Table of Contents

Newsletter July 2022

That was the year that wasn’t

Wellington Central Grey Power Association 2021-2022 Committee Annual Report

This report is from the Committee you elected at the last AGM on 24 April 2021.

You will recall that last year Daran Ponter spoke to us about the work of the Wellington Regional Council and announced that the bus strike was over. Do we think all the public transport problems have been fixed? With cancellations still happening our public transport woes are not over, but the reasons for them may be different. I dislike the excuse of COVID, but unfortunately if the bus driver is laid low they are not available to drive and our bus journey is at risk.

Over the last year, you could say we in Wellington Grey Power did very little compared with some Associations. Wellington is not run like many other associations, which have bigger and more active memberships, monthly social meetings, an office that is open specific hours and becomes involved in many local issues. I’m sure you’ll agree that Wellington doesn’t operate like a rural centre. We have an abundance of organisations and our members have a multitude of interests. We have a number of members who join purely so they can take advantage of Grey Power electricity, and do not have any interest in participating with the organisation. And we must remember that many of our members are elderly and not as mobile as they would like.

With Wellington South East Association we arranged two public meetings with our Federation President Jan Pentecost, but unfortunately both meetings had to be cancelled due to lockdowns or concerns about COVID.

We held a public meeting with the Hon Grant Robertson, the MP for Wellington Central and the Hon Ayesha Verrall, the Minister for Seniors. The meeting went well with lots of good information shared about elder abuse, vaccines. People who were not Grey Power members attended for the simple reason they had an opportunity to eye ball an MP, and we enjoyed their questions, which covered a multitude of topics.

We also held a public meeting with Nicola Willis, National List MP in Wellington Central. She held the housing portfolio at the time and made a topical presentation on the issue.

While we want to attract a good number of attendees, often a smaller number gives us the opportunity to talk with our speaker in a more intimate way, elicit more information and enable everyone’s questions to be addressed. We think those public meetings were successful.

We haven’t set out a programme for 2022-2023 for the simple reason that we’ve only just moved out of traffic light red. The number of positive COVID cases in the Wellington/Hutt Valley is still large enough to keep many of us away from larger groups even when we know that everyone is triple vaxxed. If you have a topic you would like us to cover please tell us – we look forward to hearing your views.

Many changes are happening at the Grey Power Federation. The Wellington Central Association would like to see a more strategic approach to the Federation’s work. With local body elections in October and the general election next year, we would like to hear from the Federation about four or five particular areas to focus on. Remember the initial success of the Grey Power movement was the removal of the superannuation surtax. The Federation appears to have more of a scattergun approach to issues, raised by Associations and public opinion. We would like to see the Federation being proactive in raising issues and setting the agenda, rather than being reactionary.

At the Federation Conference in Nelson 2021 David Cuthbert and I experienced the variety of approaches and thinking within the organisation. I believe we need a more cohesive approach. This year the conference is being held at the Brentwood Hotel in Wellington in July. Any member can attend as an observer.

For the Committee’s quarterly newsletters email is our preferred method of distribution. We still post a number of newsletters to those who do not have email or haven’t shared their email address with us. We understand that some people don’t enjoy reading online.

The Association has a relationship with Age Concern and with Presbyterian Support Services and attends their local AGMs.

Our financial position is healthy, but from the beginning of the 2023 financial year the Federation is increasing the capitation fee from $5 to $7.50 per member. We are not increasing our membership fee to cover that, and will use some of our reserves to cover the shortfall. We want to keep our membership fee low so as not to exclude any potential member.

Two members of your Committee are retiring. Caroline Hubbard has been on the Committee for many years and was Secretary for a number. Caroline has an excellent understanding of current local body and government policy, which was always helpful in any discussion. Terry Scoble is retiring for health reasons and we will miss his skills as Treasurer. Thank you very much to both Caroline and Terry for their extensive contributions.

The Committee is your committee. We are your representatives. And we are thin on the ground. We could have done better with succession planning, but there is nothing like starting today. If you would like to be our Secretary, Treasurer or Committee member you will be welcomed. The Committee meets at 1pm on the first Monday of the month at the Mt Victoria hub, or by Zoom when we’ve not been able to meet in person.

So, to our other Committee members, David Cuthbert our trusty Vice-President, Bruce McLachlan who has stepped into the Treasurer role, Owen Watson who prepares the newsletter and does a multitude of tasks, Elaine Scoble who has looked after membership and assisted Terry with Treasurer work, Cecil Duff who joined us last year and Vivienne de Wattigner who joined us part way through the year, thank you very much. We are a good team and if you join us you will enjoy working with us to advance Grey Power.

Colleen Singleton, President Wellington Central Grey Power Association 26 April 2022

Our new Committee is: President: Colleen Singleton president@greypowerwellington.org.nz; Secretary: vacant; Vice-President: David Cuthbert dbcc4211@gmail.com; Treasurer (temporary): Bruce McLachlan mclachlan.b@xtra.co.nz; Membership/Publications Owen Watson membership@greypowerwellington.org.nz

‘Children of Men’ is really happening

You may have heard Paul Spoonley on RNZ or at the U3A on the large decline of the birth rate in most of the developed world, and its implications for things like superannuation, health budgets and employment. One small bright spot is that it might make employers a bit more willing to take on older workers; this has been a persistent complaint of older jobseekers. Another upside is that it make the world a more peaceful place. Most wealthy countries have median ages of over 40, and middle-aged people don’t like starting fights. For a well-written piece on these themes see Ed West’s essay at https://bit.ly/3b8k6GG

On a mission for housing

We had an excellent pre-AGM speaker in Murray Edridge, CEO of Wellington City Mission. You may have passed by their recent project in Tory Street: it used to be the zebra-striped backpackers, now it’s transitional housing with two large wooden carvings guarding the entrance. It was being converted into a boutique hotel when the City Mission took it over, but they kept to the original design and room sizes.

He spoke of the Mission’s aim to treat all its clients with respect (even the difficult ones) and to walk beside them, rather than telling them what to do. He recently visited South America, where the well-off have high walls around their property and the poor were feared, and he hoped this would not happen here.

The supermarket they run in Newtown for their clients gives them the dignity of choice;. They are issued with points which they can spend on a wide range of groceries. They also run a pay what you can afford cafe, which is designed to encourage conversation as isolation is a frequent problem. The old men’s shelter in Taranaki Street is now being converted into transitional housing.

Their big new project is a building containing housing, meeting places, a cafe, and their supermarket, and it will be named Whakamaru (to shelter and protect). It is just off Adelaide Road, and they are fundraising for it now; if you want to know more contact Sharon on 022 059 4808.

Our next speaker

We’ve lined up a speaker from the Residential Villages Residents Association to give a resident’s perspective on moving into a residential village. Date, time and venue to be arranged.

Jobs jobs jobs

One bright spot on the current skill shortages is that employers are (gasp!) even looking at older workers. We have been contacted by several employers, the latest being the Wishbone group who are looking for help in their shops. If you are interested contact email wishboneHR@wishbone.co.nz

Hearing aids on the cheap?

Even with the state subsidies for hearing aids the prices can be eye-watering. One possible solution is to use a smartphone with an app to amplify the sound. Has anyone tried this? If so, please contact membership@greypowerwellington.org.nz

Membership cards

We are not sending out replacement cards when you renew your membership. However, if you have lost your card contact membership@greypowerwellington.org.nz and we’ll post out a replacement.

Grey Power policies

If you want to know where Grey Power stands on an issue, download this.

Membership fees for next year

At the AGM we decided to keep the fee at $30 for two people at the same address, and reduce the fee for one person to $20. We will send out subscription reminders early 2023.

Age Concern courses

Check out their Staying Safe driving courses at https://www.acwellington.org.nz/events/staying-safe/ . Their Tea and Tech courses (computer skills) have been postponed.

Five home upgrades worth doing

As people grow older, they often want to stay in their homes for as long as possible as home is where we feel most comfortable and safe. However, sometimes a home may need some modifications to make it more suitable for an elderly person’s needs and safety. Here are five home upgrades every senior should invest in so they can continue living in their houses for as long as possible!
Grab bars are excellent investments because they can provide extra support and stability when getting in and out of the bathtub or shower. This can help prevent falls. Seniors can also use them to help steady themselves when using the toilet.
Motion sensor lights This will help them see better when coming home at night and deter burglars. They can also help you save on your energy bill since they will only turn on when they detect movement. This will also reduce the chances of falls since you can see any obstacles in your path.
Ramps can make it much easier to get in and out of the house and can also be used for wheelchairs or scooters. You can also get portable ramps that can be easily moved around as needed.
Walk-in tubs have doors that open so that you can walk in, which can be easier than trying to get in and out of a traditional tub. They also come with various benefits, such as being easier on your joints, providing a relaxing experience, and self-cleaning features.
Non-slip flooring can help prevent falls, and it will also make it easier to get around the house. You can install non-slip flooring in any room, but it is crucial in the bathroom and kitchen, where there is a lot of water.

These are just a few of the many home upgrades that seniors can benefit from. If you or someone you know is getting older, keep these in mind! They can make a big difference in someone’s life.

by David Clark, CEO at Basement Guides
I have several years of experience in basement-related problems and home safety. I’ve written and published many resources and guides related to senior home safety, grants, and home modifications. I’m currently working to spread the word about senior home safety and health through resourceful guides and articles.