Rethinking Age: How a Stretched Lifespan Challenges Old Stereotypes
Older Australians are healthier than ever, but this hasn't changed the way we talk or think about over-70s. People are still classified as 'older' or even 'elderly' as early as 65, even though they are now expected to keep working until they are 67. This outdated perspective fails to capture the reality of modern aging, where milestones are shifting and physical capabilities are expanding.
The Rise of Active Seniors in Endurance Sports
Consider the example of Professor John Quiggin, who completed a standard distance triathlon just before his 70th birthday. While his performance was modest, it highlights a broader trend: competitive sport for those over 70 is no longer restricted to golf and lawn bowls. Until the 1990s, most triathlons didn't even have a category for 70-year-olds, with older competitors lumped into a single group. Today, events like the Kona Ironman in Hawaii, first completed by 70-year-olds in 2000, showcase this shift.
What's true for triathlons applies to endurance sports in general. Older athletes are becoming more numerous and faster across a wide range of activities. The rise of parkrun, a weekly timed 5km run that started in the UK in 2004, illustrates this change. Tens of thousands of Australians over 70 have completed at least one parkrun, with over a thousand participating on an average week.
Health Improvements and Changing Demographics
This reflects a broader societal shift. Studies indicate an increase in physical activity among older Australians, with the proportion of adults over 65 who were insufficiently active falling from 72% to 57% between 2017-18 and 2022. Combined with reduced smoking rates, this has led to a drop in coronary heart disease, a major cause of death and disability.
Yet, discussions around health and aged care often lag behind. In 1980, Australians who reached 70 could expect to live another 12 years; today, it's 17 years on average, with more than half surviving to 80. The Australian Burden of Diseases Study (2024) reported that while life expectancy at age 70 rose by about two years between 2003 and 2024, the expected time spent in ill health increased by only six months.
Stretching the Lifespan: A New Narrative
The trends we are seeing are better understood not as an 'ageing population' but as a gradual stretching of the lifespan. Young people study longer and form households later, prime-aged adults work well into their 60s, and older individuals remain active longer. Most people retain moderately good health until their last few years, with few spending more than a couple of years in residential aged care.
As Professor Quiggin notes, he's focused on his imminent graduation into the 70-74 age category in sports, where he'll be among the youngest competitors. This personal anecdote underscores a larger point: it's time to update our language and perceptions to match the reality of a stretched, healthier lifespan.
