Age-friendly stance caters to needs of older people
Kā piti Coast district mayor says seniors have much to contribute to communities
The needs, aspirations, and contributions of older people in Kāpiti will be better supported and recognised with Kāpiti Coast District Council’s adoption of an age-friendly approach, Mayor Janet Hoborow says.
The council spent two years working with a reference group of agedsector representatives led by chairman John Hayes to understand the specific physical and social needs of people 65 and over in the district.
“The result is an agreed approach to helping older people live their best lives and meeting their needs for current and future generations.
“Being an age-friendly district means ensuring our residents can continue to be part of our community and that their physical and social needs are catered for as they get older.
“This benefits the wider community because the things that older people need, like improved accessibility, housing, safety, and healthcare, are also good for the rest of us, especially young families and those with mobility challenges.”
Kāpiti has more than 15,400 residents over 65. That’s 26 per cent of its population, compared with 16 per cent nationally, and is expected to grow to 30 per cent in the next 25 years.
About 3.8 per cent of Kā piti residents are over 85, compared with 1.8 per cent nationally.
Hayes said older people had a lot to contribute, and an age-friendly community was better for everybody.
“Many older people enjoy good health, have a strong political voice, and live active, healthy lifestyles.
“Older people have a lot to offer in terms of time, experience, and wisdom. In our Māori communities, older people hold significant value as leaders and kaitiaki (guardians).
“But we also need to accept that as we age we face greater
vulnerabilities, disabilities and hardship so we need to work together to create a society that values and cares for our older folk.”
Holborow said older people had several important asks of council that shaped the focus areas for the agefriendly approach: integration, access, and connection. “Older people told us they want to be seen as valued and an integral part of society. That means having communities
designed with their needs in mind.
“They want places and spaces that contribute to their wellbeing. And they want to be able to get around to access services and information, and opportunities to connect with others and keep learning.
“Council has a pivotal role as a funder and facilitator locally, creating opportunities for physical activity and social connection in our parks, pools and libraries. We can also advocate to central government on national policies which cater to the needs of older people.”
The first actions under the agefriendly approach will be to establish a cross-sector working group to identify and progress opportunities; a detailed action plan to enable collaboration between council, agedsector organisations and communities; and a framework for measuring how we’re tracking in our focus areas, she said.
Read more on the agefriendly approach under “General strategies” at www. kapiticoast.govt.nz/councilstrategies