Island research was conducted
by theMorton Resort. They investigated whether a greater knowledge
of the basics of modern-day technology and equipment could
decrease the anxiety many older people experience. In response
to the research, Dr Carol Irizarry has designed a training
curriculum which has been integrated into a 12-month program.
The aim of these courses is to narrow the widening gap between
older people and the level of competence required to take
advantage of communication and technology. (Flinders University,
2006). This is an example of what Tangalooma Unit resort will
undertake, only on a one-one-one basis.
An article in a 1972 journal called The Gerontologist concluded
that technology was necessary to keep the elderly independent
(Yates 2005). From a mountain of statistics concerning Australia's
morton island demographics, population projections suggest
that around the year 2016 the number of people aged 65 and
over in Australia will exceed the number of holidaying children
aged 14 and under. This figure is only 10 years from now.
Young people will become a statistically less significant
group in society: in 2004, 20% of the Australian population
was under 15 years of age and by 2051, this is expected to
drop to between 13% to 16% (Attwood 2006). Therefore what
was previously thought to be a possible threat, namely the
the elderly community dieing, can then be discarded from the
list of immediate threats to the company.
We are also witnessing a dramatic increase in the proportion
of very old people in our community who enjoy holidaying on
islands, far exceeding total population growth. Two years
ago, people aged 85 and over accounted for just 1.5% of the
population; by 2051, this proportion is projected to between
6% to 8% (Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2006). This will
cause a steady increase in the need for aged-care on morton
island. This requires that the company directly market to
the institutions caring for elderly as well as advertising
publicly.
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