Plan to promote wellbeing for thousands of Hurunui residents

Hurunui Council’s Strategy and Community Committee has officially approved the Hurunui Age Friendly Action Plan, marking a significant step forward in supporting the wellbeing of older residents across the district.

With close to one third (31%) of Hurunui’s population aged 60 and over, the plan is set to make a meaningful impact on the lives of over 4,200 residents.

Some of the key priorities from the plan will be implemented over the next 18 months, Council’s Community Development Facilitator Vanessa Nelmes said. While some would be relatively straightforward to implement, others would require the support of the wider community.

Examples of these include creating opportunities for the district’s young people and older adults to connect and learn from each other; supporting social events to foster community connections; collaborating with Hurunui District library staff to increase participation by older residents in library activities; upskilling staff about the age-friendly space; and more.

Many are new initiatives while others, such as the annual visit by third year students from Otago Medical School to understand the implications and complexity of health provision in a rural context, are already in place, Nelmes said.

Hurunui District Mayor Marie Black said it would be important to lever existing community relationships to advocate for some of the issues raised in the survey around access by older residents to health services. This includes Waitaha Primary Health, which has a Council-appointed representative on its board. Connections and opportunities like this, as well as the recent Rural Health Roadshow by Associate Health Minister Matt Doocey in Hanmer Springs, are important in advocating for the health needs of the district’s older residents, Mayor Black said.

Nelmes said the plan provides a clear roadmap for working in Hurunui’s age-friendly space and strengthens Council’s position when applying for external funding to support these initiatives.

“It sends a clear message to our funders that this is what our community is asking for, and needs.”

The plan has been shaped by community feedback gathered last year through the Age Friendly Survey. A total of 213 survey responses were received. These insights were further supported by community conversations, and feedback from the Hurunui Age Friendly Steering Group. The plan aligns with the World Health Organisation’s framework for age-friendly communities.

Cr Karen Armstrong, who is a member of the Hurunui Age Friendly Steering Group, said while the priority list was ambitious “it’s making beginning steps to what can be done”. As a living document, it will inform other planning processes, Cr Armstrong said.

With the action plan approved, external funding will be sought to support the development of some of the key actions.