Age Concern's SeniorWatch
Read our popular SeniorWatch service online. Includes the latest reports in the media about older people and ageing issues, up to 22 February.
Rates Rebates
Radio NZ Nine-to-Noon 22 February 2012 > DOWNLOAD MP3 FILE
Age Concern and Grey Power ask why so few people realise they are eligible for rates rebates. Kathryn Ryan talks to Grey Power and Local Government principal advisor Michael Reid. (16′58″)
Resthome staffing levels
Media Release: Age Concern New Zealand, 17 February 2012
… calls for a review of Resthome staffing ratio policies and the application of standards related to staffing levels… President Liz Baxendine says older people in resthomes, particularly those with complex health and disability needs, require qualified nursing and care-giving support and that resthomes should provide this.
NZ's 'happiest' people over 65s... live in Timaru
New Zealand Herald, February 21, 2012
…A report dubbed Happiness of New Zealand has shown who are the happiest people in the country… The happiest age range was 75-plus, at 39.7 per cent, closely followed by those aged 70 to 74 at 37.9 per cent and 65 to 69 at 36.2 per cent… Age Concern Counties Manukau chief executive Wendy Bremner, 51, said the secret to happiness was contentment and the idea of helping others. "Lots of the older people are involved in activities that are for others. So many of them do things for their family and their grandchildren and community groups and organisations and ... when you do things for other people, you get more joy out of that than when you do things for yourself." Mrs Bremner said most of those volunteering for Age Concern - some of whom are in their 90s - were also involved in other volunteering efforts. "Younger generations have a lot more pressure to get more and do more … "I think the secret to happiness is more about contentment. Enjoying the moment… Older people are able to do that…
Seniors in the News
Work life prolonged by necessity
Radio New Zealand, 19 February 2012 > LINK
Grey Power says some who work past retirement age do so out of necessity, as superannuation is not enough for them to live on. A report by the Salvation Army indicates more and more older people are working past retirement age... taking up low-skilled jobs to stay in the labour force. Grey Power Federation president Roy Reid says superannuation is not enough for some people to live on. He says a lot of people have worked in low-paying jobs all their lives, raising families and trying to pay off their home, and reach retirement age with no savings.
Over-65s crowd teens out of market
New Zealand Herald, February 17, 2012 > LINK
… the number of 15- to 19-year-olds in paid work dropped by 42,600 in the last five years, while the numbers still working beyond 65 jumped by 40,200. Researcher Alan Johnson said employers were holding on to experienced workers past the traditional retirement age - at the expense of taking on inexperienced young people. "There is a tight labour market, so people without skills and a work ethic are the ones that are going to be excluded first," he said. "There is this huge increase in employment among people over 65, so employers faced with the prospect of employing someone… opt for more mature workers because they are more reliable."… Waikato University professor of social gerontology Peggy Koopman-Boyden said today's over-65s were "much healthier, more active and more involved" than any previous generation.
We need to take blinkers off to give elderly a fair go
New Zealand Herald, February 19, 2012 > LINK
The Prime Minister was wrong: Winston Peters' voters aren't dying off. Old people are living longer and the next generation has a big problem. In 2006, only 133,800 people were aged over 65. Statistics NZ predicts by 2031 that figure will jump to 320,000. A major report by Grant Thornton identifies dementia as the "highest demand" in that age group, and by 2026 we'll need up to 37,000 more rest-home beds… By 2032, one in 20 people will have dementia … despite misconceptions, most rest homes these days have changed from the institutions of old… But it's a million miles from the lucrative lifestyle villages… There are no profits in high-needs hospital care for the old and senile. That's why no one wants to face the fact that by 2026 we'll need a 78-110 per cent increase in residential care beds. Will the Government bite the bullet and supply? … Different DHBs have different policies. They can do what they like with their budgets despite the fact, according to Age Concern, the four main concerns for all old people are abuse/neglect, social isolation, income/health, and "other"…
Dave Ryan still rockin' after all these years
Northern Advocate, February 13, 2012
Top: MUSICAL CHAIRS: Musicor's Dave Ryan has come full circle and moved in with Wards Music's Roland Schwarz and Brendon White. PHOTO/ MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM
He's been 45 years in business in downtown Whangarei, served three generations of customers, survived recessions and a technological revolution - and instead of retiring he is taking his business in new directions in a new location… Dave Ryan, owner of Musicor Compact Discs and DVDs… had been putting some serious thought into whether he was ready for retirement and if not (he wasn't), where would he do business? "I thought, 'What would I do in retirement'? I'm doing what I like best anyway."…
Lobbyist in Cook Islands says McCully has reneged on deal over pensions
Radio New Zealand, 20 February, 2012 > LINK
New Zealand government has reneged on a deal with the Cook Islands government and left hopeful pensioners in the lurch… Les Priest of the New Zealand Superannuation Lobby Group has been fighting for nearly twenty years to end a situation where New Zealanders living in the Cook Islands must return to New Zealand for five years to apply for the pension, yet new residents can bring their pensions with them. “Murray McCully said if we change our immigration laws to give extra time to Kiwis when they come over here on holiday, that would complement the portability of superannuation. Now wehave changed our policy but they’ve just suddenly reneged on their part of the bargain.”
Housing Availability – Productivity Commission
Media Release: Age Concern New Zealand, February 13, 2012 > READ our lead story
Can you imagine being in your seventies or eighties and feeling unsafe in your home? Having to deal with graffiti and faeces in lifts and stairwells, intimidation from neighbouring tenants, excessive noise and slow repairs? Age Concern New Zealand knows this is a reality for some older people living in rental accommodation…
Age Concern to share quake lessons
Ashburton Guardian, February 14, 2012 > LINK
Age Concern personnel in Christchurch will this week be sharing with Mid-Cantabrians what they have learned from the city’s devastating earthquakes. A home and personal safety course is being held at the Ashburton Seniors Centre on Friday… Age Concern project co-ordinator Yvonne Palmer in Christchurch said the aim of the course was to provide information to over 65s on how to be safe and secure in their homes, and how to keep themselves from harm… “We have learned so much from the Christchurch earthquakes. Other communities are so interested to know what we have learned.”
Seniors in the News
Caring for these kids a job for life
Stuff, February 14, 2012 > LINK
LOVE'S LABOUR: Cliff Robinson with his two disabled children, Marita, 42, and Johnny, 45. CRAIG SIMCOX/Fairfax NZ
"Careful," Cliff Robinson tells his son and daughter as the three wait to cross the road… Robinson is 75, and Marita and Johnny are 45 and 42. Both are intellectually disabled. Johnny also has schizophrenia, diabetes and is on medication to suppress his sexual urges. Since 1975, Robinson has been their caregiver – and he wants the Government to provide a bit of financial help in recognition of that role. At 75, most "Kiwi jokers" would be enjoying their retirement, he says. Instead, he follows nearly the same routine he has for 36 years…
State house residents vow to resist evictions
New Zealand Herald, February 14, 2012 > LINK
Moepai Temata says she and her husband want to stay in their home of 47 years. Photo / Sarah Ivey NZH
Almost 300 Auckland state house tenants - many of them elderly or in wheelchairs - cheered last night as speakers at a public meeting vowed to defy Housing New Zealand plans to clear them out of their homes for redevelopment. Moepai Temata, 68, whose 69-year-old husband, Michael, had both legs amputated because of diabetes in 2005, drew the loudest cheers as she held up a sign saying, "We will not be moved." … the block of high-value properties will be sold to private developers to fund new state houses elsewhere. A further 111 tenants in Glen Innes itself, between Apirana Ave and West Tamaki Rd, will also have to leave…
Your World: Future proofed
Taranaki Daily News, February 14 2012 > LINK
Janet Price and Grindl Dockery …say they are "a bit hippy" because they care passionately about the environment and social justice. They also believe in sustainability and planning for the future, which is what their house on Upper Pitone Rd is all about. Because Janet has multiple sclerosis and is in a wheelchair, their home has also been built for accessibility. With our ageing population, the women believe that New Zealanders will need to think about doing this when building homes for the future.
A walk on the wild side
North Shore Times, February 14, 2012 > LINK
Public access is being eroded to the spectacular North Shore coastal walk… walking campaigner Gay Richards of Living Streets North Shore says… Ms Richards says the North Shore section needs upgrading so more people can enjoy it … An active disabled community and the ageing population contribute to the need to look at access issues …
A fine romance for 65 years
Stuff, February 14, 2012 > LINK
HAPPY TOGETHER: Gloria and Harry Parris have notched up 65 Valentines Days. KENT BLECHYNDEN/FAIRFAX NZ
After 65 Valentines Days together as a married couple, Gloria Parris is still hoping her husband, Harry, will come through with a romantic surprise today – though he denies he has anything planned… Mr Parris, now 93, doesn't remember his first impressions of his wife though said "she was a pleasant companion otherwise I wouldn't have gone out a second time"… after six children and 16 or so grandchildren they still enjoy their time together listening to audio books or music, or going for walks… It was important to steer clear of alcohol and eat sensibly, he said…
Items from last week
Additional acute surgery list soon
Otago Daily Times, February 10, 2012 > LINK
Dunedin Hospital will be running an additional acute surgery list by the end of next month if all goes to plan… At the moment, the hospital is running an additional four hours of acute surgery. The 36-hour increase would be better for patients as it meant quicker surgery times, and less risk of elective surgeries needing to be bumped for acute work…
Dementia sufferers miss out
Timaru Herald, February 10, 2012 > LINK
Alzheimer's patients are suffering for months, sometimes years, before seeking help from Timaru's specialised support network. South Canterbury's Alzheimer's Society president Diane Nutsford said the problem had not yet put financial strain on the organisation, but expected that could change in the future. People were calling on the service when their condition, or the condition of someone they were calling on behalf of, was quite advanced, making it more difficult to manage, she said. "People that have got it are very good at covering it up," … the key was to make people more aware of the services available to them…The SCDHB has made dementia care one of its key priorities for 2012, following reports that one person in every 20 will have dementia in the next 20 years.
2400 years of experience on the bowling green
Ashburton Guardian, February 10, 2012 > LINK
Like a group of schoolchildren, only a touch older. Players in the over 80s bowls tournament
…The Mid Canterbury over 80s bowls tournament [at] the Ashburton MSA bowling green tallied more than 2400 years, with 10 teams of three at-least-eighty-year-olds…Their minds are still sharp, the enthusiasm abounds, and the skills are still there for all to see, with a sprinkling of competitive spirit. "There is a wealth of experience out there and it's great to see so many bowlers still rolling up past 80,"
Foodstuffs scotches talk of milk price war
BusinessDesk, February 8, 2012 > LINK
Foodstuffs, the supermarket cooperative with about half the New Zealand market, has scotched reports its Pak ‘n’ Save stores have embarked on an Australian-style price war for milk in response to a rival’s $1/litre promotion… Nosh said the price cut, which runs until the end of the month, was to “raise awareness of the issue of high milk prices in New Zealand.”…Federated Farmers has welcomed the prospect of a retail price war, saying that’s where the blame for high prices should lie…
Wyn Drabble: Signs of ageing but can't remember
Hawkes Bay Today, February 10, 2012 > LINK
I'm hoping it's not a sign that the end is drawing very near... I broke the apricot in half ... I plucked out the stone and popped it into my mouth, simultaneously extending my hand to the kitchen bin to dispose of the two apricot halves. Luckily I saw sense in time: had I bitten into the stone, the dental expenses could have tasted very bitter indeed! Come on, admit it, you've done it too. Well, not necessarily with a stone fruit but in other ways. I'm sure that, like me, you have opened the fridge door to heat up the leftovers. Or opened the microwave to put away the milk…
Older items
Stroke victim loses fight to be placed in partner's care
New Zealand Herald, February 8, 2012 > LINK
John Pinder's partner Jufan Zhang says she is hopeful she can bring him home 'before he dies'. Photo / Richard Robinson
An elderly stroke victim has lost his battle with Auckland City Hospital to let him go home, and has been transferred to Radius St Joans nursing home in Mt Wellington. John Pinder, 82, is badly disabled by a stroke and wants to go home but the hospital had obtained a Family Court order to move him into private care. Doctors did not think that his partner, 54-year-old Jufan Zhang, a permanent resident originally from China, was able to manage his needs… Auckland District Health Board had said in a court document that Mr Pinder had significant cognitive impairment, and lacked insight into his plight, which Ms Zhang disputes… Yesterday Mr Pinder told the Herald he was being well cared for at the nursing home, but still hoped to "go home soon".…
Children in care of grandparents missing out
TVNZ, January 31, 2012 > LINK
Around 10,000 children are missing out on state financial assistance because they are under their grandparent's care…Diane Vivian, founder of the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Trust… says these grandparents are being discriminated against because they are expected to struggle with the extra financial pressures. "It took us nine years to get parity with the basic foster care rate but it's the add-ons that make the difference," said Vivian. "That's what puts food on the table, that's what educates the children, that's what clothes the children."…Not only do the children they care for not get those "add-ons" but older people are also less able to work."…
Good Sorts: Joan Hornell
TVNZ, February 5, 2012 > LINK
Joan Hornell charges $2 a lesson to teach people how to line dance…
Health board innovation commendable
Editorial: New Zealand Herald, February 8, 2012 > LINK
… there is now criticism of an innovation at the Waitemata District Health Board to pay higher fees to obtain more time from surgeons to speed up waiting lists.
Electricity prices rise to by up to 10%
Radio New Zealand, February 7, 2012 > LINK
Electricity consumers are being warned their bills will rise by up to 10% this year as power retailers bear the brunt of upgrades to the national grid. Grid operator Transpower says the higher charges will come into effect from April, and it says customers should brace themselves for additional electricity increases until 2015, when most of its major projects will be completed... All power retailers … say price hikes across the country are inevitable, but the exact amount will be determined on a region-by-region basis later this year…
'ODT' reporter honoured with lighting flame
Otago Daily Times, February 6, 2012 > LINK
TOP: Alistair McMurran lights the Master Games flame at the event's opening ceremony at the Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin, on Saturday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
After covering every Masters Games held in Dunedin, sports reporter Alistair McMurran was rewarded with the honour of igniting the games flame… There are 70 sporting events at the games and Alistair works tirelessly over the 10 days to get to as many as he can. We believe he captures the very essence of the games." Mr McMurran was passionate about the games because of the camaraderie and dedication of competitors, as well as the role it played in raising awareness of fitness and health in the community. "I really enjoy the enthusiasm and energy of the competitors of all ages, particularly those in older age groups who are an inspiration to us all.”…
Age Concern in the news:
Successful meeting with Minister
Scoop: Age Concern New Zealand
A successful meeting between the new Minister for Senior Citizens, Hon Jo Goodhew, and Age Concern New Zealand … briefed Minister Goodhew on the issues that matter to older people including income, health, loneliness and safety. The hidden, but serious, national issue of elder abuse was also discussed… Mrs Baxendine hails the meeting as a success and describes Minister Goodhew as a proactive minister with a genuine interest in older people… Government relies heavily on Age Concern New Zealand… “We are a politically neutral organisation and the information we provide to Government is crucial and comes from the grass roots...
Applications open for Mayor’s Welfare Earthquake Relief Fund
Scoop Press Release – Christchurch City Council, 31 January, 2012 > LINK
… fund has been set up to provide assistance to individuals and families who are Christchurch residents, experiencing financial difficulties from the earthquakes. “Anyone can apply, there is no personal income threshold for eligibility and funding can be granted up to $2500 per application… A Sub-Committee currently chaired by Councillor Helen Broughon with representatives from Christchurch Methodist Mission, Pacific Island Evaluation and Age Concern Canterbury will assess the applications for funding.
Elder health committee
Otago Daily Times, 1 February, 2012 > LINK
The Southern District Health Board has established an advisory committee to guide planning for changes to how the elderly receive care… Members of the wide-ranging committee included representatives from nursing, pharmacy, allied health, consumers, Age Concern, aged care providers, Southern Primary Health Organisation, and Maori health…
Seniors in the News
Flu jab acceptance still below target
Otago Daily Times, 2 February, 2012 > LINK
Why some elderly people do not take up their free flu jab was the subject of a discussion at a Southern District Health Board committee yesterday… 66.7% of those aged 65 and over had their free vaccination in 2011, compared with 60.1% the previous year. The target is 75% or more. Mary Flannery said she would like to know why there was such a big difference between the elderly flu vaccination rates and childhood immunisation, for which the PHO exceeded the 90% target with 93% of 2-year-olds vaccinated. Dr Malcolm Macpherson said some GPs' practices aggressively marketed the free vaccine, but it was unclear whether all practices did.
Stay at work for brain health
Stuff, February 2, 2012 > LINK
Whether it's sudoku or brain training games, there are plenty of options claiming to sharpen our brains as we get older. But psychiatrist Ian Hickie has a better idea - keep working.
"Work is your own personal cognitive training program because it keeps you challenged and engaged… if you compare people who are employed with those who are unemployed, their mental and physical health is better … The really good news for anyone nudging retirement age is that, despite all the gloom about dementia, the brains of many modern 65 to 70 year olds are in pretty good shape compared to those of previous generations - and, says Hickie, often too young to be retired. "Today's physically active 70-year-olds who don't smoke have scans showing brains that look 10 to 15 years younger than those of their parents' generation at the same age - more of whom were smokers. We should never retire simply because of age…
Q + A: Dick Smith
The New Zealand Herald, January 28, 2012 > LINK
One of the regulars in the State Beach Series is 77-old-veteran Dick Smith (no, not that one) who loves the series but has one pet grump. "I always win the 70-plus age group mostly because I am the only one in it," said the local swimming legend. I wish there were a few more old farts to swim against…
Older Age Concern items
Overloaded hospital puts off surgery
Dominion Post, 31 January 2012 > LINK
Hawke's Bay Hospital postponed two elective surgeries yesterday and may postpone more to help free up demand on overloaded hospital services. Resources have been stretched at the hospital after a spike in admissions at the weekend … many elderly people were admitted at the weekend because they failed to seek medical attention before they got so sick they needed emergency care. The DHB was urging the public to see their GP in the first instance… Age Concern Hastings manager Ruth Lockley said affordability and accessibility influenced whether an older person would visit a doctor. "People living on New Zealand Superannuation and a little extra have to think twice before spending the $50 or more it can cost to visit their GP." Some older people also held off going to the doctor as they worried they could be assessed as not being able to remain living independently in their home, Mrs Lockley said. "Accessible and affordable primary care helps older people remain in good health and retain their independence."
Seniors in the News
Ageing with attitude
Stuff, 29 January 2012 > LINK
The inspiring 90-year-old Iris Apfel (top of page). Anna Hesp, 70. Barbara Brinsley,73.
At the age of 90, New York socialite and stylista Iris Apfel is the face of MAC cosmetics' latest makeup line…The image is magnificent, and inspired us to search out New Zealand style doyennes and photograph them using Apfel's new makeup range. Meet Anna Hesp, 70, of Wellington; Barbara Brinsley, 73, of Dunedin; and Janey Grocott, 63, of Wellington - three women who share Apfel's unique sense of style, and love of accessories and bright lips…
Anna Hesp has worked at Avid Gallery since 1993 and likes to look smart. The 70-year-old 's unique style has seen her singled out by stylists over the years, including Lorraine Downes, as an example of "how to style yourself when you are older, and not give up"…
Lipstick is part of Barbara Brinsley's daily routine, along with Jean Paul Gaultier perfume… Her wardrobe heaves with designer labels… Brinsley describes her style as "intuitive". " I don't mind being near the edge of fashion. I don't mind standing out in a crowd because I feel comfortable within myself as to how I look."…
Big interest in honorary degree for elder
Radio New Zealand News, 31 January 2012 > LINK
The Maori Research Institute in Rotorua says there's been huge interest from elders in honorary degrees being offered to respected elders who've worked to revive ancient cultures and traditions. Organisers of an international conference for elders of ancient traditions and cultures … intend including a Maori kaumatua. They've asked the institute to nominate five elders which it believes would be a worthy recipient...
Ageism exists in New Zealand too
Auckland Now, 31 January 2012 > LINK
Old age comes to all of us, if we're lucky. All the more curious, then, that people are so quick to spread negative stereotypes about a category most of us will one day be part of... We continue to portray ourselves as the enlightened generation, jumping up and down about rights and wrongs; banging on about responsibilities. All the time while blithely writing off anyone of more than about 50 years of age. Nowhere is this more evident than in the work-force … we already know that unemployed Kiwis of 45 years or more will be out of work for longer than any other age category. And that, as the economic downturn continues, their situation will only deteriorate. And we already know that more than half our population is over the median age of 36.6. Translated? We're talking about an elephant in the room…
Group helps poor, uninsured families
The Press, 30 January 2012 > LINK
A community group set up after the February earthquake is working as the "ambulance at the bottom of the cliff" to help quake-hit families where other agencies have failed. Addington Action, covering southern Christchurch from Phillipstown to Hoon Hay, has done about 800 jobs for 500 households on 115 streets since the quake. The work has included emergency repairs on about 115 uninsured homes, delivering food parcels and offering support. Disabled people, single parents with young children and elderly people who owned their own home but had no insurance were eligible for help. "About half of the people who are uninsured are elderly," organiser Mike Peters said. "They can't afford to maintain their properties and can't afford insurance…” Many people had lost insurance "through no fault of their own" because of delays in processing or problems making payments after the September 4 earthquake…
Ambulance rides often needless
Marlborough Express, 30 January 2012
Marlborough rest homes have been told they must not pass on to families the cost of ambulance transport for their residents to Wairau Hospital, in Blenheim. Nelson Marlborough District Health Board health of older people portfolio manager Pete Carter wrote to rest homes reminding them not to charge after being told several had billed residents or their families $212 per person for an ambulance ride from hospital back to their rest home … The Government does not fund ambulance trips from hospital to a patient's home, including a rest home, says St John Ambulance Nelson Marlborough operations manager Barry Howell… Contracts with district health boards and the Accident Compensation Corporation covers 80 per cent of direct ambulance operating costs…
Older items/ Age Concern in the news
TV transition help for elderly hailed
Marlborough Express, 26 January 2012 > LINK
The announcement of a Government funding scheme to help elderly switch from analogue television to digital next year has thrilled Blenheim's Grey Power and Age Concern… financial and technical assistance would be offered to people aged 75 and over for the transition to digital television… viewers must watch analogue television and hold a community services card to be eligible for the Targeted Assistance Package… The scheme provides equipment, pays for installation, provides training and gives access to a technical support line.
Marlborough Age Concern community support worker Helen North, of Blenheim, said the announcement was great news for the elderly community and their families. "There has always been a concern about the cost, so anything that the Government can do to relieve financial pressures for them (the elderly) is a big help. "Cost is a big issue with most when it comes to switching off the analogue signal. A lot of elderly residents are on extremely limited incomes and have to count their pennies ... It's going to be difficult for some of them to adapt."
Marlborough Grey Power president Tony Preston said … "I think the perception is people think they need to get a new TV and all the equipment when this change happens. We've been told that's not the case and you will only need to get a set-top box (Freeview/Sky/Telstraclear), an aerial or a dish if you haven't already…
Seniors in the News
Pensioner TV deal limited to free-to-air
NZ Herald, 26 January 2012 > LINK
The Government has given free-to-air television a boost by ensuring its digital switchover package for pensioners will not be available for the new pay TV Igloo set-top box… The scheme will have $12 million to $18 million to spend on about 58,000 pensioners. It was thought the Government might extend the scheme to Igloo, owned 51 per cent by Sky TV and 49 per cent by TVNZ, which is due to launch in the second half of the year…
Stalwart of Maori language, rugby saluted
Timaru Herald, 27 January 2012 > LINK
Allan "Smiley" Haua, described as a wonderful, gentle man, will be farewelled at Timaru's Caroline Bay Hall this morning. He was well-known in Maori rugby and South Canterbury sporting circles … Mr Haua spent over a decade on the South Canterbury Rugby Union council and was their kaumatua… "We are very sad to have lost such a stalwart for Maori rugby…”
Radius care workers vote to strike
Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012 > LINK
…Dunedin union members joined members at Radius Care facilities around the country in a two-hour stopwork meeting to vote on strike action… the industrial action also related to a pay dispute from the 2010 collective agreement, which the union said was not properly settled, a claim disputed by Radius… New Zealand Nurses Organisation Dunedin organiser Simone Montgomery said her members had also strongly supported the action… Workers were struggling to make a living from their wages, which were being eroded by inflation, she said. Radius Care chief executive Brien Cree, said that until the Government put up more money, aged care workers would be low paid. Radius was passing on the 1.72% funding rise from the Government, despite the fact it had other rising costs… Rest-homes and aged care hospitals were not making big profits, despite what many people thought… In the aged care sector, only retirement village providers were making good returns…
Centenarian looks back on 'wonderful life'
Otago Daily Times, 27 January 2012 > LINK
Rita Webster is set to celebrate her 100th birthday in Oamaru tomorrow. Photo by Ben Guild.
Oamaru woman Rita Webster …still drives her car to the shops, is in remarkable health, reads the newspaper through low-cost reading glasses and takes the bare minimum of medication… "I've had a wonderful life, really - nothing was ever a bother" …
Gap in SDHB eye surgery
Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012 > LINK
The Southern District Health Board has been forced to look elsewhere for vitreoretinal surgery following the departure of an eye surgeon. The board is negotiating with the Canterbury DHB… The region had a high proportion of older people who were more likely to need urgent eye surgery…
Older items
Murky overlap between finance and family
Stuff, 24 January 2012 > LINK
... It's a parental instinct to want to help your children. And it's perfectly natural that adult children with cashflow problems or business opportunities might ask their parents for help. But when that relationship is put under too much pressure it can become abuse, Age Concern national president Liz Baxendine says… She stresses that in most cases, parent/child loans are perfectly innocuous and mutually agreed upon. But unfortunately that's not always the case. "There have been occasions when younger family members have said 'sign up on this or I won't come and see you'. It's like emotional blackmail. It's horrid, but it's there."… Even though younger people might perceive the elderly to be wealthy, in many cases they rely on investment income to top up their super. Take away a chunk of cash without any returns, and they have to get by on less…
Seniors in the News
Robbing our 'oldies' of their money and their dignity
Nelson Mail, 23 January 2012 > LINK
Editorial: What kind of person rips off their own grandmother? … The victims were frail, extremely vulnerable (both were affected by Alzheimer's disease) and this nasty fraudster – who was supposed to be caring for them – obviously saw them as opportunities to exploit… Though the crimes she has been convicted of represent a contemptible extreme, sadly the problem of elder abuse is common. The Nelson office of Age Concern says an average of one incident every working day is being reported. Around half are centred on money, and all too frequently it's family members who are ripping off their parents and abusing their power of attorney…
New Zealand's record of looking after those at both extremes of the ageing process is appalling…the way we are treating our elderly is similarly disgraceful – and more attention needs to be paid to their plight… Our elderly have paid their dues, have contributed much to New Zealand, and deserve better treatment in their final years than many receive in a society suddenly obsessed with staying young and increasingly driven by selfishness.
Watch out, runners, 70-year-old walker coming through
New Zealand Herald, 21 January 2012 > LINK
Neil Pettersen is ready to step out. Photo / Supplied
Walkers make up about 20 per cent of the 700 athletes taking on the Tussock Traverse and few of them will be more inspiring than 70-year-old Neil Pettersen. The retired general manager of a group investment fund is walking the 26km for the fourth time. He explains what makes it a fun challenge…
"At my age, running is not my thing, but I am a keen walker and enter the Tussock Traverse and other events as a walker. I am always slightly amused that, as a walker, I can still turn in better times than many runners. Not that I would wish to take anything away from any who complete the event, no matter what their time - they too are entitled to their own sense of satisfaction and reward…
Stung by finance firm
Stuff, 21 January 2012 > LINK
LITTLE SPARE: Pensioners George and Barbara MacLennan are finding it harder with the lower interest rates chipping away at their income from investments. MAARTEN HOLL/Fairfax NZ
Barbara and George MacLennan, in their 70s, own their Naenae home and supplement their super with modest investment income. But ever since interest rates took "a big, big fall", it's made it tougher to pay for running a car, annual rates, hefty property insurance and the rising cost of living. "We always try to save our interest money coming in – we haven't got a great deal, but we do have some – and we watch those interest rates," says Mrs MacLennan. The couple manage to get by on super, but she says it would be nice to have a wee bit more… Like thousands of elderly investors across the country the MacLennans got burnt in the collapse of a finance company. In their case it was more of a sting, but it has put them off high-risk investments. "We pulled all the money out as they came to fruition last year, and we've put it into the bank – we feel a bit more safe there."
Low interest: the good, the bad
Stuff, 21 January 2012 > LINK
… the interest rate has been squashed flatter than a 52-inch plasma screen. With the Reserve Bank's main inflation-busting tool looking settled at 2.5 per cent for the medium term – a far cry from its heady pre-recession days of 8.25 per cent – it's leaving a trail of winners and losers in its wake… If you're trying to grow your nest-egg, the immediate future does not look so bright … curb your enthusiasm, financial adviser Jeff Matthews warns… Retirement Commissioner Diana Crossan agrees. "Of course! That's the good thing – you can keep paying the same rate and pay it off earlier.” … Crossan stresses that the cash rate is just one piece of the puzzle… While the low OCR bodes well for homeowners, every silver lining has a cloud. The gloomy cloud in question is hanging directly over the heads of retirees and savers.
Last week's items:
Pressure on elderly to accept work offers
Manawatu Standard, 20 January 2012 > LINK
Police are warning Manawatu's elderly residents to watch out for groups of strangers offering work after ... a Palmerston North man, in his 80s… felt intimidated and pressured into giving them the work when they knocked on his door last week. Detective Sergeant Tim Moffatt said while the group's behaviour appeared technically legal, it was not ethical… Police believed the group travelled around the North Island cold-calling vulnerable people. They made an appearance in Manawatu every few years.
Age Concern Manawatu manager Sue Gould said it was not the first time she had heard of groups intimidating people into giving them work. She recommended elderly people contact the police if they felt unsafe or intimidated. She described the groups of people as "scumbags" and said they were preying on those who were vulnerable…
She fleeced grandmother, then her partner's mother
The Nelson Mail, 20 January 2012 > LINK
A scheming woman who fleeced her grandmother's estate of thousands of dollars and was jailed, has done the same thing to her partner's mother… Brenda Schwass-Arnold, 45, was remanded in custody to be sentenced on February 27 to another jail term…
On Elder Abuse Awareness Day in June 2007, she was jailed for 18 months for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from her sick grandmother.
Yesterday she was convicted on 203 charges of using a Motueka woman's bank card to clean out her accounts, taking a total of $28,452… Neill Cherry, said he was devastated that he had introduced Schwass-Arnold to his mother, Joyce Cherry, who is now 72…she was able to take advantage of Mrs Cherry because the elderly woman had Alzheimer's disease and had earlier written down her bank card passwords. "Brenz put two and two together." His mother's savings account was empty and her credit card was maxed out to $11,000… the money had largely been frittered away. "She spent it on loads of junk. She would go into the $2 shop and spend $80 ... not once but quite a few times."…
ELDERLY NEED TO BE VIGILANT
Financial abuse of the elderly in the Nelson region is widespread, with family members the most common perpetrators, Age Concern says. Jess Breeze, of Age Concern, said the organisation saw four or five new cases of elder abuse each week, and about half of them were incidents involving financial abuse.
"More often than not it is sons and daughters ripping off their parents and the misuse of their position of power of attorney."
Mrs Breeze, Age Concern's elder abuse and neglect prevention adviser, said elder abuse was considerably under-reported due to victims being fearful of what might happen if they spoke up. The cases Age Concern dealt with were likely to be the tip of the iceberg, she said… older people often gave family members their PIN numbers or eftpos cards because they trusted them. Because they had provided the offender with that information, it was harder for offenders to be held accountable.
She wanted to encourage people who thought they were being taken advantage of to report it or get in touch … Age Concern could also provide the elderly with information and advice on what steps to take to protect their finances, both legally and in a practical way, she said…
Seniors in the News
93-year-old retires after 78 years of work
Stuff, 20 January 2012 > LINK
top: HARD YARDS: Retiree Nelson Harvey, 93, at his home in Henderson, West Auckland. VANITA PRASAD/Fairfax NZ
Nelson Harvey … [a] 93-year-old from Henderson has just retired …''When I turned 65 I had to retire from the job because it was a government department but at my retirement party my friend told me about a part-time job that was up for grabs,''… He said it had been an emotional journey reviewing his lengthy career. ''It brought tears to my eyes looking back at everything I've done and the people I've met.''…
ANZ urges change to KiwiSaver
TVNZ, January 19 2012 > LINK
People who join conservatively managed KiwiSaver funds by default are missing out on as much as $72,000 each over their lifetimes and should be required to be higher-risk investors early in their lives, according to ANZ New Zealand… If they started out in a growth fund and reduced their level of risk as they got older, they would accumulate an average $320,000 in KiwiSaver - a so-called 'life stages' strategy… ANZ wants the government to change that mandate to the life stages approach…
Quake debt to be offset by services
Marlborough Express, 19 January 2012 > LINK
The cost of providing rest home level care to Christchurch quake evacuees in Nelson Marlborough will be offset by money owed between the two health boards. Canterbury owes an estimated $1.2 million to the region for accommodating the 27 rest home residents … "We send people down to Christchurch for cancer treatments and to Burwood Hospital with spinal injuries. So we are using their services and resources for our population…
Long wait for seniors' premium review
New Zealand Herald, 17 January 2012 > LINK
More than 90,000 older Southern Cross Medical Care Society members awaiting the outcome of a premium review will have to cool their heels throughout most of this year. Both the organisation and its most outspoken critic, Bruce Sheppard, expect the process to take some time… The review was forced by accountant and shareholder rights advocate Sheppard who blasted the board at last month's annual meeting for punishing older members by escalating premiums once they turn 65… Member couples aged 65-plus pay a top annual Southern Cross premium rate around $12,000 to $13,000, that's a quarter to a half of their national super…
Fruit, vege prices nudge upwards
New Zealand Herald, January 16, 2012 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10779037
An increase in the price of fruit and vegetables in December was the most significant element in a 0.2 per cent rise in the Food Price Index last month… Fruit and vegetable prices were up 2.5 per cent, while meat, poultry, and fish prices rose 1.2 per cent…
Civic leaders back rental home plan
Dominion Post, 12 January 2012 > LINK
A proposed accreditation scheme for rental properties has gained support from Wellington civic leaders, who say it would ensure vulnerable families have warm, safe homes. However, the national lobby group for property investors has deemed such a scheme, unworkable, claiming it would worsen the shortage of cheap accommodation. Yesterday, the Families Commission released the submission it made to the Productivity Commission's inquiry into housing affordability… the inquiry's final report should emphasise the link between poor-quality, damp housing and health problems such as asthma and rheumatic fever…
The Government had already pledged to retrofit all state houses, and the private rental market should follow suit. "If the state's moving to that position, there has to be an acceptance that all rental housing stock has to meet certain standards…
Waiheke rest home still open - for some
Auckland Now, 12 January, 2012 > LINK
Waiheke Island pensioners who have been forced to relocate to the mainland after the impending closure of the island's only rest home have found their lives turned upside down… the home could not afford a much-needed $4.4 million upgrade… six still live at the home, which now operates as a smaller unit… Local Wes Burns, whose 92-year-old mother Doreen lived at the home and advocated for pensioner housing on the island… has been moved to Selwyn Village in Point Chevalier for medical treatment, other residents have found themselves in a difficult position.
Reforms 'impacting vulnerable people'
Voxy, 12 January, 2012 > LINK
The increasing hardening of access to government benefits and housing is resulting in higher levels of vulnerability and more people wanting services from social support organisations. The latest New Zealand Council of Christian Social Service (NZCCSS) Vulnerability Report indicates that in the quarter ending September 2011 most NZCCSS members experienced another strong increase in demands for their services… Housing New Zealand (HNZ) is no longer allowing people with low or moderate needs onto their waiting lists and is actively counselling all applicants to look for private rentals…
"The social services sector is really feeling the pinch at this time", said McGlinchey. "Providers of Social Services did not receive a cost of living increase to their contracts in the last government Budget. This must be addressed in the upcoming Budget so that the present levels of services can be maintained and New Zealand's vulnerable families can receive the support they need". Vulnerability Reports will only be published on-line with printable versions downloadable from the www.justiceandcompassion.org.nz website.
104th birthday celebrated with family
Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 2012 > LINK
Rhapsody Resthome resident Mary Kurta …was surrounded by family and friends as she celebrated her 104th…When asked what the secret to long life was, Mary's reply was characteristically humble: "I just arrived here I guess."
Items from 2011
Christmas - a time for connections
Age Concern New Zealand President, Liz Baxendine, says many older people live alone and the holiday season can reinforce feelings of loneliness.
“It is important we show some Christmas spirit and think of those who may be alone. A phone call, a brief visit or an invitation for a cup of tea may be all it takes to brighten a lonely person’s day...”
Community Christmas Dinner final preparations
Southland Times, December 19, 2011 > LINK
Final preparations for the largest Christmas dinner in Central Otago are being made as organisers get ready for the 11th annual Community Christmas Dinner being held in Alexandra on Sunday… It was a great day for the elderly, travellers and orchard workers to come together and meet like-minded people in the area…
Housing affordability affects pensions
BusinessDay, December 17, 2011 > LINK
The Productivity Commission has warned there could be wide-reaching effects for pensions and government accommodation subsidies if housing affordability is not tackled. Presenting a draft report on the issue yesterday, commission chair Murray Sherwin called for more land to be freed up for affordable housing. He said that as more people became renters long-term, the pressure on accommodation supplements and social housing would become greater. With $3 billion now going into helping people into housing, it had to be asked whether the country could afford it, he said…
Detective rewarded for fraud case
Timaru Herald, December 17, 2011 > LINK
Detective Kevin Kirkman, the Oamaru detective who successfully brought charges against a North Otago fraudster who stole more than $1.5 million from investors is being
Advice on Gift Duty abolition
Press Release: Guardian Trust, December 19, 2011 > LINK
“The reaction to news of gift duty abolition has been that it’s a good thing – in most people’s minds, less tax can’t be bad…” He says it’s important to note that while gift duty has been wiped, many of the other legal safeguards that previously applied to disposing of assets remain in place. “People need to know that even with abolition they should continue to take care when gifting,”…
Retiring nurse sees changes in caring
Otago Daily Times, December 17, 2011 > LINK
Ruth Porteous has said goodbye to a long, yet rewarding, nursing career in
Failing sight? Take a tai chi class
New Zealand Herald, December 17, 2011 > LINK
Elderly people whose eyesight is failing can improve their balance and avoid dangerous falls by practising tai chi, according to a study… Researchers from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University set up a four-month programme for 40 people aged over 70 living in care homes. The volunteers had three90-minute tai chi sessions a week …volunteers who practised had far better balance than a control group who were taught to play an instrument…
Rest-home funding threat
Otago Daily Times, December 20, 2011 > LINK
Financial pressure on Otago and Southland rest-homes is likely to increase next year when the Southern District Health Board transfers $1.2 million from residential to community care. The sector is already under strain as the DHB has referred fewer elderly people to rest-homes. Next year the DHB intends to implement a more formalised system of home and community support, which is yet to be fully spelled out. The 90-bed reduction takes effect next October, as part of the aged-care plan under development. Southern DHB said …Demand was rising for the higher-intensity services such as hospital-level…
50 years' service 'a privilege'
Wanganui Chronicle, December 17, 2011 > LINK
Betty Hatfull…was recently recognised for her service to the [Hunterville] and along SH1, at an investiture in Palmerston North… Mrs Hatfull worked as an officer on the ambulance for both day and night callouts, at a time when the local doctor would also go out on the ambulance… She said the fact she was helping someone made her service worthwhile…
Bach stars in Kiwi film set in a rest home
Taranaki Daily News, December 20, 2011 > LINK
[In] comedy and drama film Rest for the Wicked …old cop Murray (Australian actor Tony Barry of Goodbye Pork Pie) goes undercover into a retirement village in a last-ditch effort to catch the one that got away, the old crook Frank (John Bach)… "It's part drama, part detective story and there's a lot of comedy in there as well, but it's never taking the mickey out of the older generation. It's always with them."…"I interviewed caregivers and nurses and other staff and from that we started to get a lot of ideas. Most of the characters are actually based on real people…”
older items
Kahu Durie: a life well spent
Manawatu Standard, December 16, 2011 http://www.stuff.co.nz/manawatu-standard/news/6150448/Kahu-Durie-a-life-well-spent
An unshakeable faith and a simple philosophy of karma drove Reverend Kahu Durie to fulfil a life dedicated to uplifting others. After more than 60 years of contribution to her community, Mrs Durie died at her home… "She was inclusive and affirming of all people, and a fearless, loving, gracious and positive woman. She had a deep, unshakeable Christian faith and a strong, traditional Maori upbringing, both of which she lived by in her daily life." … Mrs Durie was awarded a QSM for her work in the community in the 2007-08 New Year's Honours list … One of her favourite sayings was `Life is really very simple. What you give out, you get back'...
Turia to probe poverty as part of deal
Stuff, December 12, 2011 http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/6123319/Turia-to-probe-poverty-as-part-of-deal
Despite taking "a hit" from voters on election night, the Maori Party has again signed on to support three more years of National-led Government…Mrs Turia will have a stake in a high-level committee set up to investigate poverty. Mrs Turia, as minister for Whanau Ora, will set up a standalone commissioning agency for the party's flagship social policy. She also picks up a role as associate housing minister, with the new agreement focused on employment, education, housing and overall wellbeing of the most vulnerable, especially those on low incomes…
Food up 1.9% bad tidings, but cheaper bubbly adds cheer
Otago Daily Times, December 16, 2011 > LINK
Christmas lunch will cost Kiwis more as food prices continue to rise - and those with a sweet tooth could be hit especially hard. But if you have a taste for bubbly or can bring yourself to replace some meat and pudding with seasonal fruit and vegetables, costs can be cut… food prices increased 1.9% in the year to November…But some vegetable prices were down 8.8% and some fruit dropped 6.1%... the cost of meat, poultry and fish rose 3.2% in the year to November. But poultry is a festive bargain, down 4.7% to $8.32 for a No 15 frozen chicken.
Injury and death lurk at home
Dominion Post, December 16, 2011 http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/6148517/Injury-and-death-lurk-at-home
Home is meant to be a haven – yet 60 working-age people die every year from poisoning, falls, burns and other accidental household injuries, research shows.…A study published today in the New Zealand Medical Journal … found more than 40,000 people aged 20 to 64 were injured in accidents at home, and of those, 604 died… falls were the most common injury overall, landing more than 18,000 people in hospital between 2000 and 2009 for an average stay of two days... Because of that, falls were the focus of ACC's current home injury prevention campaign. In 2010, ACC received half a million home injury claims, costing it $536 million – $272 million from falls…
Christmas in the Pa get-together
Wanganui Chronicle, December 16, 2011 http://www.wanganuichronicle.co.nz/news/christmas-in-the-pa-get-together/1210915/
[picture - see top] Christmas in the Pa will be held at Ratana on Saturday with a line-up of demonstrations and activities for all the family. Among them will be the Roopu Rawakore Kaumatua Sit Fit, whose members were, on Wednesday, taking their weekly one-hour class in the heat with Whanganui District Health Board's Ora Nyman. The women, aged in their 80s and 90s, said they loved the classes, which involved them exercising to music for half an hour…
RSA closes after decline in patronage
Dominion Post, December 15, 2011 http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6141354/RSA-closes-after-decline-in-patronage
…a lack of custom has forced the Waipukurau Returned and Services Association (RSA) to close its doors… "It's a sad day, but we'll still carry on with our commemorations and our welfare side of things, but club activities look like they're by-the-by now…The RSA might now consider amalgamating with the Waipukurau Club … RSA national president Don McIver said many clubs had been successful in repositioning themselves in a bid to attract younger members, but it looked to be too late to save the Waipukurau RSA.
older items
Pensions for millionaires
3 News, December 10, 2011 > LINK
…The current superannuation scheme is universal for those over 65 regardless of your income or assets… most pensioners earn less than $50,000, accounting for around half a million people [but] around 200 earning up to a million dollars… New Zealand is the only country in the OECD which operates a universal pension without any form of means testing. “If you don’t test it, it’ll either keep costing taxpayers more and they’ll end up going to Australia. Or they’ll just have to keep dropping the amount of the super,” says Gareth Morgan. But the Retirement Commissioner is against any form of income testing. The concerns about means testing are you have to pick an amount people are allowed to have and then what happens is that people who are close around that start to try and hide their money as they get up to it,” says Retirement Commissioner, Diana Crossan…
Homes for aged need insulation
Hawkes Bay Today, December 13, 2011 > LINK
Changes to the building code mean some of the 220 public housing units for the elderly in Hastings will need insulation upgraded over coming years... in some complexes there is no underfloor insulation at all," the report said. "Therefore the proposed insulation upgrade is a means of providing an improved and acceptable standard of living to our elderly tenants."… Other councils around the country had opted out of managing elderly housing in favour of letting private organisations run it as a business. Hastings District Council said it still believed housing for the elderly was an essential part of its service to the community…
Advocate turns 106
Taranaki Daily News, December 13, 2011 > LINK
Turning 106 felt like any other day for Taranaki's oldest resident… Mrs Flora Benton has tried her hand at almost everything – from mechanics to opera singing to hockey, milking cows and flying planes. Mrs Benton still gets around by herself, can see well, and has no hearing aids… her mind is still tough enough to stand up for herself and her friends at the home. "She advocates for the other residents. She speaks up if she thinks there's anything wrong, and she's always right"
Rest-home workers 'paid too little'
The Press, December 13, 2011 > LINK
SOLIDARITY: Ruth Prestidge, 71, left, and Elsie Inglis, 87, residents at St Helena's Rest Home, join staff in a protest.
…Hundreds of nurses, caregivers and service workers from 20 Radius facilities around the country attended stopwork meetings and took to the streets in protest for two hours yesterday afternoon. Radius had not passed on additional government funding intended for wages over the past two years. "It's really hard to get aged-care workers to attend stopwork meetings because they really don't want to leave the residents they care for," she said… Several residents from St Helena's held banners in support. Elsie Inglis, 87, said she "wanted to help the workers"… one worker said senior management at Radius lacked communication skills and employees were shown "zero respect".
Ballet greats honour teacher's 60 year career
New Zealand Herald, December 10, 2011 > LINK
Elegantly coiffed, and standing regally tall in the way that ballet teachers do, Valerie Murray is a graceful woman with a definite presence. As she walks around the studio in her Mangere Bridge home, photos of former students on the walls provide a vivid feeling that class is always in progress here. Valerie Murray is one of our most celebrated dance educators, with …a 2002 Queen's Service Medal for her services to dance in New Zealand …
Last week's items
Mature-age workers feel pressure of dinosaur tag
Stuff.co.nz, 8 December 2011 > LINK
Many mature-age workers feel they are regarded as ''dinosaurs'' by their colleagues and bosses and are not valued for their experience and commitment, an Australian study shows… It found what it calls ''stereotype threat'' - people's belief they are subject to demeaning stereotypes - to be a big problem for some older workers… many were keen to take on new challenges and chafed at being overlooked for training and promotion. ''My organisation needs to realise that people don't necessarily stop wanting to learn, to grow, to advance their skills just because they are getting older,'' a worker said. The workers wanted their organisations to increase training opportunities and acknowledge the contributions of mature workers and to convey a positive message to younger employees about the value of experience.
Southern Cross agrees to look at costs
New Zealand Herald, December 9, 2011 > LINK
Southern Cross was forced to announce an investigation of its premiums yesterday… "The society's board and management recognise the huge pressure that health insurance premiums can put on retired people on fixed incomes… Sheppard said after the victory that he wanted to reward longevity, not age. He said the society should distribute about $30 million annual interest on its $334.4 million reserves, increase younger people's premiums which were the cheapest in the sector and investigate reverse annuity mortgages for the elderly, enabling them to draw money out of their houses to pay health premiums…"Hawkins said health insurance premiums rose with age… Hawkins wants the Government to subsidise elderly people's expensive premiums, which are many thousands of dollars a year.
Space-age robots care for elderly
Auckland Now, December 8, 2011 > LINK
SPACE-AGE: Rebecca Stafford, Dr Bruce MacDonald and Dr Elizabeth Broadbent, a senior lecturer in health psychology and the robot.
…The University of Auckland is trialling 31 robots at Selwyn Village in a bid to ease loneliness and improve the health of the elderly. They can check a patient's heart rate and blood pressure, alert nurses of a fall, remind users to take medication, or pump out a music video to keep them smiling… ''They didn't want it to look human-like. It was a machine, a tool; it wasn't a replacement for a human being. That message was loud and clear.''…They are there to supplement the care people are already getting.'' … the robots allow carers to spend more time doing ''human'' things… Broadbent said the aim is to increase the quality of life, reduce depression and improve the health of the elderly…
Concern for elderly access to health services
Radio New Zealand, December 8, 2011 > LINK
The health spokesperson for Ngati Pahauwera in northern Hawke's Bay says the inability of many elderly Maori people to easily access health services is a major concern. Hawke's Bay District Health Board is currently consulting communities from Mahia to Raupunga [a] new model of health care will be more whanau-centred and will bring all individually run medical practices in Wairoa onto the one site. Charlie Lambert from Ngati Pahauwera says … there's no choice about going to town to see a doctor but if there are barriers such as transport, older people won't bother accessing the service. Mr Lambert says the DHB offers people in Napier or Hastings a taxi chit, but there aren't any taxis in Wairoa, and a Gold Card is useless in the town.
Aged care getting harder but numbers dropping
New Zealand Doctor, December 8, 2011 > LINK
…Researchers from Auckland University used resthome and hospital data to work out if real trends matched predictions that population increases would fuel high demand for residential services… The proportion of over 65-year-olds in care facilities dropped from one in 13 to one in 18 over the period studied. The number of over 85-year-olds almost halved from 42 to 27 per cent. The drop in numbers is a positive sign people are able to stay independent at home for longer … "In the future it is probable that, if the provision for long-term care residents remains relatively stable, the overall dependency of residents will continue to increase…
Bronze comes for honouring Anzac
Otago Daily Times, 9 December, 2011 > LINK
The bronze statuette marking Brigadier Dr Brian McMahon's Anzac of the Year award was welcomed to Dunedin yesterday… the bronze would be his until March…The retired physician served in the New Zealand Defence Force for more than 40 years, including active service as a medical officer in 1969 in the Vietnam conflict, his award citation said… Established by the RSA in 2010, the Anzac of the Year award recognises New Zealanders who embody the Anzac spirit.
Award 'humbles' stalwart
Wairarapa Times-Age, December 8, 2011 > LINK
After 37 years delivering Meals on Wheels, two years working with older people, and knitting for orphans in Africa in her spare time, Masterton woman Maureen Potts says she feels humbled to be honoured for her services. Mrs Potts was one of three people to receive a Civic Award from Masterton District Council…
Older items
International Volunteer Day
Media Release: Age Concern New Zealand, December 5, 2011
Today, in time for International Volunteer Day, Mrs Baxendine thanks the hundreds of dedicated people who help Age Concerns around New Zealand improve the lives of others…
Smaller print makes bigger issue for some
Wanganui Chronicle, December 3, 2011 > LINK
SMALL PRINT: Age Concern Wanganui vice-president Lynn Stokes says the elderly and those with impaired vision are having difficulty reading the new Wanganui telephone book. STUART MUNRO photo
Wanganui elderly and people with impaired vision are seeing red over the small print of the city's new telephone book. Age Concern Wanganui vice-president Lynn Stokes said at a meeting of 60 people this week a sea of hands rose when she asked if they were having difficulty reading the new telephone directory… Following the delivery of telephone directories to Wellington homes last week, Age Concern New Zealand issued a reminder to businesses that 600,000 older people were important consumers. Age Concern New Zealand (ACNZ) president Liz Baxendine said the scaled-down page size could make the book difficult for older people to read… "Older people count. We form a significant part of New Zealand's demographic make-up and our population is ageing. It makes good economic sense for people marketing products and services to take older people's needs into consideration." Yellow's communications manager…said that before making the changes, Yellow had run focus groups in Auckland to gauge what people thought…
Seniors in the News
Age of enlightenment
Sunday Star-Times, December 4, 2011 > LINK
I have several friends in their 80s, more who are in their 70s. That might make me weird in Britain, where a European Social Survey of 55,000 people across 28 countries has just found the greatest intergenerational split, with half of all Britons admitting they don't have a friend over 70, most believing old age equals weakness and unhappiness, and two out of five people saying they've experienced a lack of respect because of their age…We often shut old people away when they can no longer look after themselves, writing off their life experience as irrelevant because we're embarrassed, maybe, by their frailty. In the process we un-family ourselves, and make age seem fearful. This seems sad to me… My older friends aren't boring, because they're never bored… People who don't have older people – and I don't mean relatives – as friends lose out on the pleasure of such delicate tact. What do they get out of mixing with much younger people? Maybe it's that you're not their child and you haven't locked them into the parental role of approval and disapproval forever. We all like to be accepted for what we are, not what someone else wishes we were. Old age will be a reality for most of us. We'll blunder into it whether we like it or not, and have to cope…
Soapbox: Voluntary work by elderly people priceless
Marlborough Express, December 3, 2011 > LINK
…We need to measure the economic value of unpaid work – particularly by women and old people. Our gross domestic product method of measuring economic wellbeing does not take unpaid work into account… Old people do valuable community work, some well into their 80s. The wellbeing of our whole society would deteriorate enormously if old people were not around. This list is an example of groups in Marlborough which could not function without elderly volunteers… Social work: Age Concern, at-risk youth mentoring, grandparenting, food banks, Birthright, Salvation Army and other religious and secular organisations, charity shops, overseas aid organisations…
Most committees and trusts are ageing as new blood doesn't appear because of greater demands on both parents working.
Pensioners act to stop council sale of homes
New Zealand Herald, December 6, 2011 > LINK
A group of pensioners living in Hamilton's ratepayer flats have banded together to oppose the council's proposal to sell their homes… Action group president Audrey Durose said none of the flats should be sold off without being replaced. "This housing stock has been built up over 64 years and demand for low-cost, means-tested housing for older people is expected to be in even greater demand in the future," she said, adding that the council had already sold off three blocks of housing for the elderly in the last few years… The 51 elderly tenants living in the affected units would have to find new homes; for one man in the action group this would be his third forced move. "These people, most of whom no longer drive, may need to move well away from their social networks, doctors, public transport."…
Artist's home teeming with marine life
Southland Times, December 5, 2011 > LINK
TIN FISH: Invercargill man Cornelis Taal with a few of his 600 creations in his workshop at home. ROBYN EDIE/The Southland Times (detail).
The artwork of Invercargill man Cornelis "Kees" Taal … began with making aluminium replicas of fish to give to his grandchildren four years ago – and since then it has been hard to stop… each figure takes between 10 and 20 hours to perfect. He does most of his work by copying the animal out of a book, then cuts out each one by hand, spray paints it, then fills in the details. His art also acts as a teaching tool: Taal learns as much as he can about the species he replicates, so when he passes the gift on to his grandchildren they will know everything there is to be taught about Dutch flounder or jack mackerel… Taal has recently begun selling his art, which is now on display at the Lighthouse Gallery in Bluff.
Last week's items
Pensioner's dream of a lifetime comes true
New Zealand Herald, November 26, 2011 > LINK
Image above: Fred Tooley, 72, is the oldest of 500 sailors taking part in the Clipper Round-the-World Race. Photo / Alan Gibson
Fred Tooley [a] sprightly, life-loving 72-year-old supermarket worker at Glen Innes Pak'n Save... is proudly the oldest of 500 crew members taking part in the world-renowned 11-12 Clipper Round-the-World Race, which has made its way to Tauranga for its only New Zealand stopover. And cock-a-hoop was how he described the feeling of helming the yacht Gold Coast Australia when it crossed the finish line early yesterday, winning the latest 5793km, 18-day stage of the race… "If anybody else out there is retired, at a loose end and is keen to fulfil their dreams, don't think about. Just do it.” He quoted Jesse Martin, who sailed around the world before he was 20: "The tragedy is the person who wants to do it at 80, and doesn't'."
World of adventure for older travellers
Waikato Times, November 30, 2011 > LINK
Anne Fredrickson, who is in her 70s, with mementoes from her overseas adventures. Mrs Fredrickson is among an increasing number of older travellers. KATRINA BIELESKI/ Waikato Times
…Leaping with llamas or abseiling in Antarctica are more likely to grab the attention of the over-55s, Hamilton company Calder & Lawson Tours says… "People aren't just looking at new destinations, but also at new ways of travel," general manager Catherine Gerbich said… By 2012, about 30 per cent of the company's options will be either walking tours or visits to such countries as Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. Older people's travel preferences were changing for a range of reasons... Different regions were more accessible with more flights, and better nutrition was contributing to a longer life. "There's an awareness among people you have to keep moving and learning to stay young. People are realising life doesn't finish at retirement age. They are going out and searching for things to do to keep their minds active," she said. When older people returned from an adventure holiday, many were soon looking for their next adventure... Most of the company's tour guides ranged in age from their 50s to their 70s.
Golden award for 102-year-old
Stuff, November 23, 2011 > LINK
AWARD WINNER: The portrait of Ethel Stevens, taken by photographer Phillipa Karn (detail). >CLICK for full photo view.
Centenarian Ethel Stevens isn't fussed by her portrait winning top marks at the Kodak Gold Awards. But photographer Phillipa Karn is over the moon. Ethel celebrated her 102nd birthday over a cup of tea yesterday… Her son David Stevens says Ethel ''is puzzled why people make a fuss of her''. ''She's always been the kind of person who has looked after others so it's not in her nature to be fussed over. ''She believes everyone was put on this earth to be as good as they can to others, '' David says…
Husband can stay but wife must go
New Zealand Herald, December 1, 2011 > LINK
Vandravandas and Taraben Shah came here in 2007 to be with their only son and his family. Photo / Dean Purcell
An Immigration NZ decision to grant residency to a husband but not his wife is threatening to split a couple who have been married for more than 60 years. Vandravandas Shah, 86, moved to Auckland with his wife, Taraben, 76, to be reunited with his only son and his family in 2007. But Immigration NZ says Mrs Shah does not meet health requirements because she has osteoarthritis and is "likely to impose significant costs and demands" on the health system… the health requirements were there to ensure people who were not citizens or residents did not endanger public health or impose costs or demands on the health system… Immigration officer Adam Peterson also said Mrs Shah's "potential contribution to New Zealand was unlikely to be significant". Son Mukesh Shah, 48, said it was unfair that his parents had to be put in a position where "they have to live apart in their dying years"… it was "culturally unacceptable" for Indian parents to be living with their daughter, as it was seen as the son's responsibility to provide for them. Mr Shah, who is a father of two and grandfather to one, said: "It will be a total loss of face for my family and my mother if she was forced to return to India." He did not think his mother's condition was as bad as Immigration's medical assessors had made out, saying she still led an independent life, and did daily chores such as washing, cleaning and cooking for the family…
Bag snatching family prey on elderly
The New Zealand Herald, November 26, 2011 > LINK
A group of female thieves from the same family are believed to be responsible for at least 50 bag snatches. Police say they target elderly women out shopping or volunteering at charity shops and churches for cash and credit cards. One 69-year-old was even asked to get out of her car and give directions by one of the thieves, while another pinched her purse behind her back...
Why giving is good for you
msn.co.nz, November 24, 2011 > LINK
When it comes to the festive season, there are myriad ways to spread good cheer over Christmas... Giving can alleviate depression in both the short and long term – and people who volunteer have lower levels of depression. People who volunteer are more satisfied with their lives, have a stronger will to live, have less anxiety and fewer physical symptoms caused by psychological conditions. Older people who volunteer tend to live longer. Giving is good for the heart because it stimulates the production of the hormone oxytocin which protects us from hardening of the arteries, dilates our blood vessels, reduces blood pressure, and may help the heart regenerate after damage. People who spend more money on others are happier than those who spend more money on themselves.
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