22/10/2026
There are days in our work when we celebrate incredible outcomes.
And there are days when we sit with disappointment. When systems don't respond quickly enough. When injustice, disadvantage and circumstance create barriers that shouldn't exist. When we can't achieve the outcome we hoped for, despite giving everything we can.
One of the things I love most about the Age Matters team is how we come together through all of it.
We're about to take on a 25km fundraising walk, and while it's a physical challenge, it's also a reminder of something important. Sometimes it feels good to simply do something. To take a step forward. To channel our energy into creating change, however small it might seem.
Yesterday I learned that more than half of Australians aged 65 and over live with disability (52.3%).
If I'm honest, it wasn't a new fact. After years of working alongside older people, it's something I've seen in practice every day, often at a much greater prevalence than the statistic suggests. But for some reason, seeing it expressed so starkly as a number stopped me in my tracks. After all these years in the sector, I was surprised by how hard it landed.
More than half.
More than half of us can expect to experience changes to our health, mobility, cognition or independence as we age.
When you add financial hardship, shrinking social networks, housing stress, cost-of-living pressures, increasing pressure on health and aged care systems, and the many intersecting barriers people face, life can become incredibly complex.
This is the reality many older people navigate every day.
We are fortunate to work in roles where we can help unpack those challenges, navigate systems, and connect people with the support they need. The work is real, tangible and meaningful. But sometimes the weight of it is heavy.
That's why this fundraiser means so much to our team.
The funds we raise give us something invaluable: the ability to provide practical assistance when there are few other options available. Sometimes it's not a big intervention. Sometimes it's a small amount of support that restores a person's sense of choice, dignity or independence. Sometimes it's simply giving someone a little more agency at a time when life feels overwhelming.
And for us as a team, this walk is also about supporting one another. Coming together, sharing a challenge, and reminding ourselves that while we can't fix every injustice or overcome every barrier, we can still take a step forward.
Literally.
If you'd like to support us as we take on 25 kilometres together, we'd be incredibly grateful.
đź’™ Every step matters.
đź’™ Every donation matters.
👉 https://every-step-matters-age-matters.raiselysite.com/
