Insight: August 20

Insight these week looks at Australia’s ageing population, including a guest who is about to turn 104 and holds world records in athletics events at the Masters Games.

Following Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott’s struggle to answer questions on Aged Care during the first 2013 election debate, Insight asks Australia’s ageing population what it’s like to be old. Really old.

Australians are getting older and living longer – by 2050, almost a quarter of the Australian population will be aged over 65, compared to 14 percent now.

Insight host Jenny Brockie speaks to the growing generation of ‘Centenarians’ (people aged 100+), as well as those aged in their 80s and 90s, about their longevity and whether long life is such a good thing.

The program also hears from an Australian scientist trying to develop a pill to “cure ageing”. Professor David Sinclair says he could extend human life to 120 years – and beyond.

But with the threat of overpopulation, insufficient resources and a poor quality of life, not everyone wants to live forever.

Guests include:

Ruth Frith
Brisbane resident Ruth Frith is 103 and holds world records in athletics events at the Masters Games. Ruth’s sport training is temporarily on hold after a recent medical setback – her first time in hospital since giving birth to her children. Ruth is undeterred and says she’ll get back into training next week – against doctors’ orders. She turns 104 later this month.

David Sinclair
Geneticist David Sinclair is working on a “cure for ageing”. He is testing some drugs on mice that he says could extend human life to 120 years and beyond. He hopes clinical trials now taking place will lead to anti-ageing drugs for humans within his lifetime. David is based at UNSW Medicine and Harvard Medical School.

Ken Clarke
At age 97, Ken Clarke has been receiving the pension for 37 years – more years than he actually worked. He smoked most of his life but quit when he had a major heart attack and triple bypass surgery at age 88.

Giovanni Pilu
Giovanni Pilu is from an island which boasts an unusual amount of centenarians: Sardinia in Italy. One of Giovanni’s relatives lived to 104 and smoked cigars, drank homemade wine and played cards late into the night. Giovanni says the simple diet and laid-back attitude of Sardinians may explain their longevity.

Melinda Howes
Melinda Howes is paid to think about the future and work out what the risks and opportunities are around the big issues we face. She is CEO of the Actuaries Institute, which released a recent white paper on “Australia’s Longevity Tsunami”. “Of all the humans who have ever lived to age 65, half of them are alive today,” she says. “The concept of retirement will disappear; people will dip in and out of the workforce.”

Tuesday at 8.30pm on SBS ONE.