The Aotearoa New Zealand National Forum for the Decade of Healthy Ageing has welcomed the Ministerial Advisory Group’s report on aged care, saying its focus on supporting people to remain at home for longer and intervening earlier reinforces why we must act now to help New Zealanders age well.
The report, A place to grow old: Securing the future of aged care, calls for major reform of the aged care system, including stronger in-home care, better navigation and more integrated support.
Denise Cosgrove, Chair of the National Forum, said the report should prompt a broader focus on how New Zealand prepares for longer lives.
“New Zealanders are living longer, and that is a major achievement. The opportunity now is to make sure more of those extra years are lived in good health, with independence, connection and choice,” Cosgrove said.
“This report rightly recognises the value of acting earlier. It is not only better for people, it makes economic sense. We need to focus on the practical things that help people stay well and independent for longer, from safe and manageable homes and earlier health support to transport, connection and knowing where to turn for support as circumstances change. Acting sooner gives us the best chance to prevent manageable issues becoming more complex and costly later.”
Cosgrove said that focus becomes even more important in a cost-constrained environment.
“Acting earlier can often prevent relatively manageable issues from becoming more complex, more disruptive for people and whānau, and more costly to address. While empowering people to live well as they age, it’s also a smarter use of limited public resources.”
“Prevention does not always require a major new programme. Sometimes small, well-targeted interventions can make a significant difference to whether someone remains well and independent. The Forum is calling for greater emphasis on practical prevention through its Five Pledges for Healthy Ageing, including proactive health checks, secure and suitable housing, better planning for longer lives, stronger community support and better data to inform decisions. The Ministerial Advisory report reinforces this direction, particularly through its focus on ageing well at home, stronger in-home care and more integrated support.
“Aged care is only one part of healthy ageing. We also need to invest in the conditions that help people remain well, independent and connected for as long as possible.
“That is better for older New Zealanders, better for whānau and communities, and a stronger long-term approach for New Zealand.”