Oldest population in New Zealand begins talks on challenges and opportunities

Thames-Coromandel is the oldest area in New Zealand and 34% of people are over 65, according to Census 2023 results.

A national collaboration of organisations that advocate on behalf of older people and their families is bringing its message to Thames-Coromandel, the district with the oldest population in New Zealand.

Selwyn Foundation, co-founders of the Aotearoa New Zealand National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing He Oranga Kaumātua He Oranga Tangata, has invited older people in the district to a community conversations workshop to discuss what the ageing population might mean for them and the local community in the coming years.

Selwyn Foundation chief executive Denise Cosgrove said Thames-Coromandel District was at the forefront of the demographic shift, with 34% of the district’s population aged 65 and over, significantly higher than the national average of 16.5%. The average age of residents in the district was 53.6 in 2022.

With key focus areas of combating ageism and ensuring older people have access to integrated care, the forum was established by the Selwyn Foundation, Office for Seniors and Age Concern New Zealand in response to the global United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing, which is currently under way.

“The Aotearoa New Zealand National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing has been created to give focus to decade action and to provide a platform for change in local communities in partnership with their older people,” Cosgrove said.

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“Through our community conversations events, we’re inviting seniors to share their insights on what matters for them in their daily lives, enabling their voices to be heard on this most profound issue, the seismic demographic shift that’s taking place in New Zealand which will impact on and shape the future of our communities in the not-too-distant future.

“Our communities are ageing for the first time in history, with more people living longer and contributing to society; by 2028, 1 million New Zealanders will be aged 65 to 100 plus, increasing to 1.5 million by 2050.”

The event is the first in a series of conversation sessions to be held around the country and was part of a broader initiative led by the Aotearoa New Zealand National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing.

“We would like to thank Mayor Len Salt and the team at Thames-Coromandel District Council for supporting this opportunity for meaningful dialogue on population ageing and the implications it has for community planning,” Cosgrove said.

“We encourage the older members of the community to come along, and we look forward to hearing their voices and perspectives as they contribute to this important debate.”

Salt said he would be at the event.

“The thing that is foremost in my mind is that we need to be mindful of challenges and opportunities; one of the things we have to be careful about is assuming that when people are over 65, they can no longer make a contribution to the workforce,” he said.

“People over 65 have a huge amount to contribute and we need to talk to organisations about how older people can contribute; there are opportunities to make contributions to the community.”

Salt pointed to studies in “blue zones” – regions around the globe with high longevity.

“There are programmes that would be a real opportunity for our communities.”

The United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) calls for collaborative action across government, business and society to improve the lives of older people, their families/whānau and communities.

It has four key action areas: combating ageism; creating age-friendly environments; delivering integrated care responsive to older people’s needs; and providing access to long-term care.

Cutting across these action areas was the need to reduce social isolation and loneliness and to prevent the abuse of older people.

The community conversations event would be held on Wednesday, September 11, at the Thames War Memorial Civic Centre conference room between 10am and noon.

For further information, contact decadecommunityconversations@selwynfoundation.org.nz. Those who want to attend are asked to email isla.anderson@tcdc.govt.nz.