Community

With banks operating stricter rules on lending, and property prices rising, many adult children have been leaning on the bank of mum and dad to give them a leg up on to the property market. So many, in fact, that the bank of mum and dad has been given an …

Let us imagine for a moment – you are 86 and are wanting to open a bank account with another bank – because of your eyesight you are no longer able to drive, so when your drivers licence came up for renewal two years ago you did not renew it. …

Thought of spending your kids inheritance? This concept now even has a new term dubbed “SKI’ing” – spend your kids inheritance. Below are five reasons why this is a great idea. Life is way too short to delay having fun You’ve worked all your life despite the long hours, difficult …

Elder abuse is a global problem.  International studies report that 3% – 10% of older people experience abuse or neglect each year.  It happens to men and women of every religious, cultural, ethnic and income group. However, much abuse goes unreported.  It has been estimated that only 16% of all abuse …

There has been some publicity recently about neglect and abuse of older people in residential care facilities. These cases have prompted some serious inquires into the level of care provided. Institutional abuse, although much less common, can occur in places such as residential care homes, rehabilitation and continuing care wards, as …

Financial abuse, along with, and often combined with, psychological abuse is probably the most common form of elder abuse. In New Zealand it is estimated that approximately half of all elder abuse cases involved financial abuse. What is it and why does it matter? The World Health Organisation defines financial …

“Elder Abuse and Neglect is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. Definition adopted from WHO Toronto Declaration on the Global Prevention of Elder Abuse, 2002 Up …

Many people plan to do some form of volunteering after they retire. As we learnt in What is a silver economy? it’s estimated older people contributed a total of $8.5 billion to their communities through unpaid and voluntary work in New Zealand. Over 65s have spent hours visiting older people, delivering meals, …

Older adults are increasingly shaping economies all over the world. Tapping into the “silver market”, engaging the over 65s as consumers, offers great opportunities. Property developers, car makers, technology companies, financial services firms and the pharmaceutical industry are all cashing in on the silver dollar and are tailoring their offerings accordingly. …

A recent study conducted by Victoria University aimed to gain better understanding why older people decide to study later in life. People aged 60 plus represented a very small proportion of students at Victoria University who came into their study – only one in every 300; 21 were interviewed in …