Peak (ePub)

Society is changing faster than policies and attitudes are keeping up with. People are living longer, retiring from work later, and remaining active and valuable contributors to the community well into and beyond their 50s and 60s.

Peak: Reinventing Middle Age focuses on Australians in the 50–75 age bracket: their contributions to society and their needs and expectations for their own lives. It is an insightful look at employment, relationships, education, housing, finances, lifestyles, health and aged care, and the need for reinvention both on a personal level and in terms of social policy.


It includes ten short biographies of Australians who have embraced their middle age in a variety of interesting and inspirational ways. They are living fulfilled lives, contributing to their communities and, most importantly, not succumbing to outdated notions of winding down or stepping back from life in this exciting stage of life.

Patricia Edgar is a sociologist, educator, film and television producer, writer, researcher and policy analyst. Through a career spanning four decades she has been at the forefront of media for children nationally and internationally, winning multiple awards for her achievements and programs.

Don Edgar is one of Australia's best-known authorities on social trends as they affect families, communities and the workplace. He was the Foundation Director of the Australian Institute of Family Studies, which became one of Australia's pre-eminent research institutes in family law, social security, work-family programs, youth and family support services, child protection, child poverty, child care, ageing and the work/family balance.