Age Friendly - Older Persons

By 2038, 30 per cent of Hurunui’s population will be 65 plus. An aging population is in-step with many parts of New Zealand and the world, presenting both opportunities and challenges for communities. Older people have many skills and experience to draw on while an aging population will intensify the Council’s challenges to provide services and facilities for a small rating base in a large district.

To find out what older people are feeling about aging in Hurunui – both the good and the bad, a research project titled Hurunui Age-Friendly Communities was completed in 2019 to provide Council and other organisations with a direct link to the lived experience of older people in the district. The findings may assist Council in its planning and policy development and advocacy role to further enhance the Hurunui district being age-friendly.

The report made several recommendations to increase our district’s age-friendliness, from improved communications to greater social inclusion and the return of adult education. The report concludes that it’s essential that older people are actively involved in all stages of developing a successful age-friendly environment, and that there is a workable balance between council requirements and the needs and aspirations of local communities.

Census 2023 Figures

Hurunui Population (all residents): 13,608
Those aged 60 years and older, total 4245 residents and make up 31.2% of Hurunui's population
Those aged 65 years and older, total 3063 residents and make up 22.6% of Hurunui's population

Contact:

Vanessa Nelmes
Community Development Facilitator
Phone: 027 500 2562

Memberships:

What is age friendliness?

The concept of age-friendliness was developed by the World Health Organisation. It encourages active ageing by utilising opportunities for health and community participation. It also looks at security to improve the quality of life for older people.

Eight areas are identified as influencing the health and quality of life for older people:

Outdoor spaces and buildings
Transportation
Housing
Social Participation
Respect and social inclusion
Civic participation and employment
Communication and information
Community support and health services

In practical terms, an age-friendly town adapts its structures and services to be accessible to and inclusive of older people with varying needs and capacities.

Work Currently Underway

Staff will be undertaking work to update the 2019 Hurunui Age Friendly Communities report. Stage 1 is the Hurunui Age Friendly Survey, which closed 30 September. Data received from this survey will assist with developing the Hurunui Age Friendly Plan. The plan will raise awareness of older persons needs and how council can address those needs to improve the wellbeing of older Hurunui residents. It will use the World Health Organisation (WHO) Age Friendly Cities & Communities Framework.