News

23 Oct

Willis, Edmonds agree to cross-party accord on retirement, pension

From One News: National's Nicola Willis and Labour’s Barbara Edmonds have agreed to a cross-party accord on the future of retirement, with the pension age on the table.

The two women want to be finance minister after the election and both went head-to-head in Q+A's Finance Debate earlier this morning.

Moderator Jack Tame pressed the pair whether they would join a group that looks at the whole system, including superannuation, KiwiSaver and housing for older Kiwis.

Labour finance spokesperson Edmonds said yes straight away.

"Absolutely. I’d love to," she said. "There used to be a political accord in the early ’90s between the major parties in parliament. And I think that’s really key to get some certainty because this is long-term thinking."

Willis agreed, but with a condition.

Read more

22 Oct

If You’re a Woman of a Certain Age, Beware the Risk of HPV

From Psychology today:

Key points

• Human papilloma virus, or HPV, is not only a problem of the young.
• HPV can lie dormant for decades and is easy to contract anew.
• Medical guidelines recommend discontinuing pap smears at age 65 if they’ve been negative for 10 years.
• If you’re sexually active, you may want to reconsider that recommendation.

Baby Boomers came of age during the Sexual Revolution and learned something both older and younger American cohorts missed: how not to use a condom. Between the invention of the birth control pill in 1960 and the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s, many then-young and now-older adults “learned” to have sex without condoms or fear of pregnancy.

Now, a recent study in BMJ Global Oncology found that women aged 65 and over had the most rapidly rising rates of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) of any age cohort—and HPV causes more than 90 percent of cervical cancers.

Read more

19 Oct

We did yoga with New Lynn’s 93-year-old instructor

From The Spinoff: What’s her secret? Olivia Sheehan says there isn’t one – except, perhaps, squats.

It was nearing the end of our yoga class when the teacher told us it was “time for sun salutations”. We had already stretched, strained and sweated. As a train rattled past the New Lynn gym we were in, she began bouncing through a complicated series of moves, from roll downs to runners’ lunges to downward dogs to planks, encouraging us to do the same.

One by one, more than half the class of 20 bowed out, laying back on their mats huffing and puffing. After nearly an hour and a half of free-flowing yoga poses, this teacher had found their limits. “She won’t ask you to do anything she can’t do herself,” one disciple told me before the class. This I found to be entirely true. Unfortunately, her limits were beyond mine. 

Read more

15 Oct

NZ Super age 67: Why raising the eligibility age won’t solve the funding challenge - Greg Smith

Opinion piece by Greg Smith, Herald: Raising the NZ Super age from 65 to 67 might save billions of dollars. But it won’t solve New Zealand’s retirement funding challenge.

ACT’s proposal to gradually raise the eligibility age to 67 by 2035 has reignited one of New Zealand’s most enduring political debates. Yet with the cost of NZ Super projected to rise from around 5% of GDP today to 8% by 2065, the bigger question isn’t simply when people should qualify for a pension.

ACT wants to gradually raise the NZ Super age while retaining KiwiSaver access at 65 and allowing early access for some people in physically demanding jobs. Labour, the Greens and NZ First oppose an increase, while National has previously supported raising the age.

There are signs the debate may be moving beyond party lines, with Finance Minister Nicola Willis and Labour’s finance spokesperson Barbara Edmonds recently expressing openness to cross-party discussions about New Zealand’s long-term retirement and aged-care settings.

Read more

15 Oct

New report urges a rethink on ageing population cost burden

From RNZ: A new report is challenging the idea that New Zealand's ageing population should be viewed primarily as a cost burden.

The report - For the Long Run - draws on a survey of nearly 30,000 New Zealanders aged 65 and over, alongside research by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER), Retirement Commission and others.

It was commissioned by the New Zealand National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing.

The survey found the vast majority actively work, care for and support others. And many want to do more but face challenges such as ageism, transport barriers and a lack of suitable roles.

For the Long Run identifies when are where changes to housing, transport, healthcare and social services should be made, to allow older people to contribute and remain independent for longer.

National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing chair is Denise Cosgrove.

Read more

12 Oct

Legionnaires’ disease: The gardening risk that can turn deadly; what you need to know

From the Herald: A Christchurch woman still remembers how a spring gardening job more than a decade ago left her fighting for her life with Legionnaires’ disease.

Anne-Marie Prendeville became critically ill after using potting mix in her garden in 2013, with doctors telling her husband to “prepare for the worst”.

Her experience comes as Health New Zealand figures show Canterbury recorded 36 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the year to August 31, accounting for nearly a quarter of cases nationwide and two-thirds of those in the South Island.

Of the 54 South Island cases, 46 required hospitalisation.

Nationally, there were 152 cases over the same period, with 135 requiring hospital treatment.

Read more

12 Oct

'I'm an exercise physiologist: here's one way to greatly lower your risk of dementia'

From One News: Exercise physiologist and personal trainer Courtney McCormack works at Salus Strength, a small Auckland gym where the focus is on high-intensity, low-volume strength training. A lot of her clients are older people looking to preserve or develop their strength to ensure a longer, more active life. McCormack shares seven basic truths about movement in middle-age and beyond, and explains how to fit it into your life, without drama.

1. Improved body strength can lower the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease

The correlation between a strong body and a sharp mind isn’t just anecdotal – Courtney McCormack points to a UK Biobank study of 148,659 older adults which measured their grip strength.

“Grip strength is a simplistic but helpful over-arching gauge of total body strength,” she says. “And the study showed that people in the highest third of grip strength had a 31% lower risk of developing dementia and a 26% lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

And the really good news? It’s never too late.

Read more

12 Oct

Women are mailing their hair across New Zealand. Here's why

From RNZ: Each week, about a dozen women from around New Zealand send Vicki Ogden-O’Fee a lock of their hair. ​

It’s not weird at all. ​

Ogden-O’Fee, a Christchurch hair stylist of 43 years, uses the test strands to determine how a client’s hair will respond to what has been dubbed grey blending. It is a boutique service that varies between clients, involving highlights, lowlights and tones to gradually integrate grey hair into a low-maintenance colour. Often, the hair samples paint a story of someone who has dyed or bleached over their greys for years, adding complexity to the transition.

Read more

2 Oct

Free breast screening extends to women aged 71 from today

From the beehive: From today, women turning 71 are eligible for free breast screening as BreastScreen Aotearoa's age extension programme enters its second year, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Women's Minister Nicola Grigg say.

"Breast cancer is the most common cancer among New Zealand women, with around 3,700 diagnosed every year. Extending free screening means more of those cancers will be found early, when they're most treatable," Mr Brown says.

"Last October we took the first step in a four-year rollout, extending free screening to women aged 70 and 74. From today, women turning 71 are included, with those turning 72 and 73 to follow each October over the next two years.

"Once the extension is fully in place, approximately 120,000 more women will be eligible for free screening."

Mr Brown says the Government has been building capacity so services can keep pace with demand.

"All four new mobile screening units have now been delivered, bringing the national fleet to 14. Each can screen around 5,000 women a year and brings mammograms to women in provincial centres, small towns, and rural communities, so fewer women need to travel long distances to be screened.

"Alongside the mobile units, five new or redevelopment sites have been established in Whangārei, Takapuna, Greenlane, Kāpiti, and Counties Manukau."

Read more

2 Oct

Seven common age-related eye changes you shouldn’t ignore

From the Herald: While some of these changes can be a normal part of ageing, others may signal an underlying eye condition.

James Byczek was out to dinner with his wife and a friend when he noticed what he thought was a fly buzzing around the room. “I asked them if they saw it, too, and they said no,” he said. Later, at home, the floating spot had transformed into a thick, squiggly black line in his left eye. “I thought, ‘that’s weird, I must have something in my eye’,” Byczek, then 56, recalled. But he didn’t see anything when he looked in the mirror.

Byczek, who lives in the US, booked an appointment with an optometrist, who told him to go to the emergency department. Three days later, he was in surgery for a retinal detachment.

Developing a detached retina – when the light-sensitive tissue lining the back of the eye pulls away from its normal position – is fairly uncommon. The average person’s lifetime risk is less than 1%. However, if you are very nearsighted, have had a previous eye injury or have a family history of detachment, your chances of experiencing one are higher. Age increases that risk, too. “One of the main considerations with eye health is that age is a risk factor for nearly every eye disease,” said Teri Geist, president of the American Optometric Association and an optometrist at Midwest Eye Care in Omaha, Nebraska.

Read more

1 Oct

The 84-year-old powerlifter proving strength has no age limit

Justine began lifting weights to supplement her athletics training but was so taken with the discipline that she now powerlifts competitively – and is making history while she’s at it.

“My background is in athletics,” she says. “I used to compete in athletics at school and college. I took it back up again 15 years ago and compete in the discus, shot put, hammer, javelin and weight throw.”

As she got older, Justine noticed changes in her body that meant she needed to adapt her approach. “I used to rely on speed and technique, but my speed was declining. Fast spins I could do a decade ago became more difficult, my knee

Read more

30 Sep

Helping Older People Stay At Home Longer Is Critical Before The Aged Care System Reaches Breaking Point

From Scoop: New Zealand needs to invest more in helping older people remain at home for longer or face mounting pressure on hospitals, residential care and family carers.

To mark International Day of Older Persons (1 October 2026), Presbyterian Support Northern's (PSN) Enliven Home and Disability Support Services is calling on the Government to make ageing at home a national priority. This International Day of Older Persons, Enliven is calling for ageing at home to be a national priority

Enliven General Manager Wendy Hoskin says this year's theme, The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives, highlights the need for the government and communities to rethink how we support an ageing population.

Read more

28 Sep

NZ ‘can do better’ to support older workers

From University of Auckland News: Work is a big part of people’s lives – and that doesn’t stop when they turn 65, says University of Auckland’s Dr Deepika Jindal. A new study aims to identify challenges faced by older workers. Photo: GettyImages.Research exploring the employment experiences of older New Zealanders has been launched by University of Auckland's Dr Deepika Jindal.A professional teaching fellow in the Business School, Jindal hopes her study will identify challenges facing older workers and give organisations insights into changes they can make to better support them.In the 1990s, about five percent of people aged 65 and over were in paid employment, but by 2024 this had increased five-fold to about 26 percent, she says.“Some older people are driven by financial necessity, but others find meaning and social connection through work.“Some have said they want to retire, but feel life would be empty without work,” Jindal says.

Read more

24 Sep

Open Letter to MPs

Read more

21 Sep

Alzheimer's disease starting to be considered a treatable condition - study

Alzheimer's disease is starting to be considered as a treatable and preventable condition, a major new report says.

The World Alzheimer Report 2026, released today from Alzheimer's Disease International, says despite years of slow progress, clinical trials are now on the brink of diagnostic and medical breakthroughs.

The number of people living with dementia globally is projected to surpass 139 million by 2050, the report said, becoming one of the leading causes of death throughout the world.

But while a cure is still far away, medical research is radically shifting the understanding of the disease.

"I think for a long time there's been a fairly nihilistic view in the dementia world, that it is something that can just happen as you age for example, and that we can't do anything about," neurologist, neuroscientist and Alzheimers NZ spokesperson Dr Campbell Le Heron said.

Read more

15 Sep

How learning te reo Māori in her 70's transformed one Pākehā grandmother's view of Aotearoa

"Open your heart."

Those are the kupu one Pākehā grandmother hopes will encourage more New Zealanders to take their first step toward te reo Māori and te ao Māori.

Gael Finlayson-Davis, grandmother of six and great-grandmother of two, now in her 70s, became an unexpected symbol of this year's Matariki celebrations after speaking through tears at the national hautapu ceremony at Takaparawhau.

• Matariki for everyone proves true at Takaparawhau

Her emotional kōrero, in which she described learning te reo Māori as part of her hope for "a better future for our country", resonated with thousands.

Although learning te reo is something she wishes she had embraced decades earlier, she hopes her story shows it is never too late.

"If I can do it in my 70s, anyone can," she told RNZ.

Read more

14 Sep

New Zealand’s oldest person, Aileen Kars, turns 113, garden named in her honour

From the Herald: With spring comes new life, fresh blooms and yet another birthday for our oldest Kiwi.

Aileen Emily Kars turns 113 today, and to mark the occasion, a newly refurbished garden at her Palmerston North retirement village will be named in her honour.

Born on September 12, 1913, in nearby Tokomaru, Kars is New Zealand’s oldest living person and the 25th oldest in the world, according to the US Gerontology Research Group.

She is also New Zealand’s only validated living supercentenarian, someone aged 110 or older.

While Kars wasn’t up to giving an interview, her long-time friend Jan Cook said a garden was a fitting tribute to a lifelong nature lover.

Read more

11 Sep

‘Many kaumātua are suffering in silence’ as financial hardship grows

From Te Ao Maori News: Māori elders are experiencing high levels of financial hardship, housing insecurity and cost-related barriers to healthcare, according to the Older Persons Poverty Monitor. Māori social service providers say many kaumātua are struggling in silence as living costs continue to rise.
Māori elders are experiencing disproportionately high levels of financial hardship, housing insecurity and barriers to health care, according to the latest Older Persons Poverty Monitor.

The report found that older Māori were among those most affected across measures of income, housing and health.

It found that 38.6% of older Māori lived in accommodation they did not own, while 38% had delayed visiting a doctor or dentist because of cost. Nine per cent were experiencing material hardship.

Māori social service providers say the findings reflect what they are seeing in communities, with many kaumātua struggling to meet basic living costs and access essential support.

Read more

10 Sep

MSD told thousands food was ‘not an essential need’

The Ministry of Social Development has told thousands of people that food was “not an essential need”, in what it now calls an admin error, 1News reported last night. Documents obtained through the Official Information Act show MSD has routinely used that reasoning to decline Special Needs Grant applications for help with food over the last six years.

In total, more than 8,000 applications were declined on that basis. The ministry said that represented just 0.094% of the more than 8.5m applications processed over that period, and blamed the error on staff selecting the wrong category when processing applications. “Where the code was entered, it does not mean the underlying decision was incorrect, but selecting this category was an administrative error,” MSD group general manager of client service delivery Graham Allpress told 1News.

Read more

10 Sep

Hannah McQueen: How to protect your career over 50 – and why hard work isn’t enough

From the Herald: On Saturday I caught up with a friend I’ve known for years. She’s in her early 50s, whip-smart, funny and at the absolute top of her game professionally.

But she isn’t happy in her job. She wants to leave and find something else.

The problem is, she’s scared to.

“I don’t think I’d be hireable,” she told me. “I’m almost in my mid-fifties, after all.”

I raised an eyebrow.

Read more