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In 2020 the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has dramatically affected the lives of older people and in fact all people. COTA Victoria and the City of Whittlesea conducted a survey with older people to inform future work around COVID-19. This survey is now closed. The purpose of the survey was to:
- describe what older Victorians are saying they need to support them over the coming months as the pandemic continues to challenge us
- help the Victorian Government and City of Whittlesea plan for future emergencies
- share what older people are experiencing and strive for this to be heard.
The City of Whittlesea is located on Melbourne’s northern metropolitan fringe. About 70 per cent of the municipality is classified ‘rural’, with the remaining ‘urban’ space comprising established, developing and future growth areas. The population of residents aged 50+ years is 62,000 (27% of its residents). As a rapidly growing municipality, the proportion of residents 50+ years is not predicted to alter. Yet, the number of people in this age group will increase significantly to approximately 112,691 residents 50+ years by 2041.