News

3 Aug

Don’t Let AI Speak for the Dead

From Psychology today:

Key points

• AI “grief bots” trained on the dead person’s data promise to let mourners keep the conversation going.
• Continuing bonds theory holds that carrying the dead within us is healthy—but the carrying is work.
• Healing from loss and the business model point in opposite directions.
• Outsourcing remembrance to an app risks the same fate as outsourcing navigation: the capacity fades.

I think of my mother every day. She’s there when I cook the food she used to cook for me, when I smell the flowers she loved, and when I face a tough decision at work. Her voice arrives unbidden, in moments of both strain and joy, and sometimes it feels like we talk more than we did when she was alive.

Psychologists have a name for this. They call it continuing bonds theory—the idea that a healthy relationship with someone we’ve lost doesn’t end at death. We continue to carry the dead with us after their passing: in memory, in ritual, in the inner dialogue that never quite stops. According to continuing bonds theory, this is a healthy and even necessary part of the grief process.

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31 Jul

Why pensioner households experienced the fastest inflation

From RNZ

"Groceries, power and petrol, which I guess are all the obvious ones."

He said he had other income streams as well as receiving NZ Super, which meant his household was more able to absorb the increases, but he could see why many could not. "I was really aware when doing supermarket shopping recently how much things had risen in cost."

He said, if his circumstances were different, he probably would have been looking to return to the workforce – if he could find a job.

Data from Stats NZ this week showed he isn't the only one feeling the pressure. Superannuitant households had the highest annual inflation rate of any household type, up 4.5% over a year, compared to 3.7% for beneficiaries and 3.2% for all households.

Westpac chief economist Kelly Eckhold said electricity, up 12%, and rates up 8.8%, were big drivers of the increase for pensioner households. Petrol was also a factor.

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30 Jul

A sports professor on five of the biggest myths about exercise and ageing

As people around the world seek to live longer, healthier lives, the global longevity and wellness market has topped US$2.5 trillion. Yet research shows that one of the best things we can do to remain fitter and healthier for longer isn’t to drop dollars on expensive longevity treatments or supplements; it’s to exercise.

Research shows that those who exercise regularly are less likely to succumb to premature death, and reduce their risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and mental health disorders. They’re also more likely to be able to keep doing the things they love - from hiking and hefting heavy objects to gardening and playing with the grandkids - for longer.

Sport physiologist and AUT professor Andrew Kilding helps debunk some of the most common myths surrounding exercise and ageing.

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28 Jul

New residence rules for migrants' parents around the corner

From RNZ: *Correction: This story has been updated to clarify comments by the minister

The government is set to make clear the future of residence options for parents of migrant New Zealanders.

The review of parent category resident visas was due to report back earlier this year.

A spokesperson for immigration minister Erica Stanford said an announcement was expected by the end of next month.

Any changes are expected to centre around the ballot system which picks who can apply for the visas, which are capped at 2500 a year.

Latest INZ figures showed 12,000 people had submitted an expression of interest in the previous two years and about half of them were couples.

Critics say the 'lucky draw' process is unfair for those who have waited many years to bring their parents to New Zealand, and want applications dealt with chronologically.

Some also want changes to income requirements for family sponsors, who are New Zealand citizens or residents, which is currently set to support one parent ($109,200 a year) and at least $145,600 a year for two.

It reopened in 2022 under new rules and the visa now costs $5810.

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28 Jul

Social Connection Reduces Dementia Risk – And Thousands Of New Zealanders Are Already Doing Something About It

From Scoop: Probus responds to WHO dementia prevention report, calling on older New Zealanders to act now

As the World Health Organization releases new guidelines identifying social isolation as one of the leading modifiable risk factors for dementia, one of New Zealand’s largest social network for retirees and semi-retirees is calling the findings a wake-up call – and a clear call to action.

Probus in New Zealand, which brings thousands of members together across the country, says the WHO report reinforces what it has known for 50 years: staying socially connected isn’t a nice-to-have in retirement. It’s a health imperative.

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23 Jul

Older people facing impossible choices as cost of living continues to bite

Age Concern Auckland says older people are facing impossible choices as the surging cost of living crisis continues to bite.

Annual inflation had risen to 4.1 percent, the highest level in more than two years.

Power prices were up 12 percent annually and rates increased by 8.8 percent.

Age Concern Auckland's chief executive Kevin Lamb said a lot of older people were existing on superannuation alone.

"These latest increases, and particularly at this time of year, when they're having to make those awful decisions of whether or not to heat their home or go and buy groceries, they are now living almost beyond their means where they simply can't make ends meet," he said.

Lamb said that, in the past year, Age Concern Auckland had seen a 20 to 30 percent increase in calls for help.

"We're dealing with potentially vulnerable older people who don't have support networks around them, they don't have a family to support them, they're living in loneliness and isolation," he said.

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13 Jul

Sir Anthony Hopkins to release debut album inspired by his childhood

This from BBC: Sir Anthony Hopkins will release his first album next month featuring a collection of classical pieces he has worked on for six decades.

The Oscar-winning actor said he had been composing music "all my life", and that "music was my first desire, my first wish".

The first single from the 88-year-old's album, titled Life Is A Dream, was released on Friday, and was inspired by his childhood memories of Margam in south Wales.

The Port Talbot-born star, who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, has written his own music since childhood, and began playing the piano at the age of four.

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9 Jul

Yale study finds many over-65s grow stronger and sharper with age

Instead of going downhill with age, what if you could actually improve your cognitive function and physical capabilities?

Astronomer Galileo Galilei, often called the “father of modern science”, completed his final masterpiece on the laws of motion while nearly blind, under house arrest and over 70.

Swimmer Diana Nyad swam 177km from Cuba to Florida when she was 64, after failing multiple times earlier in life.

Painter Joseph Turner produced some of his most ground-breaking and enduring works in his 60s.

If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then new research shows healthy ageing could be in the mind.

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3 Jul

Les Mills, former Auckland mayor and fitness pioneer, dies at 91

From one news: Les Mills, four-time Olympian, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, former Auckland mayor and founder of a fitness empire, has died. He was 91.

In a statement posted to Instagram, the Mills family confirmed his death, describing him as "an absolute legend" and "a Kiwi icon who blazed a trail in sport, business, politics and life".

"He laid the foundations for a movement that has inspired millions around the world to fall in love with fitness – a legacy that lives on in every workout."

Leslie Roy Mills MBE, CNZM was born in Auckland on November 1, 1934. The death of his father led him to find solace in fitness and he grew into an athlete that would represent New Zealand on the world stage for more than a decade.

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3 Jul

Age Concern Southland trials virtual reality headsets

Older Southlanders could soon be jetting off to Europe, or swimming with dolphins without leaving home, thanks to virtual reality. For the past two months, Age Concern Southland has been running VR headset trials with their volunteers. Its manager Janette Turner spoke to John Campbell.

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25 Jun

Boomer Women Are Changing the Time-Worn Aging Script

• Today's woman aged 60-70 refuses to treat the next few decades as a slow fade rather than one of more freedom.
• The change in us is more a shift than a vibe. Few of us planned any of it. We just never got the memo.
• Confidence and visibility aren't things we are willing to surrender when we turn 60.

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25 Jun

Mr Hill, 84 today, contemplates the end (of writing)

From Newsroom: I turn 84 today. Maybe that’s why I find myself thinking of the decision made by Maurice Gee, who published no adult fiction for his last 16 years. He stopped, as deliberately and absolutely as that.

I also think of Harry Orsman, lexicographer, authority on English as spoken in New Zild, and one of my university tutors at what was then Victoria University of Wellington. Harry was talking to us one afternoon about Chaucer’s language and sources. He mentioned his own tutor, from the late 1940s it would have been. I can’t recall the guy’s name. But I do remember Harry pausing, smiling affectionately, and saying ”There’s not much left of him now, except a pair of bright blue eyes. But he’s still writing.” I knew instantly that I wouldn’t – couldn’t – forget that tribute.

So there you are. One author who stopped; one who couldn’t. Pause here, to contemplate which category each of us may slip into. I know authors who stopped because they couldn’t face another rejection; others whose health or other outside-world circumstances meant they couldn’t keep going. I sympathise with them all.

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25 Jun

Rotorua iwi Ngāti Whakaue launches ‘world-first’ papakāinga aged care model

From the New Zealand Herald: A Rotorua iwi has launched a “world-first” aged care model designed to support kaumātua at home for as long as possible.

Ngāti Whakaue unveiled the papakāinga model of care “designed by iwi, for iwi” at Te Puia in Rotorua on Friday.

About 160 people attended the launch, including Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora, Iwi Māori Partnership Boards and Ngāti Whakaue representatives.

Ngāti Whakaue has been working with Te Rau Ora – the kaupapa Māori health workforce development organisation for Aotearoa – to address who will care for the iwi’s ageing population, and where.

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17 Jun

'Technostress' causing older people to feel shut out by digital world, research finds

Endless apps, pop-ups, passwords, updates, downloads, and deepfakes - the relentless march of the digital age is enough to make anyone's head spin.

For some older New Zealanders, it's leading to a loss of social connection and even limiting their access to essential services.

New research out of the University of Auckland has found that "technostress" is causing many older people to feel shut out by the digital world.

But not for 92-year-old Peter Singh and his top-of-the-line iPhone 17.

"I do my emails, I do my banking," he said. "I can find my way in the car."

A keen photographer, he's also got every app you can think of - he's even on TikTok.

He said he knew nothing of computers when he first joined the Eden-Roskill branch of SeniorNet, a non-profit society helping people over 50 to learn or enhance their technology skills.

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16 Jun

A sports professor on five of the biggest myths about exercise and aging

As people around the world seek to live longer, healthier lives, the global longevity and wellness market has topped US$2.5 trillion. Yet research shows that one of the best things we can do to remain fitter and healthier for longer isn’t to drop dollars on expensive longevity treatments or supplements; it’s to exercise.

Research shows that those who exercise regularly are less likely to succumb to premature death, and reduce their risk of developing conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and mental health disorders.

Read more

2 Jun

The average Kiwi retires with $78k in KiwiSaver. For many women, it’s far less

The average Kiwi now has $77,900 in their KiwiSaver account by the time they reach 65 – a figure that still leaves us $469,100 shy of our counterparts in Australia.

According to the latest report from the Retirement Commission, our savings by retirement age are up more than $8,000 than they were a year ago.

Balances are growing across every demographic group, with 90% of Kiwis earning $50,000 or more (the annual minimum wage) now contributing to KiwiSaver.

The average KiwiSaver balance across every age group now sits at $41,286, up from $37,079 a year earlier.

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29 May

King's Birthday 2026: What's open, what's closed and how it's decided who gets honours

Explainer - New Zealand celebrates King Charles' birthday with a public holiday Monday - even though his birthday isn't until November.

Here's what you need to know about what will be open and closed, your employment rights if you are working and why we celebrate the monarch every June, regardless of when their birthday is.

So is the King giving me a day off work?

Pretty much.

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28 May

SuperGold card being upgraded

New Zealand’s seniors will soon be able to use their SuperGold cards as an official form of identification, making it easier for them to access essential services. “Budget 2026 is funding the modernisation of the SuperGold Card to give users the free option to upgrade to a version which they can use as an accepted form of primary identification,” Seniors Minister Casey Costello announced today. “More than 900,000 New Zealanders are aged 65 and over and many do not have legal ID such as a driver licence or passport, which can limit their ability to access things like banking and legal services.” The upgraded card will include a photograph and enhanced security features, and meet standards required by banks and other service providers. It will be available in both physical and digital versions.

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25 May

Topp Twin and comedy icon Jools Topp dies at age 68

Dame Jools Topp has died after living with breast cancer. As one half of the Topp Twins with her sister Lynda, Jools brought joy to generations of New Zealanders. 

One of the country's most loved entertainers, Dame Jools Topp, has died at the age of 68.

She had breast cancer, a disease that she was first diagnosed with in 2006 before it returned in 2021.

Jools died at home on Saturday with her twin sister Lynda, brother Bruce, close friends and "all her fur-babies by her side", a statement from the family confirmed on Monday. A celebration honouring Jools’ life will be announced shortly.

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25 May

How Kiwis are Coping: Pensioners forgoing coffee, meat to keep budgets low

As the cost of living climbs and Trump's war on Iran drives fuel costs sky-high, how are Kiwis coping? What are they doing without? How are they saving money? An RNZ series examines the ways it's impacting different groups.

The increasing cost of living is hurting most, but those on fixed incomes have even less room to move with some forced to forego coffee and meat.

Petrol and oil prices have crept exponentially higher after the war in Iran, while statistics show pharmaceuticals and electricity also keep putting pressure on the wallet.

Pensioners were just one group on fixed incomes struggling to make ends meet.

As a single pensioner living alone - you'd get $555.15 a week.

It's slightly less if that person was living in shared accommodation.

Whereas a couple who were both eligible get $427.04 each a week.

So when bills, insurance, petrol and other expenses add up, something has got to give.

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12 May

Concern raising super age would widen inequality

An Auckland University researcher says raising the superannuation age will increase inequality, especially for Maori and Pasifika. The Director of Auckland University's Centre for Co-Created Ageing Research, Professor Ngaire Kerse, who also works as a GP spoke to John Campbell.

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11 May

Cost-of-living crisis fuelling rise in elder financial abuse, warns Age Concern

Age Concern Auckland said it's seeing a rise in financially motivated elder abuse, due to the cost-of-living crisis.

Chief executive Kevin Lamb said referrals to the organisation involving elder abuse had risen by 20-30 percent over the past year, with a growing proportion linked to money troubles within families.

He said the combination of financial stress and elder abuse was creating an extra burden for vulnerable seniors, particularly as living costs continued to rise.

''We are hearing from older people who are literally panicking... 'Do I turn the heating on, or do I go and buy myself proper decent food for today?'

"Older people are facing a double whammy. They're really seeing this struggle in terms of financial hardship on themselves, but also being more vulnerable to those who would take advantage of them."

Lamb said the problem was driven by financial hardship, with some families struggling to make ends meet and older relatives becoming a source of financial support.

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8 May

'I will not see how planet's story ends' – Sir David Attenborough turns 100

Sir David Attenborough celebrates his 100th birthday today, with events in New Zealand and in many other countries marking the achievements of the world's most famous naturalist.

Sir David has shown hundreds of millions of people some of the world's rarest creatures and inspired generations through his unique broadcasts about planet Earth.

“I will not see how that story ends but, after a lifetime of exploring our planet, I remain convinced that the more people enjoy and understand the natural world, the greater our hope of saving both it and ourselves becomes," he wrote around the release of his 2025 film Ocean with David Attenborough.


Sir David has released more than 100 documentaries, according to Penguin Books Australia, and continues to produce television series.

Schools, universities, zoos, museums, environment groups, the BBC – where he began his broadcasting career – libraries and New Zealand's Department of Conservation are among the organisations paying tribute to the legendary broadcaster.

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7 May

Free Digital Workshops At Taupō Library Help Locals Stay Safe Online

To view Age concern Aucklands digital workshops check out our whats available on our website.

Taupō residents can build their digital confidence through a series of free digital workshops running every Thursday throughout May at Taupō Library.

The first session, Online Safety in the Digital World, takes place on Thursday 7 May at 10am and focuses on online scams and simple ways to protect yourself online.

The workshops are a collaboration between Taupō Library, Age Concern Taupō and Central Plateau REAP, responding to growing demand for digital safety support in the community.

“We have Tech Assist every Friday for an hour in the library, and the majority of customers who come in for assistance are older,” says Taupō Library team lead operations Tu Biddle.

“While most of their queries are about how to do something on a phone or computer, we are seeing more devices having issues due to updates not being installed, malware from unsecure websites, and free app downloads.”

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4 May

Report warns on ageing population, shrinking workforce, regional risk – The Front Page

The Front Page podcast host:

NZ HeraldAcademics are urging politicians to stop treating demography as background noise and start treating it as core national planning requiring cross-party collaboration.

A new report suggests New Zealand’s rapidly changing demographic make-up has reached a critical point.

Within decades, a quarter of all New Zealanders could be 65 or older – a situation unheard of in our history.

In the 1960s, there were seven people aged 15-64 (those who pay the most tax) for every person over-65. In 2025, it was four to one, and in 2065, it is forecast to be two to one.

At the same time, migration patterns are shifting, cities like Auckland are absorbing most growth, and regional decline is accelerating.

The Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures report argues these trends can no longer be managed as separate issues – we need a national population strategy to link housing, health, infrastructure, and economic policy.

Sir Peter Gluckman and emeritus professor Paul Spoonley co-authored the new report titled People, Place and Prosperity: The Case for a Population Strategy.

“New Zealand now faces a pivotal decision regarding our demographic trajectory,” the report, released today by the Koi Tū Centre for Informed Futures, said.

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23 Apr

King Charles honours the late Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday

On April 21, 2026, King Charles III recorded an address from the Library of Balmoral Castle to mark what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday, commemorating the Queen’s life, legacy and record 70-year reign, which ended when she died on September 8, 2022, aged 96, from “old age”.

His Majesty also used the message to “renew his vow of service”, following a challenging start to his reign, including a cancer battle, estrangement from his 41-year-old son, Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, and dealing with his 66-year-old disgraced brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor as more details emerge about his relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – of which Mountbatten-Windsor has always denied any wrongdoing.

A royal insider told the Mirror: “The start to the King’s reign has not been without its obvious troubles, but there has been much to celebrate as well.

“He has been immensely positive in the face of adversity, continuing his cancer treatment while maintaining an incredible work rate.

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23 Apr

Cost-of-living squeeze hits pensioners, with some using foodbanks to survive

Pensioners are turning to foodbanks to get by, as a new report says the pressure is growing on those relying on NZ Super alone.

Good Shepherd has released the report, which focused on the housing experiences of women over 65.

It follows concerns being raised that the recent adjustment to NZ Super is not enough to keep up with growing pressure, particularly in fuel prices.

NZ Super lifted 3.1 percent this year, in line with last year's rate of inflation. But the cost of essentials has risen by more than that overall figure, and rates and fuel are expected to continue at a faster pace this year.

Good Shepherd said many women were facing significant challenges because of having more limited income as well as the lifetime effect of low pay, having taken time out of the workforce to look after children and other factors.

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21 Apr

Stewart Island trust raising money to build suitable homes for elderly residents

Stewart Island resident Bruce Ford reckons there's a problem with getting old on Rakiura - there's nowhere suitable to do it.

The local of 60 years is the head of the Stewart Island Seniors Cottage Trust.

The trust is trying to raise an additional $1 million to build small, warm, accessible homes for elderly residents at a site in Oban.

It has already raised $750,000, purchased a section and drawn up plans for between six and eight one-bedroom duplex units.Stewart Island locals fight for elders Checkpoint16 April 2026Queue

Ford said seniors were stuck in ageing, draughty homes or paying housing costs beyond their means in a bid to stay put on the island.

"If there's only one person in the house on a pension, you're on about $28,000. By the time you take off $8000 of rates and insurance and perhaps another $4000 for electricity, you've still got to get some food and you've still got to do some maintenance on the property and it just doesn't fit very well," he said.

"We've got one chap here that lives on a boat because he doesn't want to pay the insurance and the rates. And every day you've got to get in your dinghy and paddle ashore. If you're in your 70s that's a bit of a handful."

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15 Apr

New AI assistant for fast, easy problem reporting

Aucklanders can now use an AI-powered virtual assistant to safely report problems, including graffiti, roaming dogs and party noise.

Every day, Aucklanders help keep our communities safe, neighbourly and tidy by reporting problems to the council. This has just got easier with the launch of a new, purpose-built virtual assistant called Ask Auckland Council.

You can use it to report graffiti, illegal dumping, roaming dogs, missed bin collections, and party/people noise, as well as quickly find information for reporting other problems.

More problem categories will be added over the coming months. Meanwhile, the council is working on speeding up internal processes so that reported problems can get fixed faster.

Ask Auckland Council is an AI assistant which you can access on your smartphone, computer, tablet or any device via a web browser. Find the link on the main Report a problem page on the Auckland Council website or access the assistant directly.

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14 Apr

Homelessness among older people at crisis levels, Christchurch Methodist Mission says

The Christchurch Methodist Mission is warning that homelessness among older people is at crisis levels and that the situation is rapidly worsening.

The scale of the problem was laid bare during the launch of the charity's cross-party Doors to Dignity campaign at Parliament on Tuesday night.

The mission said the housing situation for older New Zealanders had deteriorated significantly over the past five years.

Its executive director Jilll Hawkey said that, anecdotally, the number of older people rough sleeping was on the rise.

"We see it from our housing outreach teams, we've in recent weeks found a couple of women in their eighties who have been homeless and two men last week in their sevenites who are homeless," she said.

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13 Apr

New circus skills class for over 60s 'like play for adults'

A circus skills class specifically for those aged over 60 is on offer at Christchurch City Council's new recreation and sports facility, Parakiore.

The classes are offered by Move, a charitable trust which aims to make dance, acrobatics and circus more accessible.

Jenny Ritchie, the circus programmer for Move, says she hears a common refrain from people when they first arrive at the class.

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13 Apr

What Is The Tech Helping Seniors Live Independently At Home For Longer?

This from Scoop: Across the world, populations are ageing at an unprecedented rate, both as a result of medical advances and a decrease in birth rates. The forecast is alarming, estimating that by 2080, there will be more individuals aged 65 and over than people under the age of 18. The global population aged 65+ is projected to reach 2.2 billion by 2080, which outnumbers the number of children. 

As a result, ageing at home is becoming not just a preference, but a necessity. Fewer working-age individuals will be available to support the growing number of seniors, which places pressure on healthcare systems and caregiving networks. How can we make life at home as a senior safe and sustainable without sacrificing independence? 

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7 Apr

New elder abuse assessment tool to help health workers spot warning signs

A tool for health workers to detect elder abuse has been developed by the University of Auckland.

Lead researcher Kathy Peri said the tool would aid health providers in identifying whether elderly people show signs of possibly being abused.

In New Zealand, Elder Abuse Response Services received 2852 reports of abuse from Age Concern in 2022 to 2023, with an average of 11 new cases reported every workday.

However, Peri, a senior lecturer in nursing, said the figures could be the tip of the iceberg because many elderly people are reluctant to report abuse or neglect by a loved one.

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31 Mar

Etuini Ma’u: Taking care of our brains

This from E-Tangata: “Brain health isn’t something that we only worry about in old age. We need to be thinking about brain health all through our lives.” — Dr Etuini Ma‘u, old age psychiatrist, dementia researcher, and senior lecturer in psychological medicine at Auckland University. (Photo: Mark Hamilton)

With the number of over-65-year-olds in Aotearoa set to hit the million mark by 2029, many of us will already know someone with dementia. It’s a sure bet, too, that we’ll be coming across the work of Dr Etuini Ma‘u, an old age psychiatrist, dementia researcher, and senior lecturer in psychological medicine at the University of Auckland.

Here he is talking to Dale Husband, about why we should be thinking about our brain health now.

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31 Mar

Debunking Stereotypes About Aging

Key points

• Aging stereotypes are common, developing very early in life.
• Common aging mindsets involve health, financial success, appearance, and senior living communities.
• People with more flexible thinking styles typically push through these stereotypes and thrive.

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30 Mar

The 'Mind' diet could help keep your brain sharp as you age

Scientists have been quietly building a case that what you eat in midlife shapes your brain decades later. This is what the evidence actually shows.


The Mediterranean diet – rich in olive oil, fish, vegetables and legumes – has long been linked to better heart health. Growing evidence suggests it may also help support brain health as we age, with a brain-focused variation of the diet drawing increasing scientific attention.

It is called the Mind diet. The name stands for Mediterranean-Dash Intervention for Neurodegenerative Delay – though what matters more than the acronym is what it actually involves: plenty of green vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, berries, poultry and fish, with olive oil as the main cooking fat, and limited amounts of red meat, butter, cheese, fried food and sweets. It combines the most brain-friendly elements of two well-studied eating patterns: the traditional Mediterranean diet and the Dash diet, which was originally developed to lower blood pressure.

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27 Mar

Age Concern Auckland helps seniors enhance their digital literacy

A Digital Literacy Programme in east Auckland has taken off with “remarkable momentum”, transforming curiosity into confidence for a growing group of older learners.

The final session of the course run by Age Concern Auckland is being staged today, March 27, from 1.30pm to 3pm at Botany Library.

Age Concern Auckland’s social connections co-ordinator, Shalini Gulani, says: “What began with just 13 participants quickly expanded to 20 within a week, as word spread about the programme’s supportive and energising environment.

“Over the course of six weeks, participants were guided through the fundamentals of smartphone use.

“Sessions covered essential skills such as adjusting settings, connecting to wi-fi, using hotspots and Bluetooth, making calls, and sending messages.

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25 Mar

Age Concern responds to government fuel relief package

Critics say the government's cost-of-fuel relief package won't help some of the most vulnerable New Zealanders. Yesterday, the government announced almost 150 thousand New Zealand families would receive up to $50 dollars a week through the in-work tax credit to help with soaring petrol prices. Age Concern Auckland CEO Kevin Lamb.

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16 Mar

How strength training could be the key to healthy ageing

One news: Healthy ageing is about staying independent, maintaining mobility and continuing to enjoy everyday activities as you get older. For many people, what matters most is being able to get out of a chair without help, carry shopping home, climb the stairs and recover quickly after illness.By Christopher Hurst for The ConversationOne of the most important and well-established factors in healthy ageing is muscle strength. Sarcopenia, the age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, leads to reduced physical function and mobility.Over time, muscles become smaller and weaker. This matters because muscle does more than move our limbs: it stabilises joints, supports balance and acts as a reserve during illness or injury.As muscle strength declines, the risk of falls and fractures increases, particularly in later life. Estimates suggest that sarcopenia affects a substantial proportion of older adults, particularly those over the age of 70.

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16 Mar

'Sliding away': Wairoa seniors forced to leave amid rest‑home closure

This from One News: The Hawke's Bay town of Wairoa currently has no rest home, leaving senior residents needing hospital-level or specialist care with no option but to leave the district – a situation local leaders are calling a crisis.

Age Concern estimates around 100 seniors in the wider Wairoa District qualify for residential care.

The town previously had a rest home operated by Heritage Lifecare, but it closed following damage caused by Cyclone Gabrielle in early 2023. Residents were relocated, and the facility has not reopened.

The closure has left families trying to manage increasingly complex care needs at home.

Tricia Cotton is caring for her 88-year-old father, Koroua, who lives with dementia, while also working full-time.

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13 Mar

‘Bad news and perfect faces’: Rebecca Gibney calls out youth-obsessed social media

In an endless scroll of filtered, gravity-defying faces, New Zealand actor and TV presenter Rebecca Gibney has fought back in an Instagram post.

“Scrolling thru social media all I see is bad news, AI rubbish or perfect photoshopped lives. Then I came to images of@rachelwardofficial and I breathed a sigh of relief,” the 61-year-old wrote yesterday morning.

“I thought I might add my unfiltered sun damaged face and my funny old cowl lick fringe and fine over processed hair to the mix.”

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12 Mar

Research suggests difficult people contribute to chronic stress and elevate biomarkers linked to ageing

This from the Hearald: Spending time with a difficult person can impact your mood in the moment. But over time, these challenging social interactions might also have a detrimental effect on your physical health, possibly making you age faster, new research suggests.

The study, which was funded by the National Institute on Ageing and published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, looked at the health impacts of “hasslers” – people the researchers defined as those “who create problems or make life more difficult”.

While positive relationships have long been linked to healthier, longer lives, hasslers seem to have the opposite effect, increasing chronic stress and elevating epigenetic biomarkers associated with ageing.

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10 Mar

'Grey washing': SuperGold Card discounts skip entire regions

SuperGold Card holders are finding it difficult to cash-in on weekly supermarket discounts with a mish-mash of locations, leaving some regions missing out entirely with patchy coverage in others.

Age Concern chief executive Kevin Lamb called it an example of "grey washing".

For example, the SuperGold Card was accepted at grocery stores in most central business districts, but not in Gisborne, Marlborough Nelson, Tasman, West Coast districts nor the densely populated Auckland CBD, with a fast-growing resident senior population of more than 2000 people.

"It is portraying themselves as supporting older people, but doing what I would call the bare minimum in order to achieve that," Lamb said.

"If you're going to say that SuperGold Card gets a discount in our stores, why wouldn't you do that for every store? Not just cherry pick a handful of stores around the country and have such a lack of consistency about where those stores are located."

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5 Mar

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.

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19 Feb

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.

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17 Feb

‘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”.

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17 Feb

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.

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13 Feb

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

Depression and anxiety affect millions of people worldwide.

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.

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13 Feb

‘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.

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5 Feb

Generational Response to NZ Post Closures

CEO of Age Care Concern Tāmaki, Kevin Lamb: 5th February, 2026

Generational Response to NZ Post Closures w/ CEO of Age Care Concern Tāmaki, Kevin Lamb: 5th February, 2026, 4.6 MBThursday, February 5, 2026

Last week, NZ Post announced the closure of 142 retail stores in the urban-retail network across the motu. 

Concerns have been raised about the disproportionate impacts the closures may have on senior communities who may not have the digital literacy to support the transition in regards to important administration, like paying bills, and staying in touch with loved ones. 

Producer Jasmine spoke to Age Care Concern Tāmaki CEO, Kevin Lamb, about this issue.

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5 Feb

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.

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