Benefits of Croquet For Government

This policy brief presents the case for croquet clubs as a dual-benefit preventive health intervention for seniors — addressing both falls prevention and social isolation through a single, low-cost, community-based activity. It draws on 62 peer-reviewed and government sources.

Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospital admissions in Australia, costing the health system $4.7–5 billion annually. One in three Australians aged 65 and over fall each year, resulting in 238,055 hospitalisations with an average stay of 9.5 days.

Social isolation compounds the problem. The Queensland Government's 2024 Social Survey found 62.5% of adults feel lonely at least some of the time. Loneliness costs the Australian economy an estimated $2.7 billion annually.

The evidence base for intervention is strong. Group-based balance and exercise programs cut the rate of falls by 23–39% (Sherrington et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2019), and centre-based programs outperform home-based alternatives. A twelve-year study of Australian women found that maintaining an active level of physical activity was associated with 40% lower Medicare and 30% lower pharmaceutical costs over three years (Heesch et al., 2020).

Croquet delivers the specific components shown to prevent falls — balance, coordination, grip strength — in a club setting that also addresses social isolation. The estimated return on investment from falls prevention alone is 200–1,280%, before counting social isolation benefits.

The brief proposes an annual investment of $500,000–$1,000,000 across Queensland croquet clubs, estimated to prevent 200–640 falls annually and yield $2–6.4 million in hospitalisation savings. Funding pathways already exist through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund ($60M+ annually), Minor Infrastructure Program, and Age-Friendly Community Grants.

Croquet as a Seniors Health Intervention — Policy Brief (PDF, 8 pages, 62 references)