Work, care, retirement and health: Ageing "agendas"

This review examines existing literature regarding the ageing Australian population, increasing rates of women’s participation in paid work, the care economy and the retirement income system. Australia’s ageing population makes the issue of how men and women approach retirement a pressing public pol icy issue. It is apparent that rising workforce participation rates will increase the likelihood of women having more resources to fund their retirement. However, gendered and ageist labour markets, in conjunction with the gendered distribution of paid wor k and carer responsibilities, result in substantial differences between men and women in their accumulation of superannuation and other assets. In light of the World Health Organization’s (2002, p. 12) definition of active ageing as “the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age”, these issues are of national and international importance.