Older people want to be at the centre of decisions that affect them, not consulted after decisions have been made. This was a clear message from OPAN’s annual roundtable. Held to mark the United Nations International Day of Older Persons 2026, the discussion brought together members of OPAN’s National Older Persons Reference Group to explore this year’s theme, The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives.
Hosted by Beverly Baker, the roundtable featured four members of reference group: Ricki Spencer, Ross Bell, Margaret Duckett and BJ Adams. Together, they explored how systems like aged care and community support can evolve to enable longer lives.
Choice and control matter
A recurring theme throughout the roundtable was the importance of autonomy, choice and independence. For Margaret Duckett, ageing should never mean giving up fundamental rights.
‘I want my human rights to be acknowledged and not cut short,’ she said. ‘I have the choice. My rights are acknowledged. They’re not limited by what other people think I could or should be doing. It’s my choice.’
Ricki Spencer emphasised the importance of choosing who provides support and maintaining control over daily life. ‘I want to be the one that makes the decision of who comes into my home and assists me.’
Designing systems with older people
Everyone agreed that older people must be involved from the outset in decision-making about aged care policy and service design.
‘Older people don’t need to be talked to after the fact. We need to be there before decisions are made. We need input into the decisions,’ said BJ Adams.
The roundtable discussed how involving older people in policy and service design can help ensure services reflect people’s real needs and experiences.
‘By making the client at the centre of the issue, we are far more likely to produce services that are effective, that are resourced and sustainable,’ said Ross Bell.
Recognising dignity and diversity
Roundtable participants also highlighted the need for services to recognise older people as individuals with diverse identities, backgrounds and aspirations.
Ross Bell reinforced the importance of services responding to individual needs and preferences rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach. ‘I want the social connection to apply to what I need, my preferences,’ he said.
Beverly Baker also challenged common stereotypes about older Australians, reminding people that older people are not a single, uniform group.
‘We are varied. We have grown up in a vast array of circumstances,’ she said, calling out the need for systems and services that recognise the diversity of experiences, identities and aspirations that people bring into older age.
Looking ahead
The message from the roundtable was clear: the systems that shape our lives must be built around the rights, choices and experiences of older people. As Australia enters an age of longevity, everyone agreed that aged care and related services should be designed with older people, reflect their diverse experiences and uphold their right to make decisions about their own lives.
‘Listen to older people. Just listen to their priorities and their needs,’ said BJ Adams.
Watch the roundtable for the full discussion.