Liz Baxendine says 65+ is an opportunity to contribute more

7 October 2009

Today, over 400 people – many of them 65 years old plus, have gathered in Wellington to attend Living in an Ageing Society - Shaping Tomorrow Today, the conference of Age Concern New Zealand and the New Zealand Association of Gerontology.

Someone well placed to speak on behalf of older New Zealanders is Liz Baxendine – President of Age Concern, and an extremely busy septuagenarian.

Mrs Baxendine strongly believes older people have an important and ongoing contribution to make to society.

We have an enormous resource in our older people that we can't afford to lose. We should be using the talents of these people.

“I really encourage older people to contribute to society as much as they can. In fact, I go further than that and say they have a responsibility to keep making a contribution.”

She says society is far too fixated on age, which is actually irrelevant.

“You have to take away the fear of age. The outside doesn't matter, just the inside. We’re the same at 80 as we were at 20 – just a bit more wrinkled!

Mrs Baxendine says there is nothing you can do about ageing, so you may as well enjoy life.

“It’s all to do with attitude, is your glass half full or half empty? I think I'm lucky to have reached the age I am – 75 – and I'm going to make the most of it and give something back.”

Liz Baxendine was born is Scotland, although her father was born in Lower Hutt, and her grandfather was a Minister at Lower Hutt’s Knox Church. After tertiary education she went on to do social work in the poorer areas of Glasgow.

“It was there that I saw the benefits of education and working to better your life. You are given a set of cards and you just have to play them hard.”

Mrs Baxendine came to New Zealand in 1964. Her husband died in his forties, and she brought up two children on her own. She has three grandsons.

Her focus as Age Concern President is to further develop the organisation’s network of 34 councils, associates and branches.

"With an increase in older people in our community, Age Concern has plenty of challenges ahead. Current issues include income, access to healthcare, and isolation.

“Age Concern brings these issues to the attention of decision makers. We reflect views of older people from around the country.”

Mrs Baxendine, who lives in Christchurch, takes part in a wide range of community and voluntary work in addition to her role as Age Concern President. 

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