Age Concern reaches out

Age Concern New Zealand media release

27 February 2009

Age Concern reaches out
 

Local Age Concern branches are located around New Zealand and have information and advice to offer older people from every background.

"New Zealand society is changing – there are more older people and they are becoming much more ethnically diverse, so we're working to change too," says Age Concern New Zealand president Liz Baxendine.

"We value diversity and we're putting increased emphasis on reaching out to community and ethnic groups and developing our warm relationship with the Office of Ethnic Affairs."

Local Age Concerns are not-for-profit volunteer-based organisations working to serve the needs of older people in their communities.

"We're very aware of the problems older people can encounter moving to a new country, and there are many ways we can help," Liz Baxendine says.

"Too many people face discrimination, social isolation, chronic loneliness, and have trouble getting the services and support they need, even if they've lived in New Zealand all their lives. Coming from a different ethnic background can exacerbate these issues.

Mrs Baxendine says that older people have the potential to be leaders and provide vital support in their communities, but too often they're held back by lack of knowledge of New Zealand systems and services.

Age Concern wants to ensure that the services it offers – Accredited Visiting Service for people facing chronic loneliness; health promotion and wellbeing services, and elder abuse and neglect prevention services – are widely available, appropriate, and accessible.

"We're looking for opportunities to communicate. We can offer people who will speak at community meetings about important issues for older people, and we're keen to work with advisory committees," Mrs Baxendine says

"For example, I chair the Older People Advisory Group to ACC. This meets quarterly to assist ACC to identify and remove problems that older people encounter when they need help from the scheme, although it is not a forum for individual complaints.

"I really want to hear from community networks about ways that ACC can overcome problems that older people may be facing.

"Age Concern has information, advice, referral and support available to older people, so I'm putting a high priority on working with the Office of Ethnic Affairs and community networks to make our services as widely available as possible," Liz Baxendine says.

Contact national.office@ageconcern.org.nz or visit www.ageconcern.org.nz to begin your dialogue with Age Concern.

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