The finalists for the Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year award were announced this morning. The Senior New Zealander is one of seven categories of the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year awards. One of this year’s judges of the Senior category, Age Concern Wellington Region CEO, Stephen Opie, says the three deserving
It came as a bit of a shock to me recently to realise I had been volunteering in the Age Concern wellington Region office for more than 18 months. While I had other projects on the go at the time, I noted that the time spent volunteering had been very satisfying. This led to the
A care for people in the community has led Paul Green to a life of service in New Zealand. “It is a way of doing my civic duty and contributing to my community while saying thanks to the country that welcomed my family here almost 50 years ago.” Many of the volunteers we work with
One of the “tasks” of later life, as defined by psychologists, is “generativity” – the “giving back” by older people to society and specifically to oncoming generations. While not mentioning the concept of generativity specifically, numerous policy statements and “strategies” emphasise that the contribution and participation of older people is an important part of positive
As the CEO of Age Concern Wellington Region, I often think that if I could just get those not yet at retirement age to imagine life at 85, many more people would want to reach out and connect with seniors. But it’s hard for us to imagine ourselves being a little bit older than we
If Mavis isn’t lawn bowling, swimming, taking voice lessons, or participating in a Steady As You Go exercise class, she’s probably home baking the most delicious scones you’ve ever tasted. Or perhaps she’s sewing or knitting a useful gift for a friend. Despite Mavis being nearly 84 years old, she keeps more active than most.
