Nikki Kaye on policies that will affect older New Zealanders

Hon Nikki Kaye, Minister for ACC shares her opinion on policies that will affect older New Zealanders.

Liam Butler: As the Minister for ACC what initiatives are you going to highlight this year in your work with the aged care sector to keep older people safe?

Hon Nikki Kaye: ACC has a key role to play in helping to keep older people safe and less prone to injury.

This is important given New Zealand’s ageing population – in the next 20 years, the number of people aged over 65 is expected to double. That could lead to a significant increase in the types of injuries typically associated with ageing – such as fractures resulting from falls.

Falls cause around 40 per cent of ACC claims for people aged between 65 and 69, and around 60 per cent of claims for those aged over 85. The anticipated lifetime costs of these claims received in 2013 alone is $351 million.

Many of us will know an older relative who’s had a bad fall, and the often traumatic consequences of that for them and their loved ones. Falls can have a huge impact, robbing older people of their independence and wellbeing.

The good news is, there’s evidence that interventions that support older people’s wellness and reduce their risk of injury can make a real difference.

ACC has formed a partnership with Age Concern and is also working with government agencies and other community organisations on a range of injury prevention and general wellness initiatives for older people.

One important programme that ACC’s involved in, as part of the Government’s response to the needs of an ageing population, is looking at the health system as a whole, to identify how services can be better integrated to ensure a more streamlined experience for older people who injure themselves. The goal is to support them to get well and back on their feet quickly, which also helps reduce their chance of injuring themselves again.

The programme also includes injury prevention initiatives such as improving access to community-based strength and balance programmes.

Examples of other injury prevention initiatives that ACC’s involved in include:

• the SuperSeniors website, which offers a raft of information on everything from health tips to superannuation entitlements, finances and SuperGold discounts;
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• partnerships with St John, Wellington Free Ambulance and the Freedom Medical Alarm Service to deliver education and home assessments aimed at identifying hazards that could cause falls in the home
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• a partnership with Osteoporosis New Zealand to improve falls and fracture prevention guidelines and resources.
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Last year ACC also sponsored an international rehabilitation conference in Wellington, and was able to tap into overseas expertise about ways of working to help our older people stay as safe and healthy as possible.

We know that after the age of 65, you have a one in three chance of falling. For people aged 80 and over, the risk of falling increases to one in two.

ACC has increased its spending on injury prevention from around $35 million to $50 million this year, and joint initiatives focused on older people will be an important part of future injury prevention work.

I believe the holistic approach that’s now being taken by ACC and its partners will be pivotal. For example, if you improve your nutrition that will deliver a benefit. If you take part in a strength and balance programme, that will also be beneficial. If you do both of these, and more, there’s a multiplying effect that will lead to an overall improvement in wellbeing.

In other words, one single initiative won’t make a difference – but through a multi-pronged approach to injury prevention and through better rehabilitation we’re helping to improve older people’s safety and wellbeing.

Liam Butler is a Nelson based Social Worker who also contributes to insitemagazine.co.nz by asking leaders in the health and disability sector their opinion on issues affecting New Zealand’s aged care and retirement sector

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