Keeping warm

Older people heed energy conservation message - but maybe too well

 "A cold winter of powercuts and price rises could affect older people badly," warns Age Concern New Zealand chief executive Ann Martin.

 "The generation that grew up with power rationing is good at conserving energy. They're also forced to keep their energy bills down to a level they can afford.

 "But they have to weigh this up against the risks of spending winter in freezing homes. It can affect their health and their morale, as some older people spend more than 90 percent of their time inside. It helps no-one if being frugal with energy leads to respiratory and cardiac problems, hospitalisation and more costs and worries."

 Age Concern is calling for action to help older people deal with energy woes:

• Greater priority given to Government initiatives ensuring older people have energy-efficient, healthy and effectively insulated houses.
• Energy suppliers should provide seniors discounts through SuperGold Card.
• Some power suppliers provide welfare groups with emergency vouchers to help people in the most desperate need. Age Concern says this should be available nation-wide.
• Government monitoring of household energy costs to ensure that people over 65 have to spend no more on energy than the national average (estimated at 4 percent of household expenditure). Emergency assistance should be available, through rebates or pension supplements, if energy costs rise above this.
• Government should request the Electricity Commission to design a reward programme for people who save energy.
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