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When older Aucklanders retire in a strong position and have good health care and support, the benefits ripple far beyond the individual. Families are less stretched, whānau relationships are stronger, and younger people often get more time, stability, and opportunity. In other words: investing in older people is a smart economic investment in the whole of society.
With Auckland's 65+ population projected to almost double between 2018 and 2038, early action prevents crisis-level costs and builds a more resilient city for all generations. Below are five evidence-based ways older people's wellbeing boosts outcomes for tamariki, rangatahi, and working-age adults — plus practical actions we can take as a city.
About one in ten New Zealanders is an unpaid carer, often balancing jobs and children while also supporting an older parent or partner. Carers enable people to live in their communities and reduce dependence on health and aged-care systems — but the load is growing as we live longer with multiple conditions.
The economic contribution of unpaid carers is substantial. Recent estimates suggest around 14% of New Zealand adults provide unpaid care, representing hundreds of thousands of people whose contribution is enormous but often hidden — and it comes with real costs to household income and wellbeing.
What this means for younger people: when older relatives have reliable services (home support, respite, transport, dementia care), adult children spend fewer hours firefighting care crises and more time on their own kids, work, and study. This translates to higher household incomes and better outcomes for the next generation.
Dementia's economic footprint is large and growing. Research shows that unpaid care accounts for roughly one-third of the total economic cost of dementia in New Zealand. Without adequate community services, families absorb this care burden — often reducing paid work or pulling back from children's activities.
The intergenerational impact: comprehensive community dementia services and respite care reduce burnout and income loss for adult children, which directly stabilises the home life of grandchildren. This represents a clear return on investment in family stability.
Grandparents are a vital part of Auckland's childcare ecosystem. Statistics New Zealand data shows that one in four young children in New Zealand were cared for by grandparents in 2017, supporting parents' ability to work or study. When grandparents are healthy and financially secure, that informal childcare is more sustainable — directly benefiting young families and reducing pressure on formal childcare systems.
There's also a growing population of grandparents providing full-time care for grandchildren. Ensuring these older carers have income security, respite, and housing support directly safeguards children's wellbeing while reducing costs across multiple government departments.
Auckland has committed to an Age-friendly Action Plan (2022–2027), based on the WHO framework and Te Whare Tapa Whā. The plan's core principle is economically sound: when we design transport, housing, parks, and services that work for older people, everyone benefits — from families with prams and school children to people with disabilities.
This isn't a niche issue — it's strategic city-building. With Auckland's aging demographic shift, future-proofing infrastructure now prevents significantly higher costs that would otherwise be borne by younger generations. The alternative — retrofitting an age-unfriendly city — is far more expensive than building accessibility in from the start.
The Treasury's Living Standards Framework and its work on intergenerational perspectives emphasise that policy should grow wellbeing across generations — not just today, but for those who follow. With the old-age dependency ratio rising, supporting older people to remain healthy and connected represents prudent fiscal management: it can reduce costly hospitalisations, delay premature entry to residential care, and protect younger households from income shocks due to emergency caregiving.
While Auckland's aging population presents opportunities, current gaps in coordinated support create avoidable expenses across the health, social services, and education systems. Families are increasingly stretched thin, leading to:
Early intervention through comprehensive older adult support represents a cost-effective alternative to crisis management.
Early, reliable home support & respite
Keeps older people well at home and reduces urgent family caregiving demands — freeing parents to focus on children's routines and maintain
full workforce participation. Research consistently shows this approach delays costly residential care placement.
Dementia-capable community services
Education, navigation, and day programmes significantly reduce unpaid care hours and family stress, stabilising household incomes and family
functioning. The return on investment includes reduced health system usage and maintained family economic stability.
Age-friendly transport & housing
Safe public transport access, step-free pathways, and affordable senior housing reduce social isolation and prevent unplanned housing
crises, which otherwise trigger childcare disruptions and financial strain across generations.
Income security & financial literacy support
Prevents older adults from over-extending financially to support adult children, protecting both generations' economic stability. This
aligns with Treasury thinking on sustainable intergenerational wealth transfer.
Support for grandparent carers
Targeted assistance and navigation for grandparents raising grandchildren directly improves children's outcomes while supporting an
essential but under-resourced care arrangement.
We work alongside older people and their whānau through evidence-based programmes that deliver measurable community benefits:
These services create ripple effects throughout families, indirectly supporting children and young people across Tāmaki Makaurau while delivering cost-effective outcomes for government investment.
Older people's wellbeing isn't a separate budget line — it's infrastructure for family stability, children's prospects, and an economically productive Auckland. When we help older Aucklanders stay healthy, connected, and financially secure through coordinated, early intervention, the return on investment benefits everyone.
With demographic change accelerating, the question isn't whether to invest in comprehensive older adult support — it's whether to invest strategically now or pay crisis-level costs later.
Need support or want to learn more about evidence-based aging services? Contact Age Concern Auckland to discover how our programmes create community-wide benefits through targeted older adult support.