Grey Power September 2019

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NZ GREYPOWER MAGAZINE » SEPTEMBER 2019
Making rural New
Zealand age-friendly
Research from the AUT Centre for Active Ageing
has added the voice of a sample of rural-dwelling
“oldest-old” to existing recommendations for
age-friendly communities.
Focusing on rural communities: Professor Stephen Neville. Photo/Supplied.
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A
study led by Professor Stephen
Neville at Auckland University
of Technology (AUT) looked at
the impact of physical and social environments
on a group of oldest-old people,
aged 85 years and older, and their
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ability to remain socially engaged in a
small rural community. The study is the
first of its kind to examine New Zealand’s
rural-dwelling oldest-old. The findings
were published in the International Journal
of Qualitative Studies on Health and
Wellbeing.
“Age-friendly initiatives are relatively
recent in New Zealand and almost entirely
focused on urban areas, yet rural communities
are typically older,” said Professor
Neville.
“This research has added the voice of
oldest-old people living rurally to existing
recommendations for the development of
age-friendly communities. Policymakers
and planners will find this information
useful as they consider how to adapt as
the population grows older.”
Environmental gerontology seeks to
optimise the relationship between ageing
people and their environment. Professor
Neville said the study was particularly
relevant as the government moves
to finalise the Better Later Life strategy
for an ageing population, and Auckland
Council drafts an age-friendly action plan
in a bid for membership of the World
Health Organisation’s Global Network of
Age-Friendly Cities and Communities.
In New Zealand, it is estimated that
there will be one million seniors within
the next decade. By 2034, a quarter of
the population (1.2 million) will be aged
65-plus. Those aged 85 years and older
are the fastest growing aged adult group,
with increasing numbers living independently
in their communities.
“The study highlights the interconnection
between physical and social environments.
An enabling physical environment
is essential to support the social
participation of people aged 85 years living
rurally,” said Professor Neville.
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Ageing in place
Both the physical and social environments
should also enable older people to
successfully age in place, he said. Ageing
in place refers to a person’s ability to remain
living in their own home and community
– safely, independently and comfortably
– regardless of age. It is a central
tenet of government initiatives in several
countries, but one that relies on communities
being appropriate places for older
people to age.
Researchers interviewed 15 participants,
aged 85 years plus, living independently
in a small rural area. Two key
themes emerged from the conversations.
1) Negotiating the physical environment:
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The first theme emphasises that transport
is essential to older people being
able to engage with their community. The
study reveals a heavy reliance on driving
in the small rural area, due in part to
limited public transport and participants
having difficulty getting on and off the
bus. The most common mode of transport
was a privately-owned vehicle.
The group agreed that driving was
Continued on page 23