Making Auckland an Age-friendly City

Older Aucklanders are an increasing part of the region’s population. How do we work towards making sure that older Aucklanders and those approaching that age group are respected and valued in our community? Auckland will be home to substantially larger numbers and greater proportions of ethnically and culturally diverse older people over the next few decades. The older population is growing faster than any other age-group and is predicted to increase from 11 per cent in 2013 to 19 per cent by 2046. The aging population will create opportunities as well as greater and more complex demand for services and infrastructure. Insufficient planning for this could mean the challenges worsen as the number of older people grows significantly over the next 20 years. Some older Aucklanders have needs that are not being met by existing services. While Auckland is a great place to live for most older people there are some who face greater challenges. Those in the “older-old” age group and of lower socioeconomic status are more likely to be socially excluded which in turn has an impact on their health and happiness. How can we improve the wellbeing of older Aucklanders, especially those most in need? Join us at Auckland Conversations as we discuss with Sir Bob Harvey and a panel of experts how we can work collaboratively to develop a plan for an age-friendly city which will also allow us to obtain membership to the World Health Organisation’s Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities and demonstrate our collective commitment to Auckland being friendly and inclusive where everyone can contribute and participate.

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