New study investigates ageing in place in Golden Bay
If you are 55 or over, the study currently being conducted by social researcher Bjarne Vandeskog could be of relevance to you simply because you are part of the Bay’s “ballooning” population structure.
Demographics show that Golden Bay has a large population of over-50-year-olds who are expected to retire some time in the next 10 to 15 years. This gives rise to a multitude of questions about future services, needs and expectations that could enable these residents to grow older here without having to move away.
The new study, financed by Lotteries Community Sector Research Funding, investigates the issues of “ageing in place” here and how these can be addressed appropriately.
“We’re looking at the future of the ageing situation in the Bay,” explained Bjarne. “We‘ve been in ongoing conversation with people working in the community sector and ageing has constantly come up as an issue, making us realise that knowledge around ageing was non-existent in this area.”
He has started off by obtaining an overview of the service organisations and individuals that look after and speak on behalf of older people here. He has also the help of a small team of local and Nelson-based researchers with various skills and expertise to assist him on the technical and topical aspects of the study. Determining who is considered an old person is a fundamental one.
“There is no definition of what is an old person. It depends on culture, personality and personal backgrounds. To set a cut-off point I decided to use the official retirement age of 65, but we decided to include anybody over 55 in the research. We do not have a large population over 65. The 2006 census showed that only 12 per cent of the total population living in the Bay permanently were over 65 years of age, which is not a large number at all. On the other hand, there were 36.6 per cent in the over-50-year-olds, which is high compared with the rest of New Zealand.
“It is projected that by 2010 the numbers will reach 41.55 per cent in the Bay [over-50-year-olds] and 15.80 per cent nationally. There is actually only a very small proportion of very old people in the Bay, and then the population curve balloons out, and we are going to have this real wave of older people in a very short time.”
Part of the research therefore aims to establish whether people actually do plan to get old here, and to identify what needs and challenges exist for them. Stage two of the research is to create a questionnaire from the issues raised during the first stage of personal interviews. The questionnaire will then be sent out to everybody over 55.
Not only is “ageing in place” part of the government is vision, it is also the preferred option of many older people - depending on their ability to keep their homes in good condition, safe, suitable and comfortable. As ascertained in earlier consultation forums, older New Zealanders prize their autonomy and independence. Related research also shows that a high proportion of us remain in our own homes until the end of our lives.
The New Zealand Positive Ageing Strategy (2001) aims to encourage and assist older people to remain in their own homes. The Health of Older People Strategy (Ministry of Health 2002) proposes an integrated approach to health and disability support services Providing support for older people in their own homes is seen as reducing the need for institutional care.
“There is already a substantial body of general research into ageing but there is nothing specific on ageing in place. The overview of topics is huge but there is no holistic research into what people need to age in place - in the Bay or any other area in New Zealand. This study and could be used as a model for further research in other communities,” said Bjarne. “It’s also relevant to the Government’s positive ageing strategy which particularly refers to ageing in place and rural areas, which should not be disadvantaged. This does not necessarily translate into a funding obligation, but the Government has promised to listen to the outcome of research such as ours.
“We hope for a good response rate because this is an issue a lot of people care about. So, when you suddenly get a phone call from a guy with a strange name and an accent please don’t hang up. Your answers are going to be important because I don’t know anything at this stage, but you know a lot and your experience can be crucial - and privacy is 100 per cent guaranteed.”
If you are keen to participate or have any enquiries, please contact Bjarne Vandeskog on 525 8584.
Ina Holst
