Wednesday 06 September 2023

Media Release

This week is Women’s Health Week, and the National Ageing Research Institute (NARI) is calling for the health of older women to be highlighted.

“The theme of this year’s Women’s Health Week is supporting women to make informed decisions about their health with information that’s easy to understand,” NARI Director, Professor Briony Dow said.

“I urge everyone to consider what this means for older women. How can we ensure we actively consider the myriad of challenges women face as they age, and how health care systems, government policies, and communities can better support women to age well.”

Recent funding and policy commitments by the Australian and State Governments provide significant opportunities for investment to support women to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives.

The Victorian Government has this week announced the establishment of a Victorian Women’s Health Advisory Council, which will oversee the rollout of $153.9 million to change and improve how women’s health issues are treated in our state.

“Older women are often excluded from clinical trials. Risk factors and symptoms for a range of health conditions are based on men, meaning women’s health concerns are often dismissed or not taken seriously, a situation which is compounded as we age,” Professor Dow said.

“It’s time to put older women’s health on the agenda and invest in research that is more specific to them – for example continence, dementia, physical activity, falls and balance, and psychosocial and mental health.”

Next Friday, 15 September, the NARI Annual Summit will showcase pioneering programs aimed at promoting the health and wellbeing of older women. The theme of the Summit is Menopause and Beyond and it will focus on how older women can be empowered to manage their health into older age.

“We’re bringing together experts from across the field to share their insights on what it means to age as a woman in Australia, and how we can tailor support systems, programs and policies to improve outcomes for older women,” Professor Dow said.

The Summit will hear from Professor Susan Davis AO, Victorian Parliamentary Secretary for Women’s Health, Kat Theophanous MP, and Federal Assistant Minister for Health and Aged Care, the Hon Ged Kearney MP.

Media passes for the NARI Annual Summit are available on request.

Media contact: Evelyn Ek — 0412 887 853

Find out more about the NARI Annual Summit.