Geriatric ‘explosion’

Press, 22 October 1981, Page 23

Geriatric ‘explosion’

Australia will be a nation of geriatrics by the year 2001, with 47 per cent of the population over the age of 75, according to an expert on rehabilitation medicine. Speaking at the International Hospital Federation Congress being held in Sydney, Robert Oakeshott said although the population of the country was expected to rise by only 3 per cent between now and the turn of the century, the number of people older than 65 would rise by 64 per cent and that of people older than 75 by 113 per cent. People older than 75 at present made up 36 per cent of the population, he said. Mr Oakeshott said to cope with this geriatric “explosion” the division between hospital programmes and community services must be removed. — Sydney. Oil sale pledge The Government’s sale of its majority stake in the British National Oil Corporation will be reversed by a Labour government, the Opposition leader (Mr Michael Foot) has pledged in the House of Commons. His warning to the Conservatives came as controversy raged about the proposal. Several unions, including the Municipal Workers, the Engineering Workers and the white collar APEX have promised to fight the plans, under which the public will be offered a majority stake in North Sea production interests of 8.N.0.C. — London.