National Seniors Australia, again in partnership with Challenger, is pleased to release the findings from the 2nd Seniors Sentiment Index. Read the first Seniors Sentiment Index report here.

The latest release of the Index allows us to track changes in the wellbeing of Australia’s seniors in the previous 12 months; a period during which there was a change of Federal Government.

Again, 2,000 Australians aged 50 years and over were surveyed for the Index, which included over 500 people who participated in the previous year’s survey. 

Many of the findings are positive, with seniors expressing better health, social wellbeing and financial wellbeing than for the previous survey.

In particular, there was an increase in confidence in retirement income, reflecting improving returns in superannuation and consumer sentiment over the period.

However, the overall outlook of seniors for their finances over the next five years fell slightly. Seniors’ outlook for their future health and social wellbeing was also slightly lower. 

A strength of the report is the significant detail it provides on seniors’ sentiment across a wide range of issues affecting their lives.

The Seniors Sentiment Index will be conducted again in 2014, to provide valuable insight into how seniors view their lives as the Australian economy and society changes.