Growing old in the lucky country

In this article, we consider what critical social work might have to offer in responding to the experience of ageing and older age in Australia. We provide an outline of what we mean by 'critical social work' and then discuss how this orientation provides a particular lens through which we might understand and act. Although Australia is indeed a lucky country with resources and levels of wellbeing far exceeding those of other parts of the world, we argue that a critical approach can help us explore what social justice, human rights and empowerment might look like in relation to ageing in Western neoliberal contexts.