The 2015 Global AgeWatch Index has ranked Australia 17th out of 96 countries according to the social and economic wellbeing of older people.

Slipping down four places from 13th in 2014, the index highlights the need for greater emphasis on addressing the needs of Australia’s ageing population.

The Global AgeWatch Index represents 91 per cent of people aged 60 and over, some 901 million people, measuring the wellbeing of older people in four key areas: income security, health, personal capability and an enabling environment.

Importantly, the Index provides a snapshot of how Australia is performing compared to the rest of the world when it comes to ageing.

Australia was outranked by the Scandinavian countries, most of Western Europe, Canada and New Zealand, with Switzerland ranked as the best country to live for older people.

HelpAge International shared that investing in people throughout their lives reaps dividends in later life.

“Countries that do well in the Index are thinking about ageing. They have data on older men and women and consult them on targeted approaches to meet their needs and build on their experience and skills.

These countries score highly in all four areas, have social pensions, accessible and appropriate healthcare, promote and support flexible working as well as life-long learning for older people and have created a secure and supportive environment for people of all ages.”

Global Age Watch 2015 Index Ranking Table

Switzerland (1) Norway (2) Sweden (3) Germany (4) Canada (5) Netherlands (6) Iceland (7) Japan (8) United States (9) United Kingdom (10) Denmark (11) New Zealand (12) Austria (13) Finland (14) Ireland (15) France (16) Australia (17) Israel (18) Luxembourg (19) Panama (20) Chile (21) Czech Republic (22) Estonia (23) Belgium (24) Spain (25) Slovenia (26) Uruguay (27) Costa Rica (28) Georgia (29) Cyprus (30) Argentina (31) Poland (32) Mexico (33) Thailand (34) Latvia (35) Columbia (36) Italy (37) Portugal (38) Hungary (39) Slovakia (40) Vietnam (41) Mauritius (42) Armenia (43) Ecuador (44) Romania (45) Sri Lanka (46) Malta (47) Peru (48) Bulgaria (49) Philippines (50) Kyrgyzstan (51) China (52) Albania (53) El Salvador (54) Bolivia, Plurinational State of (55) Brazil (56) Nicaragua (57) Tajikistan (58) Guatemala (59) Korea, Republic of (60) Croatia (61) Dominican Republic (62) Lithuania (63) Belarus (64) Russian Federation (65) Serbia (66) Bangladesh (67) Montenegro (68) Paraguay (69) Nepal (70) India (71) Mongolia (72) Ukraine (73) Indonesia (74) Turkey (75) Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of  (76) Moldova, Republic of (77) South Africa (78) Greece (79) Cambodia (80) Ghana (81) Honduras (82) Lao People’s Democratic Republic (83) Morocco (84) Jordan (85) Nigeria (86) Iraq (87) Uganda (88) Rwanda (89) Zambia (90) Tanzania, United Republic of  (91) Pakistan (92) West Bank & Gaza (93) Mozambique (94) Malawi (95) Afghanistan (96).

For more information, please visit www.globalagewatch.org