Ageism is rising sharply across Australia. New WA data confirms the problem is nationwide

Two major reports released within days have painted a confronting picture of what it feels like to grow older in Australia right now. Despite their resilience and optimism, older people are telling us that ageism is not easing. It is getting worse. And it is shaping everything from everyday interactions to access to services to the quality of health care they receive.

The Australian Human Rights Commission’s The age barrier report warned that ageism is now acting as a silent clinical risk factor in hospitals and GP clinics. Juniper’s new Voice of Older Western Australians 2025 white paper shows the same patterns playing out across community life and the aged care system.

Together, they reveal a consistent truth: older Australians are doing their best to stay connected, active and positive, but the systems around them are making that harder than it needs to be.

A steep rise in discrimination

Juniper’s findings are stark. Almost three in four older Western Australians (72 percent) say they have experienced age based discrimination. Last year it was 66 percent. Reports of being spoken to in a patronising way jumped from 29 percent to 40 percent. Women continue to bear the brunt.

One respondent put words around something many people feel but rarely say out loud.

“As a professional with a long career, to be suddenly treated as someone who doesn’t know anything is galling to say the least. It makes me feel worthless, like I have nothing to offer.”

Juniper CEO Russell Bricknell says these experiences go beyond poor manners.

“Older people tell us they often feel invisible, undervalued or spoken down to and that takes a real toll on their wellbeing,” he said. “Every Australian deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter their age.”

It echoes the national warning from the Human Rights Commission, which found older people being rushed through care, dismissed or excluded from decisions that directly affect them, with ageism linked to poorer outcomes and earlier death.

Staying positive, despite the barriers

The white paper shows older Western Australians are determined to hold onto happiness. The Happiness Index increased, with many people describing joy from friendships, exercise, family and meaningful hobbies.

But discrimination leaves a mark. Some said they felt sad for days. Others said they avoided services or changed medical centres. One woman explained that she now has to take a family member with her to appointments “to stress my points I wanted answers to.”

The emotional labour of “pushing back” becomes another hidden tax on older people’s wellbeing.

Aged care access is still too confusing

Perhaps the most troubling part of the report is how many people still do not understand the aged care system. Almost seven in ten said they do not know how it works. More than six in ten do not know what support they are entitled to.

This confusion has consequences. People delay asking for help. Families take on more strain. Preventable health problems escalate.

Bricknell says it plainly: “Finding and understanding aged care shouldn’t be this hard. Improving communication and accessibility could dramatically improve health outcomes and quality of life for older Western Australians.”

Worry about independence, finances and being a burden

Older Western Australians continue to worry about falls, health decline and losing independence. Cost of living pressure is shaping everyday life. “The cost of living is making life much more mundane as living on a pension makes life a bigger struggle,” one respondent said.

Many are also carrying quiet fears about being a burden on family. These are not theoretical concerns. They influence decision making every day.

Two reports, one message

When you place Juniper’s findings alongside the Human Rights Commission’s national report, a clear picture emerges. Ageism is not limited to one service or one part of the country. It is showing up in medical appointments, social settings, aged care navigation and even in how older people believe they are seen by the wider community.

Both reports highlight the same themes:
• older people feeling dismissed or talked down to
• confusion and frustration when trying to access support
• fear of losing independence
• concern about becoming a burden
• emotional harm caused by age based assumptions

This is not a problem older Australians have created. But they are the ones carrying the consequences.

A call for change that actually listens

Juniper is calling for change grounded in the voices of older people themselves. “Ageism hurts everyone — individuals, families, and our broader society,” Bricknell said. “We’re calling on all Australians to challenge age discrimination wherever they see it.”

The white paper sets out clear priorities: better communication, more inclusive service design, properly trained staff, action on access and a commitment to the rights older Australians say they are being denied.

The Human Rights As We Age Network is also calling for national human rights protections for older people. Juniper supports this, recognising that cultural change requires legal and structural backing.

Older Australians remain resilient. The system needs to catch up.

Older Western Australians are optimistic about their own future, even as they become more pessimistic about the future of their community. They continue to find joy, form meaningful friendships and build purpose.

But they are also telling us, clearly and repeatedly, where the system is letting them down. The question across both reports is the same: will governments, providers and policymakers finally respond with the urgency this moment demands?

Older people are doing their part. The system is overdue to do the same.