These discussions helped us better understand the future aspirations and current barriers for older people.

Living in welcoming and connected local communities

As they age, people …

• want to feel welcomed, known, valued and respected by other people within their local community
• want to have intergenerational connections, including interactions with young children, school children, young adults and families
• do not want to feel isolated or segregated from the rest of the community
• require federal, state and local governments to be responsive to local desires and concerns, recognising that there may be significant variation in needs and preferences by geographic location and community of interest.

Being valued and respected for their achievements and contributions

Older people want…

• to feel respected for what they have done in the past, and recognised and valued as people that are still capable of offering much more
• negative stereotypes of older people and ageism, including workplace discrimination, to be addressed.

Having equitable access to places, spaces and services

Older people need…

• additional effort to address age specific barriers, ensuring that they have the same level of access to services and facilities, as well as opportunities to participate in their communities
• accessible information on available services and support; particularly access to, and training on, digital and social media
• places, spaces and services to be responsive to diversity and the specific needs of vulnerable groups, including responsiveness to the variety of older peoples’ cultures, gender and socio-economic statuses.

The strategy identifies priority areas for action for each of these three themes.