Liz Neville
In this episode of 'Let's Talk Ageing', we hear from Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS), Liz Neville.
Interview summary
Date: 20 March 2025
Liz offers insights about the diverse definitions of families and the important contributions older Australians make to family life.
Read the interview
What does getting older mean to you, and why?
As the Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, I am interested in the role and contribution of older people to family life.
This has always been a focus for AIFS. Recently, I spoke with Don Edgar, the first AIFS Director, who is now 88 years old. Don laid the foundations for a broad and progressive conception of families and remains passionate about research into older people, including positive ageing.
I look forward to continuing this important work. On a personal level, I am part of the sandwich generation, caring for my elderly mother from a distance while juggling work and raising teenage boys.
What do you see are the key challenges people face as they get older?
Old age spans a wide spectrum, including young-old, middle-old, and old-old stages. Each stage has its own benefits and challenges.
When it comes to families, older people navigate many complex dynamics. This may include caring for grandchildren or other children in kinship networks, or supporting young adults who are increasingly living with their parents .
Expectations on older family members are growing. More older couples are also experiencing relationship breakdown, often described as grey divorce .
Later in life, people may be concerned about the level of family support available when they reach the old-old stage.
Tell us about your work and what you have been doing to address these challenges.
AIFS has a long history of building the evidence base to support healthy ageing.
This includes research examining older people’s contribution to family life, such as studies showing that two in five grandparents of children under 13 provide childcare , and research demonstrating that kinship carers are often older people, many of them First Nations Australians.
We also examine less visible but widespread issues affecting older people, including abuse and mistreatment. A landmark study found that one in six older people living in the community experienced abuse.
This research will inform the development of the next National Plan to End the Abuse and Mistreatment of Older People 2024–2034 .
How can others get involved or support this work?
AIFS is currently developing a new Strategic Research Agenda to guide our work over the next three to five years and better inform government policy and programs.
We welcome diverse perspectives on priority topics, emerging issues, and trends affecting Australian families. Views on ageing, older people, and intergenerational relationships are firmly within scope.
If you would like to contribute or explore opportunities for collaboration, please visit the AIFS Strategic Research Agenda .