.id insight - March 2026 Edition

 

Tue 17 Mar, 09:52 (5 days ago)

What do spare rooms and an ageing population have in common?   Australia is at a demographic turning point, and everything is set to change. For the first time, dementia has become the nation’s leading cause of death, overtaking heart disease.   This milestone reflects a simple reality: Australians are living longer. But greater longevity also means communities have to adapt to the growing prevalence of age-related conditions, and to the services needed to support people as they age. For decision makers across industry and government, the implications are profound.   Housing needs change. Demand for aged care grows. Health systems face new pressures. Everyone from retailers to community leaders must learn to think differently. In today’s newsletter we explore how demographic change is reshaping Australia, and how we can approach that change head-on. Why dementia becoming the leading cause of death signals a fundamental shift for the nation The surprising role that spare bedrooms could play in easing aged care needs - and housing pressure too. How custom catchment forecasting can guide complex investment choices And how councils are solving these complex changes with a single source of truth. At its core, demography isn’t just about numbers. It’s about understanding the communities we are planning for - and how they will be changing.   Natalie Field CEO You can now get .id insight in your LinkedIn feed. Subscribe here → Insights recap Enjoy these highlights from .id's insights and articles pages over the past month. Dementia: Australia’s Leading Cause of Death    Dementia has overtaken heart disease to become Australia’s leading cause of death. What are the implications? The shift reflects a rapidly ageing population and highlights the growing need for planning changes. And there are some unexpected takeaways in the data, too.     Understand the changes → The hidden economics of spare bedrooms    Australia’s housing shortage exists alongside millions of unused bedrooms, particularly in older households. Understanding this housing mismatch could play an important role in addressing affordability and supply.   Make room for a long read → A Single Source of Truth   Yarra Ranges Council recently partnered with us to centralise their demographic insights and empower better decisions across the organisation.    What's possible when you have the right tools for the job?   Read the case study → Precise site decisions with catchment-based forecasting   Explore this case study in catchment-based population forecasting - which helps identify where demand will emerge, enabling providers to make confident site decisions, fast.   Make the right call - fast → Fresh forecasts   Our unique National Forecasting Program develops forecasts of population, housing and residential development for the nation, each state and territory, each region, and each of the 15,000+ suburbs across Australia.   New forecasts are now available for Queensland - Wide Bay; Cairns; Adelaide - North; Perth - South East; and Mandurah.    Informed News    Australia is ageing, and that includes healthcare workers. What will happen when older workers finally step away? The deepening aged care crisis will affect healthcare for everyone. Click to watch this recent coverage from Channel Seven, featuring comment from our Chief Economist Rob Hall, and using data from our recently released report on the state of aged care in Australia. How can we support your work? Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up! .id (informed decisions), 10 Easey Street, Collingwood, VIC 3