re
:
think
Spring 2014
6
IT’S easy to say old people want a meaningful
life, but what does that actually mean? With
the number of people aged 65 or older
climbing steadily – expected to reach one
million by 2031 – the government needs
to know how to best meet the needs of this
growing group.
Professor
Peggy
Koopman-Boyden,
CNZM, is based at the National
Institute of Demographic and Economic
Analysis (NIDEA) at the University
of Waikato and has led a study, funded
by the Ministry of Business, Innovation
and Employment that took a three-
pronged look at aspects of ageing: What
constitutes a meaningful life; older people’s
use of digital media and the impact it
has on their sense of inclusion or
exclusion; employment and work practices
among the over 65s and the impact
that is having on the labour market.
“Basically what’s good for older people
is good for everybody,” says Professor
Koopman-Boyden.
“People want a sense of purpose
and to feel significant, they want to
belong somewhere. They want to be able to
take care of themselves, have social interaction
with family and friends and for Māori, marae
activities are very important.”
The researchers found people liked
to live alone because it gave them
freedom, greater choice and control.
They liked being alone physically but not
socially – “alone but connected”.
“We found men were at greater risk of
social isolation and we do need to think about
how to deal with that”.
“And
we
found
people
living
alone could often make bad decisions
because they didn’t have someone to
discuss things with,” Professor Koopman-
Boyden says.
“Even when you’re socially connected,
you’re probably not going discuss
personal issues or financial matters with
people you meet socially.”
FINDING THE NEEDS OF OLDER PEOPLE
This is what older people said they wanted:
Mobility
»» Bus stops closer to supermarkets
»» Wider pavements for mobility scooters
»» Chairs in shops
Maintenance
»» Low maintenance, single-person houses
with new technology alarms, lighting,
heating, etc
Finances
»» Advice on budgeting and managing finances
»» Simpler procedures for reporting financial
abuse
Health and Nutrition
»» Regular hearing, vision and oral checks at
GP visits
Emergency support
»» Life tubes
»» Ecolite dynamo kits (Age Concern)
»» House and social alarms
Social connectedness
»» Programmes/courses for those starting
to live alone
»» Regular ‘senior hour’ at local cafes
»» Internet courses
Old in the digital age
FOR older people digital communication
is proving to be a mixed bag. Dr Margaret
Richardson from the Department of
Communication at the University of Waikato
has been researching how older people
are responding to digital media. “For the
housebound, it’s been an absolute boon,
giving people access to goods, services and
information. One person said ‘it’s given me
my life back’.”
And for keeping up with family and
friends, Skype is a popular means of
communication – often used by older people
who have been using computers for some
time, says Dr Richardson.
However some people felt stigmatised
because everyone assumed they would have
a computer and know how to use one, and
if they didn’t, they felt their intelligence and
competence was being questioned. They also
felt penalised if the computer was the only
way to buy a product or take advantage of a
special offer.
While some people felt there was no need
or they were “too old to be bothered” to buy
a computer and learn how to use it, other
people had safety and privacy issues and still
liked to deal with their service providers, such
as the bank, face to face.
“If people had a mentor or digital
intermediary they trusted, then they were more
likely to use computers and the internet,” Dr
Richardson says. “It helps that libraries provide
free access, and Hamilton City Libraries are
trialling volunteers to support those who
might need help. Westpac bank and SeniorNet
have joined forces to provide a seminar series
and follow-up training workshops on online
banking and these actions are helping to raise
awareness and build confidence.
“For policy and practice, I’d recommend
the services of digital champions to promote
the benefits of an inclusive digital society
and support its roll out among older people,”
Dr Richardson says.
NEW ZEALANDERS are living longer in a
healthier physical and mental state. This
means they can and are working longer.
However, labour force participation
doesn’t necessarily improve the wellbeing
of older people says Waikato University
economist Dr Michael Cameron.
“We found that full-time employment is
associated with lower life satisfaction than
part-time employment or retirement in the
over 65s and that suggests we need to find
creative ways to assist them to remain in the
workforce in a part-time or bridging role.”
Dr Cameron says the part-time solution
may be better both for the older people
themselves through increases in their life
satisfaction and for society overall through
maintaining the size of the labour force, as
well as retaining the substantial experience of
older workers.
In Australia where there is compulsory
superannuation and importantly where the
age pension reduces in response to additional
earnings, there are fewer older people working
longer. In New Zealand there are nearly 3000
people over 85 or older still doing some kind of
paid work.
That could be because there are no means
or income tests for people who continue to work
and collect superannuation once they’re 65.
Dr Judith Davey from the Institute for
Governance and Policy Studies at Victoria
University in Wellington has been focussing on
older people and paid employment.
“For any business there have to be good
financial reasons to keep older people in paid
employment,” she says. “We need to make
sure that older workers are helped to fit with
the job, such as by giving opportunities to keep
up their skills, and the job is modified to suit the
needs, values and interests of the older worker.
“Just as there is a transitional stage for
young people coming into work, older people
are moving out of the workforce more gradually,
through phased retirement.”
Issues faced by employers
»» Flexible working conditions –
can they be consistent with
business efficiency?
»» Age-diverse workforces – advantages
and disadvantages?
»» Education and training – whose
responsibility?
»» Dealing with age discrimination –
covert and unrecognised?
»» Managing retirement – having those
difficult conversations
»» Phased retirement – who benefits?
Potential government action
»» Information for employers –
implications of workforce ageing
»» Education and retraining
»» Incentives to employers
»» Employment laws and conditions
»» Action on age discrimination
»» Government as an employer –
a model for good practice in an
ageing workforce.
PROFESSOR PEGGY KOOPMAN-BOYDEN
To work or not to work
A group of academics has been consulting older people at different ages and stages in their lives, to find out what constitutes a meaningful life.
