Migration of the elderly in New South Wales : patterns and implications

Abstract

In the five year period 1981 to 1986, over 228,000 or one-fifth of people in New South Wales, who, at 30 June 1986 were aged 55 years or older, had changed their place of usual residence. The extent to which this level of mobility alters the spatial distribution of the elderly, who with increasing age have particular requirements in health care, housing and various forms of social support, can have important implications for the planning and delivery of such services. Accordingly, this thesis investigates the residential mobility and patterns of inter-regional migration of elderly people in New South Wales (NSW). The Australian Capital Territory (ACT), landlocked within NSW as it is, is treated as an integral part of the study region. The age group 55 years and over is preferred to an older one as suitably defining the elderly. This choice is made due to the increasing importance of early retirement and the high propensity of early retirees to change their places of usual residence (Chapter 3). The study begins by examining the levels of mobility amongst the elderly and, in recognizing that the propensity to move is related to chronological age, investigates the factors associated with the ageing process that might account for these differences. Following a description of migration patterns at various geographic levels, and identification of those local planning areas in which the impact of migration has been greatest, the study investigates the demographic and socio-economic characteristics of movers in the preponderant migration streams. While a large proportion of moves occur within the local environment, large numbers of elderly migrants have been leaving the major cities, particularly Sydney. These out-movements have been mainly towards coastal localities, which have also attracted migrants from other areas in the State. In-migrants to these 'amenity' destinations are characteristically younger married elderly people who tend to be a little more affluent and better educated than non-movers in the destination areas. By inference, most move for lifestyle reasons. Counter-migration streams from the amenity areas are, on the other hand, marked by a greater representation of older people, particularly widowed women, with this type of movement almost certainly often being associated with moves towards kin and/or institutional settings. There are, however, elements of both types of movers in both types of migration stream. Show more