Where's the respect due our seniors? Chris Grice talks issues and conflicts

There are many issues facing Baby Boomers and those older members of the Silent Generation who came before them. Even some Gen Xers are approaching 60 and facing a challenging society.

Aged care, housing, technology, cyber security, finances and health weigh heavily on the minds and hearts of our older residents

Chris Grice, knows all about the issues facing seniors. As chief executive of National Seniors Australia he's in touch with a vocal membership and a broader grass roots movement of people who, having given their all to Australia, find themselves worrying and struggling at a time when they thought they would be able to enjoy and thrive.

Speaking to The Senior, Chris outlined some of the trending issues facing older Australians.

"It doesn't matter if you are a pensioner or a self-funded retiree, the cost of living has impacted everyone," said Chris. "Older Australians are wondering where the money is going on a day to day basis. Whether it's the cost of fuel, cost of groceries, cost of insurances. There's no safe place."

Parallel to the cost of living, an issue of great concern to many older Australians is the transition to a cashless society. Chris said this wasn't just a group of crazy, anti-progressives not getting with the program. Older people feared the lack of safety and support in technology which could leave them without access to their funds.

"We've seen in recent time phone carriers, telecommunication companies and banks having outages and suddenly you can't use them. We see bank closures and ATMs being shut down and if you want to use money electronically you have to pay fees to access your own money. In some parts of Australia where we've had weather events - cyclones, storms and floods - communities have had to go back to using cash because systems are out."

The uncertainty of what will happen in July when the deeming freeze ends is on may older people's minds especially as we've seen big changes in interest rates since 2022 when the government froze deeming to allow seniors to keep more in their pockets.

Deeming is used to work out the income from financial assets and assumes these assets earn a set rate of income, no matter what they really earn. When interest rates were very low, seniors were "deemed" to earn far more than they actually were. If deeming rates go up in July many pensioners and part pensioners may see a reduction in their pension at a time they can least afford it.

"In any endeavour add the term senior, whether it is senior engineer or senior pilot, and you are treated with esteem and respect - you attach the word senior to someone who is older and it does not have that same level of respect," said Chris.

He said National Senior's role was to promote the positive contributions older people had made over time and continued to make.

The current intergenerational friction was based on a perception of Boomer wealth - that they all own their own homes, are living in valuable properties and doing really well.

"I think it's important to remember that 534,000 people over 55 years are renting and receiving some form of rent assistance. We know that in the rising cost of living, rents have gone up well in advance of the CPI. It's out of control and seniors who rent are in a far more precarious position that those who own their own homes.

For more details on the organisation, visit: www.nationalseniors.com.au