Hamilton to be globally recognised as age-friendly city

Monday, 19 February 2018

With flat land, cheapish rates, plentiful rest homes and a massive hospital, Hamilton is primed to be a hub for retirees. 

And it's drawing closer to being globally recognised as New Zealand's first age-friendly city. 

Two years ago, the Hamilton City Council endorsed joining the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Age-Friendly Global Network. 

Dame Peggy Koopman-Boyden - who chairs the Age Friendly Hamilton project - said she will send the final report to WHO at the end of February.  

**READ MORE: 

* Hamilton chases 'age-friendly' status

* Ageing population a health risk to workers, says PSA

* World not ready for ageing population

* Ageing population could contribute to decline in charity

* Dame Peggy Koopman-Boyden recognised for 45 years of service**

It's a four-year plan which has taken two years of work. 

'We'll join an international network of age-friendly cities,' Koopman-Boyden said. 'That gives us access to more ideas of how to be age friendly in what we call a universal design.'

According to Statistics NZ, a quarter of the population will be 65 and older by 2039.  

While there's still work to do, Hamilton has all the ingredients to be a perfect place for older people to settle, Koopman-Boyden said. 

'Already Hamilton has a significant amount of services and facilities for older people compared with other cities in New Zealand and certainly compared with many international cities.

'Places are easy to get to and we have a free bus service for older people during the day.

'One of the reasons is because we are flat. Mobility is not a problem, as it is in Wellington.'

And it might be cheaper than other Waikato spots. According to a 2017 ratepayer report, Hamilton City Council charged the lowest average residential rates in Northern Waikato, at $2035. Waikato District Council charges the highest average residential rates in the region, at $2651. 

No one is getting any younger, so it makes sense to tackle the issues now, Koopman-Boyden said. 

'We're going to have a lot more older people, so you'd better get used to it.

'The sort of stuff we're looking at is to make sure the Hamilton City Council has infrastructure suitable for older people. By that I mean footpaths that are smooth and you can go up and down walking [with] walking sticks.

'I'm also badgering for the buildings that are being built - whether they're public buildings like Claudelands or the new theatre or whatever - to be appropriate for older people.' 

John Hamilton, 80, who rents a flat in Hamilton, said that if the city is going to become a hub for older people, it needs to sort out the parking. 

There isn't enough of it - especially spots for the elderly and people with disabilities close to venues, Hamilton said. 

'They're not policed properly, even if council and police say they are.' 

But overall, the city is a good place to live, with plenty of facilities. 

Sport Waikato has made daily exercise doable for older people, said Hamilton - who swims most days. 

'You can make your own fun, if you like.

'We're not dead yet.'

Age Concern chief executive Stephanie Clare said efforts shouldn't stop at Hamilton. 

'New Zealand is well positioned to be an age-friendly country,' Clare said. 'The better a community can prepare for an ageing population, the more attractive that community becomes to other people.

'It might be actually, one day, that everyone knows Hamilton is the place to go.'

By 2033, Auckland is predicted to see a 106 per cent hike in residents 65 and older.

And Hamilton is an obvious place to receive some of the spillover. 

'House prices will be driving people out of Auckland to other areas - that's a contributing factor,' Clare said. 

'We know a lot of our older people are now renting due to the changing environment of home ownership. 

'The white picket fence that [New Zealanders] used to define as their piece of land is sometimes now an apartment on the 17th floor of a building block.'