Statement of Intent 2009–2012 – Outcomes for Older people

Government priority

Support the independence of older people.

Outcome

• Older people are supported and participate in their communities.

To achieve this outcome we will:

• build responsive services
• encourage contribution and participation
• improve protection for older people.
  

Departmental output expenses that contribute

Vote Social Development

• Family and Community Services
  - Output: Facilitation, Leadership, Influencing and Co-ordination Processes
  - Output: Provision of Information and Advice
• Income Support and Assistance to Seniors
• Management of Service Cards (MCOA)
  Administration of Community Services Card Output Class
  Management of SuperGold Card Output Class
• Policy Advice and Support to Ministers (MCOA) Social Policy Advice Output Class
  - Output: Ministerial Servicing
  - Output: Social Services Policy Advice
  - Output: Strategic Social Policy Advice
  Crown Entity Monitoring Output Class

Vote Senior Citizens

• Senior Citizens' Services
  - Output: Senior Citizens' Services

Vote Veterans' Affairs - Social Development

• Processing and Payment of Veterans' Pensions
  - Output: Processing and Payment of Veterans' Pensions

Older people are supported and participate in their communities

Many older people lead healthy, active lives, and experience the lowest levels of material hardship of all age groups in New Zealand.² They contribute their experience, knowledge and wisdom to the wider community by volunteering or in other ways. We will provide tailored support for older people.

In the future older people may be less likely to own their own home. This could mean an increasing proportion of them become susceptible to material hardship. We need to develop responsive, integrated services that meet the level of need of a diverse client group, from those who require intensive support to those who require little to no contact.

The recession is likely to be particularly tough on older people. International research indicates that workers aged 55 years and over are among the groups most likely to become long-term unemployed or to leave the labour market entirely if they lose their jobs.

Elder abuse and neglect can be a hidden crime. It may not take a physical form. Older people may also experience psychological, emotional or financial abuse at the hands of caregivers and family members.

Over the next three years we will:

• Pay New Zealand Superannuation at a minimum of 66 per cent of the net average weekly wage and supplementary additional assistance to help older people meet extra costs, for example the disability allowance.
• Make pension arrangements more flexible, as described in the Social Assistance (Payment of New Zealand Superannuation and Veteran's Pension Overseas) Amendment Bill 2008.
• Provide an online eligibility assessment and application service for seniors, so older people can access services independently and from their own home, whenever possible.
• Help older people to get and keep work by working with employers to implement flexible practices to improve opportunities to hire and retain older workers.
• Provide job search support where appropriate to help older New Zealanders into work.
• Provide leadership on issues that have an impact on older people and work with others to achieve results.
• Review and report on Positive Ageing Strategy Action Plans so we know if we are achieving the positive ageing goals.
• Provide support to young families who need it through the SAGES - Older People as Mentors programme, at the same time providing the older people involved with a sense of worth and purpose.
• Work with the network of Volunteer Community Co-ordinators for the Office for Senior Citizens to make sure the views of older New Zealanders are represented in policy development and research.
• Prevent or reduce the incidence of abuse and neglect through Elder Abuse and Neglect Prevention Services.
• Implement the Enduring Powers of Attorney provisions.
• Develop and distribute a Carers' Strategy Information Pack for informal carers, to ensure they are informed about supports available to them. Informal carers are usually family and whanau members who are taking care of unwell or disabled loved-ones.

How we will show progress

The following indicators have been selected to highlight the wellbeing of older New Zealanders. The logic is that if we are successful in ensuring older New Zealanders get access to New Zealand Superannuation and other entitlements they are less likely to endure undue hardship and will be better able to participate in their communities.

New Zealand currently compares well with its OECD counterparts for the number of workers aged 55 years and over who participate in the workforce. The workforce participation rate for workers aged 55 and over reached 43 per cent for the year to December 2008, compared with 29 per cent for the year to December 1998. It is expected the 'baby boomers' will continue this trend of remaining in work longer.

Indicators – Older people are supported and participate in their communities

² The New Zealand Living Standards 2004 survey estimated that 8 per cent of older New Zealanders were living in hardship, compared to 21 per cent of those aged 18-64 years.