Napier first for global age-friendly survey

Published: 6 May 2024

Last Updated: 13 May 2024

Older people in Napier are the first in New Zealand to participate in a survey measuring a city’s age-friendliness.

The survey, launched today and open until early June, has been developed by The Hague University, Netherlands. The survey has been designed to find out from older people themselves how they perceive the age-friendliness of their city or community.

In rolling out the survey, Napier City Council is being supported by the Office for Seniors, which is the Government’s primary advisor on issues affecting older people, The Hague University and Te Pūkenga.

Councillor Greg Mawson, who holds the Positive Ageing portfolio for Napier City Council, explains the survey is a valuable opportunity to see how a significant proportion of Napier residents feel about their community.

“Enabling places and spaces for everyone is our Council vision and we are working hard on making sure our city is safe and welcoming and easy to get around. Important to that is hearing from our residents, in this case our older population who are a treasured part of our community,” Councillor Mawson says.

“’Living well, ageing well’ is the vision of Napier’s Positive Ageing Strategy, which was developed alongside the community. The feedback from the survey - a snapshot of life in Napier in 2024 - is one way we can hold to that vision of Napier as a place our older community members want to live in,” he says.

Napier became the sixth New Zealand city to become a member of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Network for Age-friendly Cities and Communities last September. The survey findings will help develop a better picture of what it means, in practice, to be age-friendly.

The findings of the survey will help guide the implementation of Napier’s Positive Ageing Strategy action plan.

By 2038, 31% of Napier’s population is expected to be aged 65 and over, compared to 23% nationally.

Survey participants will be asked to provide general information about the physical and social environment in which they live. The survey covers the eight domains of the WHO Age-friendly Cities model: housing, social participation, respect and social inclusion, civic participation and employment, communication and information, community support and health services, outdoor spaces and buildings, and transport.

To participate, complete the online survey here. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Napier and Taradale libraries and Napier City Council Customer Service Centre.

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