Palmerston North city councillor Lew Findlay: New group will make a difference to the way older people relate to council

Palmerston North city councillor Lew Findlay is looking forward to discussing with the Seniors Reference Group the hopes and needs of older people. Photo / Palmerston North City Council

OPINION:

Over the past few months, Covid has posed a major problem for the aged sector in our city.

Many of our seniors organisations have been unable to meet and this has been difficult for their members.

It is really good to now see the Senior Citizens Hall on Main St up and running again with meetings and activities as people get over the social impacts of Covid.

Despite ongoing Covid precautions, disruptions and restrictions, Age Friendly Palmerston North managed to continue meeting via Zoom and other means. Hopefully, it will still be able to organise the Older Person of the Year awards this October-November.

Age Friendly is also forming a trust to look after Palmerston North's application to attain World Health Organisation age-friendly city status. It is planned to continue holding meetings with interested parties on a regular basis to help support the five people who will make up the trust.

In other positive news, the city council is setting up a Seniors Reference Group. This group will report back to the council on how seniors are affected by things such as social and economic conditions, and how any changes planned by the council might affect them.

This reference group will have up to 15 members selected from the public. Interviews have already taken place and I am particularly excited by the quality and calibre of the applicants who came forward.

I'm convinced this group will make a vital difference to the way older people will be able to relate to the council and have their views heard and considered.

I am really looking forward to getting together with the successful appointees to further discuss the hopes and needs of our city's older people.

• Lew Findlay is a Palmerston North city councillor.