainties of ageing. When participants could control the event, problem‐focused coping strategies were mainly such as used seeking social support and planful problem‐solving. Conversely, emotion‐focused strategies were used to deal with uncertainty and emotive issues such as health decline, and the possibility of needing future care. Conclusion: There is a need for health community workers to encourage older people to consider initiating a discussion of future care needs with their social network. This is of particular importance in rural areas, which have larger numbers of older residents and limited resources to support ageing in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine the prevalence and context of disability exclusion reported by people with disability, with and without communication and mobility problems. Methods: The 2015 Survey of Disability Ageing and Carers was used to measure the prevalence of reported exclusion. Tests of proportions were used to examine differences in prevalence rates. Proportional Venn diagrams were used to examine the intersection of measures of exclusion. Results: Approximately 53% of those with a communication or mobility difficulty reported at least one measure of exclusion. Among this group, 7% reported an instance of discrimination, 44% reported avoidance, and 29% reported an accessibility problem. The levels of discrimination and avoidance for those without communication or mobility difficulties were approximately half this level (16% avoidance and 3% discrimination). Avoidance and discrimination reduced with age, but accessibility was age‐invariant. Exclusion measures intersected and occurred in a variety of contexts. Conclusion: Despite protections provided in Australian law, disability exclusion persists and is high among those with communication and mobility difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Adopting Kleinman's and Lock's ideas that there are cultural variations in understandings of health care and the medicalisation of ageing bodies, this study compares and contrasts older adults’ use of anti‐ageing medicine in two cultural settings. Based on 42 interviews conducted in Australia and Japan with adults aged 60 and over, findings revealed distinct pathways to initiating anti‐ageing medicine use between the two cohorts which reflect different attitudes to the medicalisation of ageing in the two settings. In Australia where consultation of medical doctors for major and minor ailments is routine for many older adults, supplement use was initiated on doctor's advice, or reactionary, in that dissatisfaction with doctors’ advice was the impetus. By contrast, many Japanese elders did not seek the advice of medical practitioners for minor health issues, considering them instead to be part of a natural process of ageing, and viewed their supplement use as co‐extensive with their use of Shokuji‐ryohou or a traditional corrective diet. Despite these cultural differences, both the Australian and Japanese elders resisted more extreme manifestations of the biomedicalisation of ageing and took anti‐ageing medicine to ward off the perceived danger of surgery in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To illustrate the use of National Transfer Accounts ( NTA) for understanding ageing and the economic life cycle in Australia. Methods The NTA methodology is applied utilising a range of unit record, demographic and administrative data sets from 1981 to 2010. Results During early and later life, total consumption (public and private) is greater than labour income. On a time series and cohort basis, we show that each successive generation has improved their level of well-being (as measured by consumption) relative to the previous years or previous cohorts from 1981 to 1982 onwards. We also show a substantial increase in labour income earned by mature age workers over this period. International comparisons show Australia to have consumption and labour income age profiles very similar to those of Canada but dissimilar to many other countries, driven by differences in demographic and policy settings. Conclusion The NTA approach provides a powerful framework to track differences in the economic life cycle across age groups, across time, across cohorts and across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To examine the role of variations in mature age labour force participation on labour force outcomes over Australia's recent past (2000-2015) and immediate future (to 2030). Methods To estimate the impact of rises in mature age participation on observed labour supply, we utilise demographic decomposition techniques. To examine future labour supply (to 2030), we simulate scenarios utilising a cohort-component projection model. Results Observed increases in mature age participation between 2000 and 2015 added approximately 786 000 mature age workers to the Australian labour force. Over the proceeding 15 years (2015-2030), conservative changes to prevailing mature age participation would add 304 000 additional workers. The speed of ageing is projected to increase and labour supply growth decrease in the next 15 years relative to that observed from 2000 to 2015. Conclusion To benefit from increased mature age labour force participation, the barriers to mature age participation must be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Healthcare providers ( HCPs) can play an important role in supporting the sexual health of older adults; however, we know little about the experiences of older people in talking to HCPs about sex. This article examines older adults' experiences and perceptions of talking to HCPs about sex. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 men and 23 women aged 60 and older recruited from a national, online survey of older Australians. Data were analysed using a thematic approach. Results Most participants did not discuss sex with their HCP, and their HCP did not raise it. For those who did discuss sex with a HCP, negative and stigmatising responses were common. Positive responses could facilitate access to sexual health care. Conclusion Older people benefit when HCPs are proactive and ask about sexual health. Education in how to talk about sex with older people would also be beneficial for HCPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To develop projections of the size of the Australian population aged 65 years and over eligible for disability support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme ( NDIS) for the decade following its introduction, to support planning and costing of the scheme. Methods We estimate disability and mortality transition probabilities and develop projections of the NDIS-eligible, ageing population from 2017 to 2026. Results An estimated 8000 men and 10 200 women aged 65 years and over will be eligible for support through the NDIS in 2017 (the scheme's first full year), increasing to 48 800 men and 56 900 women in 2026. Conclusions Growth in the NDIS-eligible, ageing population has implications for relative budget allocations between the NDIS and the aged-care system, and projections of the size of this population are useful for calculating the overall cost of the NDIS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the study on the health and services usage among old age Australian war veterans who are receiving health care support from the Australian government. Qualitative data gathering was designed and provide information on the group's community living, utilization of services, and the perceived burden of their family members and friends. Results were outlined and conclude the participants valuation of control to maximize and maintain their independence in their daily living.