ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the relationship between health, disability and ageing. An enduring stereotype of human ageing is 'one of inevitable illhealth and mental and physical incapacity leading to disability and dependency'. Physical images represent the ageing body, such as wrinkles, grey hair, losing teeth, and physical or mental frailty. The medical or biomedical model, on the other hand, views disability as a biological or pathological condition, and as something that is perceived to be wholly within the person not in the environment. The explanatory legitimacy theory of disability describes how a person can gain some legitimacy for membership of a disability category through the determination of outside sources such as medical, legal and policy systems. The federal government notes that 'healthy older Australians remain active contributors to society', but cautions against the burden of disease caused by chronic diseases.
