Making Auckland an Age-friendly City

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.

Age-friendly Auckland consultation is open for feedback until 5 July: Have your Say

Reduce your impact on congestion, emissions and parking. Plan your trip and bike to the event!
Bike valet service with secure bike parking for the duration of the event will be provided for your convenience by Bike Auckland.
Please park in 135 Albert Street, Auckland Council Building, main entrance.
 
 
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Sir Bob Harvey

KNZM QSO

Bob Harvey is the former Champion for Auckland responsible for International Investment. He was the inagural Chairman of Waterfront Auckland responsible for delivering a world-class waterfront for Auckland city.

He has served on a multitude of boards as Chairman, including The New Zealand Film Commission and The Spark Foundation. He is current Chairman of Bank of New Zealand West and holds the position of Vice President of Mayors for Peace.  He served 6 terms as Mayor of the city of Waitakere, retiring in November 2010.  He was awarded, with six international Mayors, the United Nations Award for Peace in 1997 and the United Nations Life Time Achievement Award for the Environment in 2007. 

Sir Bob was awarded a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Year Honours for 2013 for services to local body affairs and the community. Sir Bob has written 6 books on the West Auckland landscape and in 2017 he won an international prize for his poetry. His new book “Sea Edge” is a history of the Waitemata Harbour and will be published in July 2019.

Janet Clews

CNZM QSO JP, Chair Auckland Council's Seniors Advisory Panel

Mrs Clews has been involved in local government for more than 50 years, serving as a Waitakere City Councillor since the city was formed in 1989. She previously served as Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Glen Eden Borough Council from 1974 to 1989.  She was a member of the Portage Licensing Trust from 1972 to 2007, and as President from 1989 to 1995, led the trust during its return to profitability. Mrs Clews has been patron to many organisations and has served on many committees, including the Glen Eden Community and Recreation Centre Trust and Management Committee and the Glen Eden Senior Citizens’ Advisory Board.

Gloria Yaping Gao

Senior Manager, Social Services of CNSST Foundation

Gloria is the Social Services of CNSST Foundation (formerly known as Chinese New Settlers Services Trust), one of the largest Asian community organisations in NZ, providing social services, education and social housing for 15,000 people a year. She is also COGS Manukau Committee Member of Department of Internal Affairs and has 11-year experience in Asian Community Development.

Gloria has been taking the leadership and management role in initiating and developing the empowering senior support services for the Asian senior community such as Critical social work and counselling – to address the needs of grand-parenting, family violence, elderly abuse/neglect, housing, health and wellbeing, New Kiwis New Life New Culture – English Language Programme (to learn NZ culture and English language skills.), and Employment Service – looking for jobs for the Chinese elderly who are fit and keen to work. She has also been volunteering at Chinese Senior Mutual Support Network, Senior Service Centres and other community events as a return to the society.

Dr Elizabeth Anne Broadbent

Professor of Health Psychology at The University of Auckland

Elizabeth initially trained as an electrical and electronic engineer at Canterbury University to pursue her interest in robotics. She then worked at Transpower, Électricité de Tahiti, and Robotechnology. After becoming interested in the psychological aspects of robotics and in psychoneuroimmunology, she obtained her MSc and PhD in health psychology, supported by a Bright Futures Top Achiever Doctoral Award.

She received an Early Career Award from the International Society of Behavioural Medicine and Early Career Research Excellence Award from the University of Auckland. She was a visiting academic at the school of psychology at Harvard University and in the Program in Science, Technology, and Society at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, USA. In 2017, she returned to Boston with a Fulbright award to study companion robots for four months.

Her current research interests include how stress affects our health, how our body posture affects our mood, interventions to help patients make sense of and cope with illness, and human-robot interaction in health contexts. She is particualrly interested in the emotional connections we form with robots, and how we can build emotional intelligence and empathy skills in robots. Her work has been supported by grants from many agencies including the Health Research Council, Auckland Medical Research Foundation, Heart Foundation, Oakley Mental Health Research Foundation, Maurice and Phyllis Paykel Trust, and the Foundation of Research Science and Technology.

Her research has featured in the New York Times, Scientific American Mind, the Guardian, Time magazine, the BBC World Service and more.

Megan Tyler

Chief of Strategy, Auckland Council

I am a proud ‘westie’ Aucklander, born and bred.  I discovered planning as a profession in my last year of high school and went on to study it at the University of Auckland.  After 18 months as a graduate in a private consultancy, I entered Auckland local government and have remained there ever since.  I’ve worked in both the regulatory and policy areas and in Local Board Services, and have just begun my new role as Chief of Strategy.  It is a real privilege to work in Auckland Council, to make a difference to current and future Aucklanders and I am very grateful for the leadership and growth opportunities I have had over the years. 

Glenn Wilcox

Deputy Chairman, Independent Māori Statutory Board

Glenn chairs the Committee of Management of a hapū-owned farm on the South Kaipara Peninsula. He sits on the Conservation Board for Auckland and is one of the two members for the South Kaipara takiwā on Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua. Glenn is also a qualified Hearings Commissioner. With a keen interest in the health sector, Glenn also co-chairs the Affinity Charitable Trust and is a Director of both Hāpai te Hauora and the Wellpark College of Natural Therapy. Selected by Ngāti Whātua Mana Whenua representatives, Glenn has been appointed to the following Auckland Council committees: Environment and Community Committee and Regulatory Committee.

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