| |
| |
|
From Minister for Seniors Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall
 Ngā mihi o te tau hou
Welcome to the first edition of our Seniors Newsletter for 2022. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and got to welcome in the New Year with loved ones.
I know many of you may feel anxious about Omicron. Our COVID-19 response, right from the beginning has always put the wellbeing of New Zealanders at the forefront. Omicron has spread worldwide rapidly and is now present in more than 80 countries.
The Government has announced the three phase public health response to Omicron that aims to slow down and limit the spread of an outbreak. Almost no country in the world has escaped Omicron and New Zealand is no exception. But where we can be an exception is how well we minimise the impact of the virus and protect our people from it.
The system will continue to adjust to identify those who are at a greater risk of illness from Omicron – which will be a smaller percentage of cases. The prime focus of testing and tracing will be protecting those at highest risk of becoming severely unwell and our critical workforce who are key to keeping the country running.
There are a few key things you may be interested in our phased public health approach to Omicron:
- Reducing the isolation period for cases and close contacts at Phases Two and Three, to ten and seven days
- The definition of close contact (required to isolate) will change to household (or household like contacts) at Phase Three
- Increased use of rapid antigen tests with a test to return policy put in place for health and critical workforces
- Greater use of technology, including text notifications for cases and close contacts and automated contact identification from Phase two.
I can assure you that while we will be stepping up our use of technology in the next two phases of our response, we have a plan in place for those who are not able to access a smartphone or internet. People with COVID-19 being cared for in the community can receive support over-the-phone or in person if they are unable to use online services. This over-the-phone or in person support will be led by local health and welfare providers and will vary across the country according to local needs. The support needs of each patient will be determined during their initial assessment.
But as usual, if it’s an emergency, you will still be able to call 111 for an ambulance or you can get in touch with your GP or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for advice.
We have slowed the virus from entering the community and given households time to prepare. As always, it’s what each and every one of us can do as individuals that will make a difference.
Most other countries have had to get boosted in the middle of their outbreaks. Our plan has given us a head start and nearly 60 per cent of eligible New Zealanders have now had their booster, and 1 in 5 children under 12 have had their first dose. I’m particularly pleased to see that over 73 percent of eligible people over 65 have now been boosted including people living in Aged Residential Care facilities.
We need to get as many people boosted as possible. Getting boosted will play a major role in preventing serious illness and keep pressure off our hospitals. While a two - dose course provides good protection against Delta, it’s the booster shot that makes a real difference against the Omicron variant.
You can find out more on how to get your booster in this edition.
In other news I want to extend a big congratulations to Dr Doug Wilson, Robyn Baldwin, Jessica Buddendijk, and Alan Kissell for being recognised in the New Year Honours List for services to seniors. Your contributions to our sector have not gone unnoticed and I congratulate each of you. Thank you for your unwavering commitment and efforts.
With the start of a new year, I look forward to continuing advocating for older New Zealanders. I hope you all enjoy reading our first newsletter of the year. |
| |
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
| Age friendly fund successful recipients |
| |
|
| |
The Office for Seniors has announced eight successful applicants in the latest funding round of the Age friendly fund.
The grants of up to $15,000 help fund projects that promote the inclusion and contribution of older people and support their community to become Age friendly.
The successful recipients and projects are:
Timaru District Council will collate and analyse the Timaru District Age friendly community engagement activity. They will develop an Age friendly strategy and Plan for the Timaru District.
Whanganui District Council will use the funding to engage directly with older people, to understand their needs and barriers in accessing current digital inclusion initiatives. They will be working with them to design interventions and supports for digital inclusion.
Mackenzie District Council will develop a Mackenzie Age friendly Community Strategy and Terms of References to implement the Age friendly plan. This is part of a wider South Canterbury Age friendly Alliance with Timaru District Council and other neighbouring Canterbury Councils.
Kawerau and District Ageing in Place (KADAP) will undertake a community survey to provide feedback to Kawerau District Council on the Age friendly and Accessibility Strategy review. KADAP will identify ways to enhance connections between young people and older people and areas they can strengthen their support of older people.
Kāpiti Coast District Council will create an Age friendly environment for kaumātua that focuses on addressing the needs of Māori in the Kāpiti District. This includes trialling a co-ordinator role to liase and work with kaumātua to implement activities and events as part of the District’s Age friendly Plan.
Foto Iwi Charitable Trust will bring together young people and seniors to record and capture stories, and socially connect sharing skills and interests captured through digital media.
Te Hau Awhiowhio O Otangarei will use the funding to bring together kaumātua and kuia from Otangarei to provide culturally appropriate advice and support. This will enable them to identify and take a leadership role in projects to make Otangarei more Age friendly. A project to develop a Te Ao Māori library to access information, stories and community histories through the eyes of residents will also be created.
HBH Senior Living will develop a virtual village plan and resources to set up a new virtual village to support and connect vulnerable older people living in Mount Roskill and New Windsor areas (Virtual Village West)
To find out more about the Age friendly fund visit the link below: |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
| Stay sun safe this summer |
| |
|
| |
It’s important that you stay SunSmart this summer. The cause of over 90% of skin cancer is too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
You can take steps to protect yourself and your whānau from harmful UV radiation by following the Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap guideline.
Melanoma of the skin is the most serious of the three common types of skin cancer. Melanoma is a cancer of skin cells called melanocytes.
Melanocyte cells make the dark-coloured pigment called melanin, which gives the skin its colour. Melanoma skin cancer begins when these melanocyte cells begin to grow and spread abnormally.
You can find out more about the early warning signs of melanoma at the Cancer Society website: |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
| |
| SeniorHangouts |
| |
|
| |
Run by SeniorNet New Zealand, SeniorHangouts is a virtual learning centre that helps older New Zealanders move into the digital space with confidence.
SeniorHangouts is a mobile and tablet application where members can access a range of technological courses that, helps people to navigate services like online banking, online shopping, government services such as IRD, and popular sites like Facebook Messenger, Netflix, YouTube and more.
With most organisations and services now online, SeniorHangouts is committed to educating and helping seniors find confidence in carrying out their online activities.
SeniorHangouts connects about 8500 SeniorNet members across New Zealand.
To find out more about SeniorHangouts visit the link below:
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
| New Ministry for Disabled People |
| |
|
| |
A new Ministry for Disabled People has been announced, which will support disabled people living in New Zealand. The Ministry of Social Development will host the Ministry, but it will operate independently.
The new ministry is part of the country's wider health and disability reforms, it is based on the Enabling Good Lives vision that all disabled people and their whānau have greater choice and control over their supports and lives.
The new ministry will:
- Drive better outcomes for all disabled people
- Lead and coordinate cross-government strategic disability policy
- Work to deliver and transform disability support services and;
- Progress work on the broader transformation of the wider disability system
The new Ministry will be established from 1 July 2022, and will pull policy together from various ministries. You can read more on the latest updates and progress on the Ministry below. |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| Elder Abuse Prevention Fund |
| |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
Our Elder Abuse Prevention Fund is now open and is accepting applications till April 1. The Office for Seniors received $200,000 from the Joint Venture for Family Violence and Sexual Violence to fund projects that focus on violence prevention needs within the older population (aged 65+) in New Zealand.
We will give priority to projects and initiatives that:
- show collaboration with other organisations and community groups
- include diverse communities within the older population (65+) including Māori, Pacific, ethnic, rainbow, and disabled communities.
As many as one in ten older people in New Zealand will experience some kind of elder abuse. The majority of cases will go unreported. The abuse can be psychological, financial, physical or sexual. It may be intentional or unintentional. It affects people of all ethnicities, genders and socioeconomic groups. Abusers are often someone the older person trusts and depends on for support or care.
You can find out more about the fund below: |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
| COVID-19 update |
| |
|
| |
Booster shots
Get your booster to stay safe this summer. You can now get a vaccine booster three months after your second dose.
How to get your booster:
Why you should get a booster:
The government is encouraging everyone who has been fully vaccinated for at least three months to get a free booster shot now. Speeding up the booster rollout is one of several ways New Zealanders are being protected from the Omicron variant of COVID-19.
While a two-dose course provides some protection against severe disease from the Omicron variant, a booster is likely to offer greater protection by reducing the chance of more serious infection and the risk of transmitting it to others.
If you are immunocompromised:
The booster is different to the third primary dose recommended for people who are immunocompromised. People eligible for a third primary dose can access a booster dose three months after receiving their third primary dose.
To find out more on booster shots visit the COVID-19 website here.
Readiness checklist
Being ready for getting COVID-19 is about making sure you and your household have a plan and know what to do. It will mean your whānau and community can help each other if needed. You can download the COVID-19 readiness checklist here
Three phase public health response to Omicron
The Government has announced a three phase Omicron plan that aims to slow down and limit the spread of an outbreak. You can read more about the plan here. |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| New Years Honours for Services to Seniors |
| |
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
Four people have been recognised in the New Year Honours List for their services to older people. Dr Doug Wilson has been made a Member of the Order of Merit, Jessica Buddendijk received an Honorary Queen’s Service Medal, and both Robyn Baldwin and Alan Kissell have been awarded a Queen’s Service Medal.
Robyn Baldwin
Mrs Robyn Baldwin has supported and advocated for older people in her role as the Community Coordinator at the Timaru Senior Citizens Association from 1994 until retiring in 2021.
Mrs Baldwin was involved with numerous initiatives, notably coordinating a variety of support services such as gardening, nail trimming and driving. She has organised the provision of life-tubes for households to store medical information for use by emergency service personnel and smoke alarms via Fire and Emergency New Zealand. She established and ran the Timaru Cosy Homes project, donating heaters to households in need. She set up and chaired the Aoraki Positive Aged Forum and Active Retirement Expos in Timaru. She has been a member of the Rotary Club of Timaru since 1999, where she has advocated and worked to improve the way it supports older people, and was Secretary from 2001 to 2014
Mrs Baldwin has been a Board or committee member of the South Canterbury Neighbourhood Support, where she helped revitalise the support network, Multiple Sclerosis Canterbury, Victim Support, Timaru Transport Committee and MyWay steering group, and South Canterbury Age Friendly Communities steering committee.
Dr Doug Wilson
Dr Doug Wilson is a specialist on ageing, a medical researcher, author and leading expert in the field of ageing. Dr Wilson has published several children’s books and two non-fiction books on ageing titled ‘Ageing for Beginners’ and ‘Ageing Well’ (2021). He had produced his own podcast series and regularly features on Radio New Zealand’s Saturday morning show. He has worked within the pharmaceutical industry globally in London, the United States and Europe, becoming global head of medical research for a major German company.
Jessica Buddendijk
Jessica Buddendijk has provided support and advice to aged care facilities since 1984 and founded Jelica Limited in 1997, an aged care advisory service and education organisation. Ms Buddendijk has provided aged care facilities with training, support and information including changes to regulations, legislation and audit requirements. Since 1990 she has been Chair of Care Association New Zealand, previously Association for Residential Care Homes, and on behalf of its members she represents their concerns to higher levels such as District Health Boards and the Ministry of Health.
Alan Kissell
Mr Alan Kissell helped establish and has been Coordinator of MenzShed Waimea, a collective of men from Tasman and Nelson districts helping their community with projects. Mr Kissell commits 50 to 60 hours a week to MenzShed and has held various positions with the National MenzShed organisation from 2009. As Coordinator he acts in an advisory capacity to develop MenzShed in the top of the South Island region and has provided a meaningful and inclusive venue for men of all backgrounds to lend a hand in their community. Mr Kissell’s project leadership and the Waimea MenzShed are vital to the Mitre10 New Zealand’s Nationwide Helping Hands Community Programme in the Tasman and Nelson areas.
You can find out more on the recipients and their work below: |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
| |
| |
| Changes to residency rules for NZ Super coming |
| |
|
| |
The Parliament has passed a bill, that over time, means people will have to have lived longer in New Zealand before they qualify for NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension.
The New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income (Fair Residency) Amendment Act 2021 will affect both New Zealanders who have lived overseas for extended periods and migrants.
Currently people need to have lived in New Zealand for at least 10 years after age 20. Starting in July 2024, this residency period will gradually increase to 20 years by July 2042. People already getting NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension aren’t affected by this change.
People will still need to have lived in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau (or a combination of these) for at least 5 years since they turned 50.
The additional years of residency required under the Act can be made from residency in New Zealand, the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau (or a combination of these).
There are also special accommodations for refugees.
Visit here to see how this change will be implemented over time.
There is no change to the age people can start to receive NZ Super or Veteran’s Pension (65), or the amount of money people receive.
A person may qualify for NZ Super with less than the relevant residence requirement if they have migrated to New Zealand from a country that New Zealand has a social security agreement with.
You can find more information on social security agreements here.
You can find out more about NZ Super and Veterans Pension payment here.
You can find out more about the The New Zealand Superannuation and Retirement Income (Fair Residency) Amendment Act 2021 below: |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
|
For Lynn Clayton, photography has been a life-long passion. Lynn got her first taste of the world of photography when she joined a camera club 40 years ago, leading to a long standing career as a part- time professional photographer.
Lynn is an associate of the Photographic Society of New Zealand (PSNZ) and has been a judge for six international salons. Some of her career highlights have been photographing the Commonwealth Heads of Government and the Asia Pacific Economic Forum.
Lynn’s recent projects include her exhibition titled “Octogenarian +” where she gathered written inspiring stories on women over 80, and photographed them.
“Many women reach 70 and think life is over. I hope these stories will inspire others and bring a smile to their faces,” she said.
“The women I’ve captured are all independently living, they are incredibly inspiring older folk who are often not seen in our society by younger folk. Many have had major surgeries and cancer but they haven’t given up. Through this exhibition I am bringing their stories to life.”
You can see the Octogenarians + exhibition at Rosie’s Gallery, 76 Gladstone Road Parnell, Auckland till March 19. |
| |
| |
|
|
|
| |
| |
| |
|
Need a valid form of photo ID? Don’t have a drivers license or passport? The Kiwi Access card (previously known as the 18+ card) is a government recognised form of photographic ID and evidence of age card. The Kiwi Access card is valid for 10 years and is $55.
You can pick up an application form at a participating NZ Post or an AA Centre across New Zealand or download the application form online.
You can find out more about the Kiwi Access card below: |
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
|
|
| You’re receiving this email because you’ve agreed to receive emails from MSD. Please add us to your address book or safe sender list to make sure you receive our emails. |
This email is sent from an account we use for sending messages only. If you want to contact Office for Seniors, please don’t reply to this email – we won’t get your response. Instead please contact us.
|
If you’ve changed or are changing your email address, please let us know using MyMSD if you’re registered, or contact us.
|
| Remember, we’ll never ask you for your account or login details by email. You can find out more in our privacy statement. |
Ministry of Social Development
56 The Terrace, Wellington 6011, New Zealand |
|
|
|
|
