Three significant speakers addressed Grey Power’s annual meeting in Wellington. Each provided insights and thoughts on terrain New Zealand seniors must often navigate as they age.
It’s hard to deny that Winston Peters is, at the very least, an entertaining speaker or that he doesn’t express an affinity with New Zealand seniors despite his portfolios being far from that of seniors or health.
At Grey Power’s annual meeting, the Foreign Affairs Minister ensured most delegates were smiling as he confirmed his belief in maintaining the health and care of ageing New Zealanders. He said he was committed to championing policies which safeguard New Zealand Superannuation so that it remains accessible and reliable for all seniors.
Unhappy with any suggestion that the Super be means tested in the future, Mr Peters said, “when ideologies, ideas and politics fail they [politicians] come for you! [seniors].”
He pointed out that the Federation [and its members] have enormous political power – “go and use it,” he urged, stating he hoped to ensure older people get better power and rates deals.
“The generation you represent have been through much harder times than the present generation” he added. “Today’s generation know nothing about the past – I saw everyone going as hard as they could and the economy was good. [But] it’s not your problem today; it’s for the generation coming forward.”
Mr Peters reminded the meeting that past generations took New Zealand to number two in the world’s economy – “it’s up to the present generation to bring us back to that!”
“Don’t let people tell you your [generation] is responsible for the state of the country…tell your families if they want a better future go and do something about it.”
Focus on hearing health
Before the founder and CEO of Resonate Health, James Whittaker, even began his address at Grey Power’s 2025 annual general meeting, some delegates were singing the company’s praises.
They had tested company offers and it soon became clear as to why they were so impressed. From the outset, James displayed his knowledge of the wide advantages of assisted hearing which, he explained, went far beyond improved everyday hearing.
He urged delegates to never underestimate the power of good hearing in maintaining overall health. He explained that untreated hearing loss could accelerate cognitive decline and dementia, lead to balance issues, including the risk of falls, social isolation and depression plus poor sleep quality.
“Investing in hearing health can have such a positive impact on well-being including improving brain function.”
With 16 years industry experience, James said he wanted more industry transparency and better education on hearing loss, its side effects, prevention and solutions plus easier access to the best hearing aids without the burden of putting thousands of dollars up front.
With this in mind, he said Resonate offered the most advanced diagnostic testing available, plus access to top of the line hearing aids via a monthly subscription of $90 with no price increase in the lifetime of the client.
With Resonate there is no up-front payment, a free upgrade to the best tech aids every three years, and free ongoing servicing if needed.
More investment in aged care needed
Carolyn Cooper’s announcement at the 2025 Grey Power AGM that she was resigning from her position as Aged Care Commissioner left the Federation board and delegates deeply disappointed.
They recognised the huge contribution to senior health made by Ms Cooper during her term and counted her as a “true friend of the Federation.’
Importantly, the Commissioner said she recognised that health care for NZ seniors was far from ideal but hoped the efforts of advocacy groups [such as Grey Power] would help to raise shortcomings with the Government and ultimately bring about improvements.
Because New Zealand is seeing increasingly complex needs of people using home-based care – 93% of people receiving Health NZ-funded HCSS are aged 65 plus – she said it was imperative to invest in innovative care models to address current gaps in the continuum of care.
Transformative investment in primary and community care, including an increase in hearing aid funding and subsidies to prevent dementia, loneliness and isolation, were needed she said.
In particular, better transitions of care, including improved access to home and community support services and aged residential care, plus better discharge planning from hospitals were necessary.
A resource strategy and action plan to care for New Zealand’s rapidly ageing population was needed, she added.
“For example, hospital-based social workers specialising in older people’s health to support their discharge into residential homes or their own home with a good care plan, mobility aids and home and community social support would be welcome.”
The Commissioner added that many GPs were failing to do accurate assessments for home or community care or for getting patients into the right level of care for their particular age-related conditions.
“When one becomes really sick suddenly, access to a GP is almost impossible. This means many people, [including frail seniors], are being forced into hospital emergency departments which is not where they should be.
“The result is seniors being admitted when beds are at a premium and then being discharged to inappropriate care because those beds are needed elsewhere.
“We shouldn’t be getting the elderly out of hospitals because their beds are needed; the reason and purpose has to be because they [senior patients] are clinically stable and should be discharged but that has to be to a place where the right care can be provided.”
Maintaining bone, hearing, and oral health were other areas Ms Cooper said can’t be ignored; doing so could result in other serious health problems, included susceptibility to dementia.
“Poor bone health increases the risk of falls and subsequent breaks. Maintaining oral health helps prevent any infection in the mouth spreading to other parts of the body.”
Whilst aware that some aspects of health care were left unattended because of cost, she said seniors needed to take some personal responsibility for their health. For example, regular skin checks were a relatively easy but vital step for detecting early signs of skin cancer and other skin diseases.
