We're all guilty of zoning out at our desks every now and then, daydreaming about what it would be like to finally retire and never have to worry about the nine-to-five grind ever again (sigh). So while the golden years are probably still a long way off for most of us right now, here's something us Victorians can get excited about: our state is the best place to grow old in all of Australia.
That's right – according to new research from care organisation software ShiftCare, Victoria has been ranked the retirement capital of the country. The data analysed 22 key factors, including the accessibility and quality of aged, residential and home care; health and safety; community engagement; social opportunities and walkability.
Victoria boasted the highest number of residential aged care home providers (294), plus the second-most residential aged care homes (768) and home care providers (223). On top of that, Victoria benefits from a whopping $5 billion in government investment in aged care and has the joint highest number of GPs (116 per 100,000 people aged 65-plus), so retirees are well and truly taken care of. Add in Australia’s lowest crime rate, excellent walkability and a thriving network of social clubs – our state really has it all for the oldies.
The Australian Capital Territory ranks as the second-best state to grow old in Australia, boasting the shortest home care wait times (90 days) and the highest community satisfaction rating (4/5). Along with New South Wales, which ranks third overall, the ACT also has the highest number of senior social clubs per capita (0.44 per 100,000 people aged 65-plus) – bring on the pension parties!
While the Northern Territory is a dreamy destination for a golden getaway, it’s not quite the best spot to settle down for good. Unfortunately, the NT ranks as the worst place for retirees in Australia, lagging behind the country with the lowest government funding per provider for home care services ($590,975 compared to Queensland’s $25,355,050), the fewest residential providers (4), the second shortest supply of home care providers (30), and the smallest ratio of GPs (82 per 100,000 people aged 65-plus). So, it’s probably best to save those outback adventures for your younger years and look elsewhere for retirement.
You can deep dive into the data here or check out the full rankings below.
These are the best and worst places to retire in Australia:
- Victoria
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Western Australia
- Tasmania
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Northern Territory
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