NZCCSS have delved into this question as part of their latest report, Te Kōrero mō ngā Kaumātua: Exploring the context of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
This online resource provides the fullest possible picture of the social, environment and structural context of older people in New Zealand – as well as what is missing. By framing it as an easy-to-read guide with links to further information, we hope it will be of benefit to a wide variety of people in Aotearoa – those who form the cohort, policymakers, the community, health and social services workforce, funders, families, the media, or anyone with a curiosity about this age stage.
With a rapidly ageing population, having high quality, accessible and clear information to support understanding of this group is crucial. And yet, the information needed to gain a full picture is spread widely and can require specialist skills – and considerable time – to track down. This resource seeks to correct that and aims to be a considered overview of a complex field.
This work was also intended as a call to action, to generate interest and spark collaboration. NZCCSS members have observed that many of the issues faced by older New Zealanders can be traced back to a lack of prioritisation of older persons’ needs. NZCCSS feel strongly that this is because of systemic ageism that undervalues and deprioritises the needs of older New Zealanders.
Without specific older persons’ policy, and attention within and across the system, the issues we are seeing of insufficient funding, isolation and loneliness, physical and mental health deterioration, digital divide, and lack of visibility for older persons’ needs will persist or grow as this population increases in size.
Te Kōrero mō ngā Kaumātua is available on the NZCCSS website and they’re sure you will find it useful. They are available to come in to present their findings to your team as well as collaborate on next steps to best support our older people across Aotearoa. If you’re interested in this, please email .
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