Press Release Hospital for Southern Communities

Age Concern Otago and Age Concern Southland Demand a Quality Modern Hospital for Southern Communities

Age Concern Otago and Age Concern Southland firmly believe that the communities of Otago and Southland deserve a fully functional, modern hospital to serve the southern regions of the South Island.  We call on the Government to provide clarity around the plans for Dunedin Hospital as a matter of urgency.

We will closely monitor the Government's planning in the coming weeks and expect that any necessary changes to the original plan for Dunedin Hospital will retain the core clinical deliverables. This is essential to ensure that current and future generations in the South have access to a modern, world-class healthcare system.

Age Concern Otago and Age Concern Southland advocate for all   older people in the Waitaki, Dunedin, South Otago, Southland, Central Lakes, and Central Otago areas. According to the 2023 Census Data for there are 342,945 over 65 years of age, predicted to continue to grow in numbers over the next 20 years.  

Additionally, we provide distinct services to 9,987 of these individuals on an annual basis. For our ageing population, quality care is critical. Further delays to the hospital build will only increase costs both in terms of the build and in the real impact on the health outcomes of our older community.

Build it once, build it right, and build it soon. Older New Zealanders cannot wait for adequate healthcare. Our support and education programmes offer opportunities for people as they age. One such programme, Steady as You Go, aims to maintain health and wellbeing by improving strength, balance, and flexibility, thereby reducing the risk of falls. Despite preventative programmes and education, falls and other incidents still occur. When they do, access to a modern, fully equipped hospital that provides timely care is essential.

Currently, there is considerable concern and uncertainty within our communities regarding the future of Dunedin Hospital. This uncertainty is particularly detrimental to our older population, who are disproportionately affected by delays and inadequacies in healthcare services.

Older persons often have more complex health needs and require timely and reliable access to medical care. The ongoing ambiguity surrounding the hospital's development exacerbates their anxiety and can lead to poorer health outcomes.

It is crucial that the Government prioritises the reviews being undertaken so that our southern communities can soon be reassured about the future of Dunedin Hospital. There is a pressing need to address these concerns to ensure that our older residents are not left disadvantaged by prolonged uncertainty and delays.

Signed by

Penelope Pask Janette Turner

CE Age Concern Otago                             Manager Age Concern Southland

Robert Aitken Liz Henry

Board Chair Age Concern Otago               Board Chair Age Concern Southland

Be SunSmart this Spring

By Kristen Beardsmore, Health Promotion/Projects Team Leader

Now that the weather is starting to heat up and we spend more time outside, remember to prepare for warmer weather.

Be aware that older people, children, and people with some health conditions can be especially vulnerable to heat.

This can lead to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and even heat stroke if not addressed quickly.

Things to remember when it’s hot outside:

• Stay hydrated – drink extra water on warm days. If drinking alcohol over the holidays, alternate with water in between drinks.

• Use a cool face cloth on the back of the neck to help cool yourself.

• If exercising, try to do so early morning or later in the evening when it is cooler.

It’s also never too late to be SunSmart and protect our skin and eyes from sun damage. Protect yourself all year round when you are:

• in the mountains or on the water

• around reflective surfaces like concrete, water, and sand

• or have a health condition such as an autoimmune disease or are taking medicines (such as antibiotics) that make you sensitive to the sun.

When you're outside from September to April, it’s especially important to protect yourself between 10 am - 4 pm as the UV rate is highest then, even on cloudy days.

Be sure to ‘Slip, slop, slap, and wrap’:

Slip on clothing that covers as much skin as possible, such as a top with a collar and long sleeves, trousers, or long shorts or skirts. It’s also important to Slip into the shade of a leafy tree, building or shade sail.

Slop on plenty of broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen of at least SPF 30. Apply generously 20 minutes before going outside and reapply every two hours, or after being in water or sweating.

Slap on a hat with a wide brim or with flaps covering the ears and neck. More people are sunburnt on the face and neck than any other part of the body.

Wrap on sunglasses that are close fitting, wrap-around style sunglasses. Not all sunglasses protect against UV radiation, so always check the label for the sun protection rating. Learn more at sunsmart.org.nz

Now grab your sunhat and enjoy the summer!

Celebrating 75 Years of supporting the Otago region

Elder Abuse – Break the Silence!

Elder Abuse – Break the Silence!

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15 shines a light on abuse inflicted on some of our older generations.  

Elder abuse is a serious issue that happens close to home – 75% of alleged abusers are family members. It also thrives in secrecy as older people / kaumatua may feel ashamed about their mistreatment or fear retribution if they speak out about it.

By supporting WEAAD, Age Concern Otago wants to draw attention to elder abuse and remind older people that any abuse they might suffer is not their fault, that they are not alone, and confidential advice and support are only a phone call or email away.

Elder abuse, whether emotional, physical or financial, affects our entire community and we all have a responsibility to respect and protect our kaumatua by breaking the silence.

In order to speak up about elder abuse and prevent it, it’s also important to recognise it’s happening. The following MAY indicate an older person is being abused:

• Unexplained behaviour, sleeping or eating habits

• Withdrawal and/or edginess

• Fear of a particular person

• Confusion

• Unexplained injuries

• Drowsiness (due to over-medication)

• Recoiling from touch

• Unusual withdrawals from bank accounts

• Unpaid bills, lack of money for necessities

Some of the reasons why an older person doesn’t talk to anyone about their abuse are because they:

• blame themselves for the abuse

• are ashamed that the abuser is a family member

• depend on the abuser for support

• have low self-confidence and self-esteem

• don’t want to make a fuss

• are afraid that if they complain the abuse will get worse

• are isolated, making it difficult for them to tell anyone

• do not know who to tell or how to get help

• have dementia or an illness that prevents them from telling anyone

If you have concerns about how you or someone you know is being treated, please speak out.

Age Concern Otago’s Elder Abuse Response Service (EARS) is a free and confidential service employing professional staff to work with older people, their families and carers, providing support and advocacy so our kaumatua can be happy, healthy, and safe.

“If you’re the victim of abuse or know someone that is, you don’t need to suffer in silence,” says Marie Bennett EARS Team leader at Age Concern Otago. “Call us on 03 479 3053 or email me at marie@ageconcernotago.co.nz. You’re not alone, and we’re here to help.”

Coronation Ball

Coronation Ball - Join us to celebrate the crowning of King Charles III. Tuesday, 9th May, 2023

It’s time to dust off those dancing shoes (and get your glad rags out): In celebration of the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III, Age Concern Otago is hosting a ball at the South Dunedin Community Hall on Tuesday, 9 May, from 1.30-3.30pm.

You don’t have to be able to cut the rug like Ginger Rogers or Fred Astaire to come along. The Coronation Ball is perfect for anyone wanting to enjoy some music and raise a toast to Charles, who will be crowned King by the Archbishop of Canterbury in a ceremony at Westminster Abbey a few days earlier.

As well as afternoon tea, there will be a cash bar, and live music from popular Dunedin trio, the Oxo Cubans.

“Our Coronation Ball promises to be a lot of fun,” says Kristen, of Age Concern. “It’s not only a great chance to commemorate the crowning of Charles in style, but to get together with good music and dancing.”

Coronations don’t roll around every year - the last one, of Charles’ mother Queen Elizabeth II, was 70 years ago – so make sure you come along and help us celebrate a piece of history.

Tickets, which are only $5 per person (a bit cheaper than the £1,250 the Ritz Carlton are charging for their shindig), can be purchased from the Age Concern Otago office at 9 The Octagon, Dunedin Central 9016.

The Coronation Ball itself takes place at the South Dunedin Community Hall, 253 King Edward Street, Dunedin 9012 on Tuesday, May 9, from 1.30-3.30pm.

For more information, please email: agecon@ageconcernotago.co.nz or phone: 03 477 1040.

We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Clutha District Libraries co-designs programmes with older people

Clutha District Libraries is a network of five community libraries in Balclutha, Milton, Lawrence, Tapanui, and Owaka. Each is focused on the delivery of a wide range of community wellbeing services to meet the needs and aspirations of their local communities.

We understand the COVID-19 situation has exacerbated many of the challenges already faced by older folk, such as isolation and the increasing move by government departments and businesses to shift their services to digital formats. But we also appreciate that everyone’s situation is different and that our staff don’t have all the answers, so we actively seek to engage with people on a co-design and/or partnership basis.

We want everyone to feel welcome and comfortable within our facilities and to have the opportunity to use our spaces and resources in whatever way best meets their needs. We’ve been slowly increasing our levels of community engagement since the end of the COVID-19 restrictions but appreciate that it takes time to build (or re-establish) relationships, especially as we know that many of our more vulnerable seniors are still quite hesitant about venturing out.

Within this context, the following points outline some of our recent activities that have either been driven by individual customer needs and/or developed in collaboration with the community:

·        Digital Device Assistance:  Digital inclusion is extremely difficult for many of our seniors. From trying to keep in touch with family or access a service that is only available online, our staff provides one-to-one assistance for any issues with phones, tablets, iPads, etc. People can pop into a library at any time for digital device assistance.

Dalene helping a client in Lawrence

·        Digital Device Assistance in the Home:  For people who are unable to get to the library and don’t have other support, a staff member will go to people’s homes and help with their digital device enquiry. Common examples of this type of assistance include installing an Alexia to access the Blind Foundations Low Vision audiobooks and other applications. Home visits also include regular book deliveries for the housebound, including local rest homes.

·        Dementia collection:  As a result of a number of queries regarding resources for those with dementia and other related conditions, our libraries have introduced a small collection of specially developed books and jigsaws.

·        Most of our libraries have Book Chat Groups that have been set up and are run by the community. The library’s support these through their spaces, book collections, and a cuppa!

Community Co-design in Tokomairiro

A lovely example of a successful long-standing community co-design programme is ‘Cosy Yarns’ at our Milton Community Library. This was born out of a group of senior library customers wanting a neutral space to gather and chat over a stitching project.

The group has since widened in scope to include migrant women keen to practice their English. After two Sri Lankan women approached staff for English Language opportunities, they were asked if they enjoyed crafting. They did and were introduced to the Cosy Yarns group.

Cozy Yarns group in Tokomairiro Milton

This simple example succeeds on a number of levels, it’s community-led, intergenerational, provides shared learning opportunities, and most importantly it provides the connections needed to support social inclusion. 

Exploring new transportation in Tapanui

On a more active note, the Tapanui team invited some older e-bike owners to come and talk to prospective owners about their experiences of researching, purchasing, and riding their bikes.

A local business that sells them kindly lent a bike for display and sent their cycle mechanic along to answer any queries on the day. This event was developed from a discussion with a customer about her new bike, and we realised how many people are interested but just needed a bit more information before taking the plunge into a new activity.

Clutha Heritage Digital Repository

Over the last 18 months, the libraries have developed the Clutha Heritage Digital Repository at heritage.cluthadc.govt.nz to preserve and make the district’s heritage available online. This repository is entirely modelled on the principles of collaboration and community-generated content.

To facilitate the sustained development and growth of this website, the community libraries each have a ‘Digihub’, whereby community groups and individuals can scan and upload their own documentary heritage (including the transfer of content from photographic slides and videotapes).

Our Community Heritage Coordinator can also assist people wanting to share their oral histories.

Digital support for the future

Digital support is one of the most extensively used services provided by our libraries (we assisted almost 3,000 people, mainly seniors to get their vaccine passes during the mandated period). Within our large geographical district, we also know that in addition to digital literacy, connectivity is a major issue for many seniors through lack of transport or digital access at home.

With this in mind, a key focus for us in the new year is to work with organisations such as Age Concern Otago to co-design programmes and services that will better support the social and digital wellbeing of our older folk.

Debbie Duncan, Clutha District Libraries

Free:  0800 801 350

www.cluthaNZ.com

Follow us on Facebook: Clutha District Libraries

Reliable help at home for kaumātua older people

Finding a reliable tradie to help out around the home can be a surprisingly difficult task. Plus, maintaining your home and garden becomes more important—even daunting—as we approach the cooler weather. Are leaves starting to collect in your gutters, the pets moulting more than their body weight in fur, and the flowerbed weeds are growing like, well, weeds?  

Age Concern Otago's Home Trade Service connects our members across Dunedin and Mosgiel with reliable, police-vetted, and reference-checked tradespeople, straight to your door. Our office manager (the lovely Fiona, surely, you’ve met her at our Dunedin hub on the Octagon), even rings up to check how the referral has gone, so you can rest assured that we take your feedback to heart.  

You can enjoy an in-home personal grooming service with a qualified beautician (non-diabetic nail cutting) or hairdresser, plus make it a makeover day and have the pooch groomed by a pet care technician, too! Perhaps you simply need someone to help with basic tidying up and cleaning? We have someone for that. We can also refer a gardener, handyman, painter, builder, and more. 

If you need a job done, or want to be part of our referral service, please get in touch with Fiona on 03 477 1040, email reception@ageconcernotago.co.nz, or sign up online on the Our Services page

Do you live outside the Dunedin area and need help around the home?

Contact the Citizens Advice Bureau for help connecting with the right service for you on 0800 367 222 or visit cab.org.nz/search to peruse their local listings.