For half a century, Age Concern Nelson Tasman has been looking after older people in our community and is celebrating with a public event at Founders Heritage Park.
Its 50th Jubilee will be marked with a day of entertainment on 1 October, with a free bus from Motueka and Māpua to bring people together for what is also the International Day of Older Persons.
Manager Nicola Woodward says the name has changed over the decades and life expectancy is greater, but many of the issues facing older people remain the same.
The charity traces its history back to 1948 when a journalist in Otago looked at the lives of older people and found many were living in poverty, poor housing, ill health and loneliness, with very little organised support.
Nelson Tasman’s involvement in the organisation began in 1956 when The Old Folks Hall opened in Nelson. Since then, the name has changed, a Richmond centre has opened and recently a new centre in Nelson.
Nicola says the difference today is that people are living longer. In the 1960s, average life expectancy for men was 68 and for women, 73, and older people made up a smaller share of the population. Today, average life expectancy for men is 80 and women, 84, and in Nelson-Tasman, older people make up a considerable chunk of the population.
Some of the faces and stories of older people in the community make up this year’s Looking Beyond the Face Exhibition, which will be part of the 50th Jubilee celebrations. It aims to increase the visibility of older people and celebrate the value they bring to the community.
Nicola says the exhibition will also be taken around the region and welcomes suggestions for community spaces to host the display.
While the two centres are the most visible part of the charity locally, she says it would not be possible to operate without funding and volunteers. It has 160 volunteers around the region taking part in a range of services to help with social isolation among older people, or assist those living in hardship or struggling with technology.
“Volunteers are key to this organisation. Without them we wouldn’t have the capacity to be able to deliver what we do. We have a visiting service where volunteers go out to spend a couple of hours doing whatever they want – it might be shopping or playing chess. Volunteer drivers bring older people here for tea and coffee.”
Looking ahead, Nicola wants more groups set up in communities such as Motueka, where older people can meet for tea and coffee and get help with some of their needs.
