Let there be light. That's one of the key messages for ACT politicians from the city's older brigade, who are discouraged from venturing outside at night due to a lack of street lights and quality pavements.
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Council on the Ageing ACT executive director Jenny Mobbs said providing enough affordable accommodation and convenient healthcare were also important issues the elderly in the so-called "age friendly city" wanted the next government to answer.
Council representatives from all states had complained about the street light problems when walking from a Manuka hotel to a Barton hotel for a national meeting earlier this year.
"They all commented on how dark it was and how poor the street signs and footpaths were," Ms Mobbs said.
"It's threatening and frightening, and just unsafe."
Former nurse and midwife Margaret Simmonds, 77, agreed, saying she and her 85-year-old husband, David, had to be "extra careful" walking home at night in Forrest after attending the nearby theatre or a concert. She had a fall in Manuka several years ago due to an uneven payment, she said.
"I have heard older people across Canberra say they are reluctant to go out at night, and that is one of the issues," she said.
Ms Simmonds said the costs of moving into aged care were "horrendous".
Ms Mobbs said there were wait times of between six and 14 years for retirement village accommodation. Seniors commonly had to leave their long-term suburbs to move into the age-friendly accommodation, which was often not close to shops or bus routes, she said.
She said the ACT government should do whatever it can to set aside more land for seniors accommodation in established suburbs, with the older community sometimes feeling ignored.
"The mean age of Canberra is 35, so they think, 'why would we want to concentrate on older people'," she said.
Ms Mobbs said the council had an "open mind" on the Canberra Liberals' plan to build two 22-bed hospitals, including small emergency departments, at Gungahlin and Tuggeranong.
"We find it an interesting proposal and one that might work," she said. Ms Simmonds, who volunteers at COTA, disagrees, saying it was a "complete waste of time" as those who were ill wanted to go to somewhere with all the ED technology.
Canberrans have the highest average life expectancy of any Australians. The city was invited to join the World Health Organisation's Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities in June 2010, with membership dependent on consultation with older residents on cyclical five-year plans.
Minister for Veterans and Seniors Chris Bourke said the Labor government had begun building age-friendly infrastructure improvements including footpath upgrades, vandalism-resistant lighting and new rest points in Weston, Ainslie, Monash and Kaleen this year.
Dr Bourke said investigations were continuing into the feasibility of vertical age-friendly communities, which would support private development of universally-designed properties close to essential services.
"ACT Labor has invested in improved health services closer to where people live, including community health centres and new nurse led walk-in centres in Weston Creek and Gungahlin," he said. If re-elected, a Barr government would trial free off-peak bus travel for older residents.
Canberra Liberals spokesman for ageing Steve Doszpot said the capital had poor lighting and terrible footpaths, where they existed at all, and the issue would be a priority in a Hanson government.
The Liberals would also address the "unfair" rates increases, which he said were hurting seniors' ability to afford to stay in their own homes, particularly in older suburbs, and consult seniors regularly on concessions for government services.
