Paul Barber, Policy Advisor, NZCCSS Demand for home and community support services will continue to grow over the coming decades, largely driven by population changes including an ageing population. Alongside this increasing demand is the fact that more than half of the support workers in the sector are aged 55 or over. These are some…
Policy Watch: Budget 2018 Special “Budget 18 sets out the first steps in a plan for transformation – a transformation of our economy, a transformation of our public services, and a transformation of the way we work together to improve the lives of all New Zealanders”. Hon Grant Robertson, Minister of Finance All eyes were…
An Exciting and Challenging Time Ahead NZCCSS welcomed the announcement on 18th April of the pay equity settlement as great news for carers and the older people they work with and “fantastic recognition for the work of caring”. The settlement has been widely welcomed and praised by other peak bodies with the NZ Aged Care…
The most recent Roy Morgan poll asking people ‘what is the biggest problem facing New Zealand’ shows that housing and homelessness have emerged to join inequality and poverty as the leading problems that people are concerned about. It will be no surprise that the on-going concerns of those working in social services in communities around…
NZCCSS social services continue to lead innovation in aged care The Selwyn Foundation has three new developments under way in Auckland and Cambridge that focus on a model of living for older people needing rest home care that seeks to create small households within larger aged care complex. Selwyn Foundation CEO Garry Smith explains that…
A post-project review of the implementation of the interRAI needs assessment tool into aged residential care has been released by the new Associate Minister of Health, Nicky Wagner. In welcoming the report she also referred to “teething issues” in the roll-out process. NZCCSS aged care providers have been dealing with these “teething problems” during the…
The Healthy Ageing Strategy was launched in Parliament on 13th December as the replacement for the 2002 Health of Older People Strategy. Associate Health Minister Sam Lotu Iiga speaking at the launch in his final official act as Minister before standing down, praised all those involved in developing the new Strategy over the past two…
“Older people live well, age well and have a respectful end of life in age-friendly communities” This is the vision set out in the draft of the update of the Health of Older People Strategy that is being finalised by the Ministry of Health. The final Strategy is expected to be released towards the end…
Selwyn Institute’s 2016 conference 7 December 2016 Auckland Internationally acclaimed US professor and nurse theorist, Dr Jean Watson, will be keynote speaker at this year’s Gerontology Nursing Conference on 7 December 2016, hosted by The Selwyn Foundation’s Institute for Ageing and Spirituality. Holder of the American Academy of Nursing’s highest honour, the ‘Living Legend’ award,…
Rebalancing support for people with dementia towards primary and community care with specialist providing guidance and support, is one of the main recommendations coming out of the latest World Alzheimer Report says Alzheimers NZ. The report is recommending a radical change in to the way healthcare is delivered to people living with dementia. The report’s…
Valuing Lives, Living Well: The distinctive role of faith-based organisations in aged care in New Zealand 31 August 2016 NZCCSS is delighted to release the Valuing Lives, Living Well research report. This report is all about sharing what it means to ‘live well’. It is about the less tangible dimensions of life like companionship, meaningful…
InterRAI is the name for the standardised needs assessment tool being used through all home based support and aged residential care for older people. This tool collects a wide range of data on people’s health and support needs to help plan their care and support and also to help those providing services to evaluate how…
A person-centred approach to the design of secure dementia units is the aim of a new resource released by the Ministry of Health in August. For some living with dementia, living in a secure dementia home is their only option and it is important to help make the quality of life of older people in…
Policy Watch Budget 2016 Special: what we are looking for and what was announced NZCCSS is looking at the Budget announcements as always through the lens of the most vulnerable. We look for signs of real social investment that makes a difference for people on the margins (see also Scoop Budget 2016 coverage). The simple summary of…
The state of your teeth and general oral health has a huge impact on wellbeing for older people. For the first time older people in aged residential care (rest homes and continuing care hospitals) have been surveyed about their dental health as well as older people living in their own homes and receiving home based…