Stay up to date with the latest news affecting older people in Auckland and across Aotearoa.
At Age Concern Auckland, we curate relevant articles, updates, and stories on topics like elder wellbeing, healthcare, housing, community
services, and policy changes. Check back regularly for fresh content that matters to seniors, their whānau, and caregivers.
History In Making As Governments Draft A Legally Binding Treaty For Rights Of Older Persons
Scoop World brings this story: This is indeed a historic first when governments come together to draft a legally binding possible treaty to
protect the human rights of older persons. The first ever historic Inter Governmental Working Group (IGWG) meeting to protect the rights of
older persons was held recently. IGWG was created by the UN Human Rights Council in April 2025 and given the mandate to draft a legally
binding UN Convention on the Rights of Older Persons.
Changing the NZ Super age won’t fix the country's retirement system problems on its own, panel says at New Zealand Economics For
Interest.co.nz posted this story: Labour leader Chris Hipkins says there’s big questions for us as a country about how we fund superannuation in
the long-term, but raising the age
of eligibility isn’t
one of those questions.
His comment comes after a panel discussion at the New Zealand Economics Forum in Hamilton last week, where the panel spoke about whether the
system could keep up, the age of retirement, life expectancy, and potential tweaks and their impacts on the economy and future generations.
Facilitator and former politician Steven Joyce, ANZ chief economist Sharon Zollner, Milford Asset Management chief executive Blair Turnbull,
Barrister and former politician David Parker, and Aged Care Association chief executive and former politician Tracey Martin made up the panel.
‘Couldn’t afford not to’: With no exit at 65 this is the reality of working in your 70s and 80s
Rotorua truckdriver Warwick Pryce could only afford to retire recently - at the grand age of 84 - and that was only possible after a charity
came to his rescue.
“My rent is now half what it was, so I was able to give up work. I was sick of being bounced around on a truck every morning.
Pryce is a mechanic, but has spent the last few years working as a truck driver, getting up before sunrise to transport fertiliser from
Rotorua to Kawerau and back, every day.
He’d carried on working because he “couldn’t afford not to”.
New Zealand emergency rooms: No place for old men (or women)
From the Spinoff: Older people are arriving at hospital emergency departments in greater numbers than ever before, compounding the problems
of long wait times and poor health outcomes for those who are frail. Is there a better way? Yes, say two New Zealand hospitals. Is the
government listening?
At Waikato Hospital’s emergency department on a Tuesday afternoon, a woman is curled in a foetal position across two stiff-backed hospital
chairs designed to be durable and easy to clean, but that are uncomfortable if you are in pain. She moans quietly, then louder, holding her
stomach as the spasm peaks. She looks like a woman in labour but is far too old to be giving birth. And this is not a delivery suite.
A man in flannelette pyjamas and a bathrobe sits hunched over in a wheelchair. The young woman with him, who may be his granddaughter,
offers him a paper cup of water. She tries to bring the flaps of his pyjama pants together to cover his genitals. He doesn’t seem aware of the exposure.
Exercise can be as effective as medication for depression and anxiety – new study
This story by RNZ: Compared to being inactive, aerobic exercise has an especially powerful impact on the symptoms of depression.
Neil Munro, James Dimmock and Klaire Somoray for12
February 20267 min readCaption:The mental health benefits of exercise are comparable to and in some cases better than those of talk therapy
and antidepressants, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.Photo credit:Dulcey Lima / Unsplash
While treatments such as medication and psychotherapy (sometimes
called talk therapy) can be very effective, they're not always an option. Barriers include cost, stigma, long waiting lists for appointments, and potential drug side effects.
‘Surviving not living’: Pensioners and beneficiaries hit hardest by inflation in 2025
Shared from Stuff: A pensioner living in rented accommodation in a rural location just south of Auckland told Stuff she
is “surviving, not living”.
Paula*, 68, has been retired for three years. She relies entirely on her pension and an accommodation supplement to pay the bills.
Over those three years, keeping up with the cost
of living has
become noticeably harder, she says.
While New Zealand super rates do keep pace with inflation, any increase to Paula’s pension is counted as extra income by Work and Income.
That means every adjustment results in a decrease to her accommodation supplement, she says, so she doesn’t end up with any extra money.
Since Paula retired, inflation has increased by more than 10%. So, in essence, she’s taken a 10% pay cut over that time.
“I feel like [the Government] is giving with one hand and taking away with the other,” she said.
Time seems to speed up as we age - can it be slowed down?
From RNZ: When you're a kid, the wait between Christmases or birthdays feels like an eternity. Fast forward a few decades, though, and it
seems like barely any time has passed between one year to the next.
The feeling that time speeds up as we age is a thing, says Hinze Hogendoorn, a professor in visual time perception at the Queensland
University of Technology.
"When you're young, everything is new and exciting. First day of school, first car, first relationship, first job. There are lots of
memorable firsts."
When you're young, before routine sets in, there are a lot of "memorable firsts", says Professor Hinze Hogendoorn.
NZ Post cuts services, raising fears for offline older Kiwis – The Front Page
NZ Post is removing services from 142 partner stores this year.
It follows a long line of postal groups around the world scaling back as we enter a new era dominated by tech.
Czech Post closed 300 post office branches, the Greek postal service shut more than 200 last year, UK networks have gone through rolling
waves of reductions, and Denmark has ended traditional letter delivery entirely – an end to a 400-year-old service.
Of the 142 stores closing, 29 are in Auckland and 22 are in Christchurch.
“The remaining network of 567 stores will still be significantly larger than any New Zealand supermarket or bank branch network,” NZ Post
general manager consumer Sarah Sandoval said.
Older people are more vulnerable in heatwaves. Here’s why – and how to stay safe
With the mercury rising across many parts of the country, older people are particularly vulnerable as heat is not only uncomfortable, but
potentially dangerous.
For vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, heat is not only uncomfortable but dangerous. High temperatures can worsen existing health
problems and in some cases even prove fatal.
So as the mercury climbs, it’s important to understand why some people are more at risk.
From the Spinoff: The ‘loneliness epidemic’ is apparently spreading around the world, but what does it look like here in New Zealand? Rachel
Judkins reports.
Summer read – originally published February 12 2025.
It’s a beautiful summer evening in Cornwall Park, with families scattered on the grass and a live band playing a backing track to their
laughter. Sprawled on a picnic blanket with her young son, 46-year-old Florence* is trying to soak up the good vibes, but she can’t help
feeling a heaviness. She loves doing these fun activities with her boy, but raising him alone is hard work and she craves adult company and
longs to be part of a family unit again. Despite being surrounded by people, Florence is feeling lonely.
Ironically, she isn’t alone in her loneliness.
In 2023, a survey by global analytics firm Gallup revealed
that 1 in 5 people worldwide said they felt lonely “a lot” during the previous day. In this study, Aotearoa was doing better than our allies
Canada, US and the UK; on par with our neighbours Australia; but feeling lonelier than countries like Japan, Finland and Kazakhstan. But no matter where you go on this planet, loneliness is an issue.
SummerSeries: The Growing Challenge of Dementia — A Māori Lens on a National Health Issue
This from Waatea News.com:
Dementia is no longer a distant concern for future generations – it is here, growing, and already affecting whānau across Aotearoa. Known in
te reo Māori as mate wareware, this condition involves progressive decline in memory and cognition. It affects not just the
person living with it, but their whanau, community, and cultural wellbeing.
In New Zealand, recent research shows that dementia is under-recognised, with up to half of those who live with memory problems unaware they
have the condition.
Transport subsidies for elderly and disabled people reduced
The government is cutting transport subsidies for elderly and disabled people for elderly and disabled people from 75 percent to 65 percent.
The Total Mobility scheme provides discounted taxis and public transport fares for those with long-term impairments.
Transport Minister Chris Bishop and Disability Minister Louise Upston said when the previous Labour government boosted the scheme from a 50
percent subsidy in 2022, it did not account for increased demand.
The number of registered users had increased from 108,000 to 120,000 between 2022 and 2024/25, and the number of trips increased from 1.8
million in 2018 to 3 million in 2024/25.
Bishop said the increased demand now meant the scheme was close to exceeding the funding provided by $236m sometime over the five years to
2030.
"The subsidy is split between the government and public transport authorities - local councils and the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) - and
provides an important service for the people who use the scheme," he said.
Superannuitants are being warned not to fall for a scam that claims they're in for a pre-Christmas bonus.
A hoax circulating online claims that people who are on NZ Super are to receive a "one-off December bonus" a few weeks before
Christmas.
The payment is alleged to be $350 for single people and $560 for couples, as well as an extra $50 for people in Auckland, Wellington and
Christchurch and $40 for people with disabilities.
The websites seem to be intended to funnel advertising and possibly collect identity details.
The Ministry of Social Development confirmed that the offer was not real.
"We are aware of fake information being targeted at MSD clients and older people about December bonuses, benefit increases, or changes
to NZ Super," group general manager of client service delivery Graham Allpress said.
"We want to assure people these claims are not true. If you want up-to-date information on your benefit or NZ Super, check the Work and
Income website or MyMSD.
"These posts and websites are created by dishonest actors for dishonest reasons, and are always best avoided."
Japan is facing a dementia crisis – can technology help?
This from BBC news:
Last year, more than 18,000 older people living with dementia left their homes and went missing in Japan. Almost 500 were later found dead.
Police say such cases have doubled since 2012.
Elderly people aged 65 and over now make up nearly 30% of Japan's population - the second-highest proportion in the world after Monaco,
according to the World Bank.
The crisis is further compounded by a shrinking workforce and tight limits on foreign workers coming in to provide care.
Japan's government has identified dementia as one of its most urgent policy challenges, with the Health Ministry estimating that
dementia-related health and social care costs will reach 14 trillion yen ($90bn; £67bn) by 2030 - up from nine trillion yen in 2025.
In its most recent strategy, the government has signalled a stronger pivot toward technology to ease the pressure.
'Just come and be in it' - 87-year-old community theatre director
June Renwick from Auckland's Selwyn Community Arts Theatre still gets "really excited" about seeing people discover their hidden performance
talents.
Culture 10128 September 20254 min readCaption:June Renwick (left) with cast members of Selwyn Community Arts Theatre's 2024 production of
Priscilla: Queen of the Desert.Photo credit:Supplied
When she retired from teaching at Auckland's Selwyn College, June Renwick was determined to "get a community theatre happening". Now she
directs and produces shows at the Selwyn Community Arts Theatre (SCAT).
Not only is community theatre a lot of fun, it also encourages diverse connections, Renwick says, not just in nationality, but in age.
"People make lasting friendships, like we're all going for a curry night soon up to Orewa", she tells Culture 101.
Govt’s retirement village reforms risk two-tier system, residents say
The Government’s promise of fairer rules for retirement villages could backfire if reforms only apply to future contracts and not to those
who’ve fought so hard to secure them, residents warn.
Their comments follow today’s announcement by Associate Housing Minister Tama Potaka and Seniors Minister Casey Costello regarding the
Retirement Villages Act reform.
Key improvements included a process for former residents to apply for early access to funds in situations of specific need; interest must be
paid after six months if a unit remains unlicensed or unsold; repayment of funds no later than 12 months after a unit is vacated, and weekly
fees and deductions stopping immediately when a resident vacates.
A Northland retirement village resident said after a long career in community advocacy, the last thing she expected when moving into her
unit about five years ago was more battling.
But issues in her village – especially an ongoing wait for a promised specialist care facility – changed that.
The cost of being: A retired ‘old lady’ learning to live for the moment
As part of our series exploring how New Zealanders live and our
relationship with money, a pensioner with a lifetime of ‘squirrel habits’ explains where they spend and how they save.
10-year-old business owner goes viral for free lawn mowing services to kaumātua
From Te Ao Maori News:
A 10 year-old living in Raahui Pookeka that has gone viral for giving free lawn mowing services to kaumaatua in Huntly.
Harry Muru-Kete is the business owner of his lawn mowing service called, “Second 2 None”.
In an Instagram post, hundreds of people praised Muru-Kete for his free service to kaumātua within his community. Muru-Kete said within the
next 24-hours his social media following skyrocketed, all for kaumaatua who are the most valued treasure in their community.
Scientists discover four major turning points for human brain
From RNZ: The five brain phases were split into: childhood brain, adolescent brain, adult brain, early ageing brain and late ageing
brain.
Scientists have discovered the human brain goes through five different phases of life, with key turning points at four different ages.
These "major turning points" occur around the ages of 9, 32, 66 and 83, a media release from the University of Cambridge said.
The neuroscientists from Cambridge University found the brain structure changes over the course of a human life, as the brain rewires to
"support different ways of thinking while we grow, mature, and ultimately decline".
The study that was led by the university's MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit compared brains of more than 3800 people aged between 0 and
90.
According to scientist and research lead Dr Alexa Mousley, it is the first study to "identify major phases of brain wiring across a human lifespan".
ANZ warns of social media investment scams using its branding, and targeting older Kiwis
ANZ is warning New Zealanders to remain on high alert after a new wave of investment scams emerged, targeting users on social media with
fake ads that misuse the bank's branding.
The latest scam, identified this week, involves an advertisement promoting a stock market education programme featuring the ANZ's logo. The
ad directed people to join group chats for investment advice — a tactic ANZ says is designed to pressure individuals into fraudulent
schemes.
"The ads are the latest in a long line of investment scams. Sadly, they won’t be the last," said Alan Thomsen, Head of Customer Protection
at ANZ.
ANZ has reported the ads to the platform and is monitoring for similar content alongside the financial markets authority. The bank
emphasised it does not offer stock trading education programmes and that official posts would only come from its verified account.
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