Climate change and older Australians: Understanding the risks and building resilience
Justice & Advocacy
“To enhance awareness and communication around the issue of how older Australians can build resilience in a changing climate, researchers need the support of key stakeholders, such as aged-care providers, peak bodies and policymakers, who are at the frontline of supporting older populations,” says Mehak Oberai from Griffith University, who is partnering with Anglicare Southern Queensland in the ETHOS Project
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Older Australians can play a powerful and unique role in addressing climate change and building climate-resilient communities. With a wealth of life experience and strong community ties, they are well positioned to lead and support local sustainability efforts.
For instance, they can be involved in Landcare and Coastcare groups, restoring ecosystems and reducing bushfire and erosion risks. By taking initiatives like retrofitting their homes with solar panels (renewable energy initiatives) and using energy-efficient appliances and swapping incandescent lights with LED bulbs, they can set an example for sustainable living.
Their leadership and participation can not only help reduce emissions, but also strengthen community resilience in the face of climate impacts.
Climate change is driving more frequent and intense heatwaves globally, including in Australia. The summer of 2023–24 was Australia’s third warmest on record, with national mean temperatures 1.62°C above the 1961–1990 average. The mean minimum temperature was 1.43°C above average, marking the warmest since records commenced. For older Australians, this environmental shift poses a significant and growing risk to health and wellbeing.
Heatwaves, defined as three or more consecutive days of unusually high daytime and nighttime temperatures compared to a location’s historical climate, are more than uncomfortable — they can be deadly. They cause surges in ambulance call-outs, hospital admissions, and mortality rates, causing distress for those directly impacted and their loved ones, and placing enormous strain on healthcare systems.
While the entire population is affected, older Australians (those aged 65 and over) face a disproportionate burden. Between 2019 and 2022, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that 37 per cent of the 2,150 hospitalisations related to extreme heat were among this age group. As our climate continues to warm, this number is likely to rise unless targeted measures are taken. Also, it is important to note that due to increased susceptibilities associated with ageing, effects are likely to occur below heatwave thresholds.
As people age, physiological changes reduce the body’s ability to regulate temperature. This makes it harder to cope with extreme heat. Additionally, older individuals are more likely to have chronic health conditions — such as cardiovascular, respiratory, kidney, or neurological diseases — that are exacerbated by high temperatures. Socioeconomic factors also compound this risk. Older people who live in poor-quality housing, who are socially isolated, or who face economic disadvantage are often less able to cool their homes or access help when needed. These intersecting vulnerabilities make older Australians one of the groups most at risk during heatwaves.
Early warning systems (EWS) are essential for alerting communities to imminent heat events and encouraging protective actions. However, population-based systems often fail to reach or resonate with older adults. A 2022 Queensland survey found that nearly half of older respondents had not heard a heatwave warning, and among those who had, only 21 per cent took any action. This disconnect is partly due to the generic nature of public warnings, which do not consider individual circumstances — such as whether an older person spends most of their time indoors or the combination of their home’s indoor temperature and the low heat-risk perception in the older population. As a result, many do not perceive these warnings as relevant to their situation, leading to inaction.
To build resilience, older Australians need support in three key areas:
- Improved risk awareness: Clear, accessible information on how extreme heat impacts health — particularly for older people and those with chronic illnesses — is vital. Understanding personal vulnerability is the first step toward taking protective action.
- Tailored heat warnings: Population-wide alerts must be adapted to reflect the specific needs of older individuals. This includes accounting for in-home environments and communicating risks in a relatable manner.
- Personalised cooling strategies: Heat responses must be practical and acceptable to those at risk. One-size-fits-all advice (like using air conditioning or visiting cooling centres) may not be feasible for everyone. Instead, older people need personalised strategies that align with their resources, geographical location, preferences and daily routines.
To enhance awareness and communication around the issue of how older Australians can build resilience in a changing climate, researchers need the support of key stakeholders, such as aged-care providers, peak bodies and policymakers, who are at the frontline of supporting older populations. Engaging aged-care providers involves working directly with carers, encouraging them to understand the risks and communicate this information to those they care for. This trusted, person-to-person approach can make a meaningful difference. Compared to messages delivered by the media or external organisations, information shared by familiar and trusted individuals is more likely to be heard, understood and acted upon.
In response to this need, the ETHOS project team partnered with Anglicare Southern Queensland to trial the ETHOS system during the last summer. ETHOS is an individualised home-based heat warning system designed to help older people better prepare for and respond to extreme heat events. It takes household environmental measures and converts them into core-temperature predictions, alerting the individual when cooling action should be taken. It tailors the cooling recommendations to those identified as both accessible and acceptable by the individual.
The findings from this research will be shared in a presentation on 12 June, offering valuable insights into how tailored early warning systems can support and improve resilience among at-risk populations.
Note from Sarah Marris, Strategic Advocacy Lead, Anglicare Southern Queensland: Hosted by Anglicare Southern Queensland, a free webinar will be held on 12 June 2025 at 10.30am that will showcase new approaches and strategies in caring for older people in changing climate conditions. The webinar will comprise two presentations, “ETHOS System: A smart early warning tool for in-home heat safety for older adults” with A/Prof Shannon Rutherford and “Assessing climate change vulnerability and exploring adaptation strategies for senior residents of Anglicare’s aged care facilities” with A/Prof Patricia Lee.
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