Forget the stereotype of scared, anxious older people hiding away in their homes, NSW seniors are resilient, enthusiastic, active and community minded.
New research from peak body COTA (Council on the Ageing) NSW has dispelled preconceptions about older people, their relationship to their community; and how they fared during the stress of last year's COVID-19 crisis.
COTA NSW conducted two broad-ranging surveys of people aged over 50 in NSW in late 2020 as well as focus groups. The findings are revealed in the reports Connections and Community and Connections in COVID.
Overall, around 66 per cent of older people thought positively about their local community. Respondents generally felt safe in their neighbourhood (85 per cent) and when they were home alone.
However online safety was more of an issue, with almost all respondents having some kind of negative experience online, including a significant majority receiving scam emails and 13 per cent receiving dating romance scams.
The reports also blasts the myth of the lonely, elderly person, revealing that it is actually the people between 50-59 who report the highest levels of loneliness and disconnection, while those 80 and over reported the lowest level of loneliness. Older people receiving JobSeeker were the least likely to feel connected, reporting that they had less trust in others and felt like they were outsiders.
The research indicated that approximately 36 per cent of respondents lived alone and while some people experienced isolation the reports found that the isolation was not always due to a lack of social interactions with family friends and neighbours but could be influenced by other factors such as access to appropriate and accessible transport, community infrastructure and design, and feelings of safety. This disconnection from others is associated with poorer health behaviours and outcomes and can contribute to an increased risk of loneliness or as a victim of elder abuse.
The Connections in COVID report also dispels the preconception that NSW seniors do not embrace technology, with many repondents revealing how technologically savvy they are, and their use of programs such as Zoom calls, Facetime and Facebook to keep in touch with family, friends, work collegues and members of community groups. Some 25 per cent said their level of skill with technology had increased during the pandemic.
One respondent reported that "My wife started a Facebook group with the other ladies from her bowling club, which probably has an average age of around 74. She helped them to learn new technology and buy computers."
The reports reveals the importance of volunteering, with 60 per cent of respondents donating their time and energy in some form. Volunteering rates increase in the older age groups, replacing the workplace as a focus for social interaction.
Other important ways in which older people connect to their community include sport, community groups, attending places of worship or registered clubs and undertaking further education. This was affected by the level of income - people, with low incomes were less likely to belong to a club or other organised social group, and less likely to volunteer.
In the older age groups, another factor affecting participation is transport. Dependence on the car, particularly in rural areas, means that non-drivers may be severely limited in what they can do. Difficulty in travelling by foot was also identified as an issue, with half the respondents saying they did not have access to good-quality footpaths.
"We have found a positive picture of older people and their community, with the older age groups even more positive," said COTA NSW chief executive Meagan Lawson. "However, low income can lead to increased isolation, and lack of transport and easy mobility can limit the participation and engagement."
The Connections and Community report makes several recommendations to the NSW government including committing funding for the Reducing Social Isolation for Seniors Grant Program, ensuring access to information and support for people who don't use the internet, and establishing a state-wide database of the NSW walking and cycling network. It also recommends supporting the campaign to raise the rate of JobSeeker.