The New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy
Our Positive Ageing vision is a society where people can age positively, where older people are highly valued and where they are recognised as an integral part of families and communities.
Positive ageing reflects the attitudes and experiences older people have about themselves and how younger generations view ageing, including their own ageing.
Positive ageing takes account of the health, financial security, independence, self-fulfilment, personal safety and living environment of older New Zealanders.
The New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy provides a framework for developing and understanding policy with implications for older people. The Strategy's 10 goals guide policies and programmes across central and local government, to improve opportunities for older people to participate in their communities in ways they choose.
How the strategy was produced
The 1999 International Year of Older Persons prompted the development of a New Zealand strategy promoting the value of older people.
Our extensive consultation with local communities, the voluntary sector, and central and local government agencies resulted in the 2001 New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy.
How the strategy is used
The Strategy's 10 goals are used by central and local government agencies to develop their own action plans to improve the wellbeing of older people. This ensures we are all moving in the same direction.
In the past, we published these plans and strategies, and they can be viewed in our publications section.
From June 2010, we are publishing the reporting and action plans for the Positive Ageing Strategy online. This allows us to give an up-to-date overview of what is happening by agencies to address the 10 goals, with links to initiatives and to agencies' publications.
For further information see:
New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy – co-ordinated by the
Office for Senior Citizens – hosted by the Ministry of Social Development
