How and where are you choosing to age?

Wherever you call home right now, your experience of getting older is worth sharing.

Deciding where and how to live as you age is one of the most significant decisions you'll ever face. Yet for too many older Australians, it's a decision made without enough honest information, without adequate support, and without a meaningful say in the services and policies that shape daily life.

The gap between what people actually need and what the sector delivers is real – and it only closes when people speak up.

That's exactly why Ageing Matters exists. As part of Ageing Matters’ ongoing partnership with National Seniors Australia (NSA), we are running the 2026 Retirement Living Survey – an independent, annual survey open to all older Australians.

Whether you're living in a retirement community, settled in your own home, or still thinking through what comes next, we want to hear from you. Every perspective helps build a richer, more complete picture of what ageing well really looks like across Australia.

Why your voice matters

Ageing Matters analyses survey responses to produce independent research and reporting that goes directly to the people with the power to make change – industry leaders, service providers, and policy makers. 

Your responses shape the findings, and the findings shape decisions that affect older Australians every single day. This isn't data that disappears into a spreadsheet. It’s a platform for your voice. 

Ageing Matters hears from people across all living situations – those thriving in retirement communities, those who have chosen to stay in the family home, and those who are still navigating what’s next. All of it matters. The more diverse the voices, the more powerful and persuasive the picture we can paint on your behalf. 

What we’re exploring this year

This year's survey has a special focus on ageing in place – what it truly means to grow older in the community you know, on your own terms. We'll be exploring:

• Your lived experience of retirement living or living independently

• Access to healthcare and support services – what’s available and what’s missing

• Social wellbeing and what it means to feel genuinely connected as you age

• The everyday realities of growing older in your community, whatever your situation.

Whether the system is working well for you or letting you down, we want the full picture – the good, the not-so-good, and everything in between.

A little thank you

As a token of our appreciation, 20 National Seniors Australia (NSA) members who complete the survey will each receive a $100 gift voucher, randomly selected from all completed responses. It's our small way of saying thank you for the time and thought you put in.

The survey takes just 12 minutes, and all responses are completely anonymous and confidential. Your answers will only ever be reported in aggregate – never individually.