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New Zealand’s most comprehensive listing of home help and other support services, including day activities and respite care.

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View the most wide-ranging and complete listings of Retirement and Lifestyle Villages across New Zealand.

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Residential care

New Zealand’s most comprehensive and up-to-date listings of Rest Homes, Dementia, Hospitals and Specialist Hospital Care.

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Discover independent and impartial information, industry-leading thinking, and practical resources in this extensive online library.

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Order Where From Here

New Zealand’s most comprehensive listing of home help and other support services, including day activities and respite care.

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Book Respite Care

View the most wide-ranging and complete listings of Retirement and Lifestyle Villages across New Zealand.

View Now

View Current Availability

New Zealand’s most comprehensive and up-to-date listings of Rest Homes, Dementia, Hospitals and Specialist Hospital Care.

View Now

View Vacancies

Discover independent and impartial information, industry-leading thinking, and practical resources in this extensive online library.

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Order Where From Here

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What's New in the Community?

Want to read the latest news and events? See what's going on around NZ. This newsletter is created by contributions direct from the Eldernet community and is filled with good news and updates.

19 hours ago - Tauranga

The Vines at Bethlehem - Retirement Village

The Vines retirement village is situated in the Mills Reef vineyards in Bethlehem. It is a unique location with specular surroundings offering a modern independent lifestyle. This Classic Life village is ideal for active retirees seeking a vibrant and stylish home offering world-class facilities including a café, bowling green, swimming pool and library. And with an incredible cashback deal on our brand new villas about to be announced it makes sense to find out more! Call Tony now on 021 328 767

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1 day ago - Auckland

Royal Heights Rest Home - Rest Home

Are you looking for Rest home care or day care? We can help. www.rest-home.co.nz We are pleased to advise that we have again achieved the maximum four years certification from August 2021. Room Vacancy Status We currently have one room available, please call to discuss your needs for any upcoming vacancies and our popular day stay service. All rooms have an ensuite toilet and there is a mix of sizes and configurations such as those with glass sliding door to a garden courtyard or others with views toward the Waitakere ranges, Royal Heights Park or Auckland City and the bridge. Please call us to discuss. We welcome visits to view the great resources our facility has for residents and our day stay clients. Book a visit by calling 09 833 9333 or to have a chat about your needs. Our visiting policy currently asks that you have had a negative RAT test prior to entering and wear a mask please to ensure the safety of our residents. Day Stay Please note: Our popular Day Care Programme is currently paused. Please have a chat to us about our day stay service. These can be either regular or occasional. Join in the activities, entertainment and meet our friendly residents and staff. This is a booked service so we do need to discuss your day care needs before hand. All the various funding support options can be utilised toward this service. Royal Heights is proud to have achieved four years certification (three times running).

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Ministry of Health - everything you need to know about COVID-19 in one place

The Eldernet Group celebrates 25 years of empowering people

Mason Head - Content Creator and Publication Lead

Company founder Eleanor Bodger speaking to guests and staff

The Eldernet Group recently celebrated its 25th anniversary with a special event, which included an appearance by 2022 New Zealander of the Year, Tā Tipene O’Regan ONZ. The milestone coincided with the opening of the organisation’s new building, less than 1 kilometre away from where the company began in the Christchurch suburb of New Brighton.

“Over the past 25 years, we’ve seen people become empowered with information in ways we never thought possible, and we’re delighted to have played a part in that,” says Eleanor. “What we are particularly proud of is the way we haven’t waivered from our vision of making life easier and better for all older people – even if that has meant rocking the boat over the years.”

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Questions you need answered? Look here to see if it’s in our Knowledge Lab. All those new words confusing you? Our glossary might help. There’s even links to some research we’ve been involved in.

Can I go to the public hospital if I'm unwell?

You can go to a public hospital if you are seriously unwell, and it is an emergency. For all other times you need to be referred by a health professional, usually your doctor. If it’s an emergency phone 111 and ask for an ambulance. If you’re near the hospital and the situation is serious but not life threatening you/the person may be taken by car to the hospital. (As long as the driver knows where the hospital’s emergency department is.) Public hospitals are the main providers of emergency, specialist medical, surgical, and other specialist services in New Zealand and are not an alternative to your local doctor. Unless a situation is an emergency be guided by your doctor or after-hours clinic. If you are not sure whether your situation is an emergency ring Healthline freephone 0800 611 116 and they will advise you. A list of Public Hospitals can be found here. https://www.health.govt.nz/your-health/certified-providers/public-hospital

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Statistics about ageing

Demystifying who lives in care According to statistics from interRAI New Zealand, 31, 600 kiwis currently live in aged residential care (2017/2018). That means that less than 5% of people over the age of 65 call a residential care facility home (according to data from Stats NZ 2019 ). People who move into residential care don’t do so because they hit a certain age; it’s because they require a higher level of care and support. In fact, the average of a person living in residential care is aged 85. Basically, age on its own does not determine whether you need to move to a care home or not. If you do need extra support as you get older, however, a care home is the perfect place to be. Residents in care homes across the country receive a great level of care, specific to their needs. Importantly, moving to a care home does not mean you will be lonely or isolated either. Based on interRAI statistics, 69% of residents spent most or some of their time involved in activities and 91% have strong and supportive family relationships. Population stats In New Zealand, the number of older adults is steadily increasing (while the birth rate has been decreasing for the past few decades). According to 2019 data from Stats NZ , there are currently 759,800 people 65+ living in New Zealand, while modeling suggests that has already grown by an extra 50,000 in the past two years. In fact, it is predicted that sometime in the next decade there will be more people aged 65+ than children aged 0-14. By 2034, people aged 65 and older will account for more than a fifth of the population. We are also living longer than any previous time in history too – and as health outcomes in general continue to improve, so does our life expectancy. For example, the number of people aged 85+ is predicted to double by 2034 – from 86,800 in 2018 to 178,800 ( Better Later Life He Oranga Kaumātua 2019 to 2034 ). This brings with it some good things: Nearly one in four Kiwis over 65 are in paid employment By 2036, it is predicted that those over the age of 65 will contribute $50 billion of consumer spending to the economy, $25 billion worth of unpaid or voluntary work, and $13 billion in taxes. As our population ages, it is also getting increasingly diverse. By 2034: the number of Māori will more than double (to 109,400) as will Pacific People (46,700). The predicted growth is even bigger for Asian communities, tripling to 171,900 while combined Middle Eastern /Latin American/Africa will quadruple to 18,000. As well as more challenging things: Older people are currently more likely than any other age group to own their own home but this is dropping for those aged 50–64. For older people who do own their home, the numbers with mortgages are increasing – from 6.8% in 2004 to 13.9% in 2018. As a result of families increasingly become displaced, coupled with people having fewer children, it is estimated that by 2034, people 65+ will make up 55% of all people living alone. Ageism continues to be a problem, with 20% of people aged 50 or older suggesting that they have felt invisible because of their age. interRAI stats interRAI is an internationally recognised computer-based assessment programme and is used to assess the level of care and support an older person needs. Assessments are done in person in your home, aged residential care facility, hospital or elsewhere in the community and occasionally over the phone. As well as benefiting the individual being assessed, information from the interRAI assessments is used to improve services for all older people. In New Zealand, there are five assessment instruments: Long-term Care Facilities assessment (for people in aged residential care); Home Care Assessment (for people living at home with complex needs); Palliative Care assessment (for end of life care in aged residential care or in the community); Community Health Assessment (for people living at home with less complex needs); Contact assessment (an initial assessment). After being stripped of names, addresses and any other identifying information, the data helps policymakers, healthcare professionals and researchers find out more about the needs of older people. Here are some statistics taken from interRAI’s 2019/2020 Annual Report that help show what an important tool interRAI is. In 2019/2020, over 122,400 interRAI assessments were completed throughout New Zealand. That is an average of 335 a day! In total, more than 670,000 assessments have been completed and are stored in interRAI’s data warehouse. In 2019/2020, 13% of women and 8% of men aged 65 and older have had at least one interRAI assessment. Every resident in aged residential care and every person receiving funded home care in New Zealand is assessed using interRAI. Of the assessments completed in 2019/2020, more than half were completed in aged residential care facilities (approx. 70,500). The 31,300 Home Care assessments were also completed, accounting for 25% of total assessments. Throughout the country, there are more than 5000 trained interRAI assessors. In response to the Alert Level 4 announcement in March 2020, interRAI services trained 329 new assessors in three months.

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Can I get home help if I live with other people?

This depends on a number of factors including why you need the services, whether other household members can help out and whether you have a Community Services card. If you are being discharged from hospital you may receive subsidised support for a short period of time while you convalesce. Other household members are often expected to assist with household tasks. If you need support long term, or indefinitely, your eligibility for subsidised services is determined by an interRAI assessment . In this situation a range of outcomes are possible including: If you need help with housework and/or the chores you usually do then generally other members of the household will be expected to do them. If for some reason they are not able to, then in some instances, you may be able to receive subsidised support if you have a Community Services card. If you require a ‘personal care’ type of service (e.g., assistance with showering, dressing, toileting etc.) then this service is generally subsidised and provided by a home support worker. You do not need a Community Services card. If you (and your caregiver – if you have one) have a high level of need a specialised ‘package’ of subsidised support may be provided. If you are prepared to pay privately you may be able to buy a wide range of services from various home support agencies. As each situation is unique you need to be guided by your local health service or NASC/CCC team.

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Life is about change.
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Making life easier

Retirement villages

Residential care

Knowledge lab

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What's New in the Community?

The Vines at Bethlehem - Retirement Village

Royal Heights Rest Home - Rest Home

The Eldernet Group celebrates 25 years of empowering people

Top Resources

Can I go to the public hospital if I'm unwell?

Statistics about ageing

Can I get home help if I live with other people?

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