News & Blog

One of the issues facing older people these days is the tendency for families to be widely dispersed. Recently, a client of Age Concern noted that her two daughters lived in Australia and her son was disabled and could not go anywhere easily. Since her husband died, she had been living at home, on her

Margaret Balneaves is 101 years of age. She’s welcomed me into her home on a windy afternoon. Her hands are cold, but her bright blue eyes and pink outfit give her a playful, almost youthful appearance. She smiles as she tells me about her three children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Her home is warm

Rest homes and residential care facilities are becoming more prominent in New Zealand’s healthcare system, with residential accommodation and varying degrees of care and support for older people and those with disabilities. While they can be the right choice for some seniors, they can sometimes be expensive and have terms and conditions that can be

We have noticed an increase in phishing and other scam-like activities. From phone calls and text messages saying you owe money, need to claim a parcel, or must renew an important document, to emails and letters claiming to want to give you money, there are countless approaches out there. Sadly, it’s important to be on

Read the latest news, events and more from Age Concern here (click here)… Are you subscribed to our fortnightly newsletter? If not, please click here to subscribe!  

Ageing populations and urbanisation are expanding rapidly around the world, so more cities and communities are committing to becoming better places in which to grow older. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has determined that making our communities more age-friendly is an essential ingredient in programmes to maximise opportunities offered by longer lives. The Organisation recently

As if increased grocery prices were not enough, the daily fixed charge levied by power companies for consumers on a Low Fixed Charge plan is also going up in stages over the next few years. The increase is aimed at covering the costs of having access to a power supply in your house. Consumer NZ

Extended warranties are offered by retailers to provide cover for the cost of repairs in case of product faults after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired. But the extra expense involved in these extended warranties are generally a waste of your money, according to Consumer NZ. You’re usually already covered. Under the Consumer Guarantees Act (CGA),

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