The Western Bay's older residents are being encouraged to have their say on helping make Tauranga New Zealand's first official age-friendly city.

The multi-agency project, led by the Tauranga Council, aims to make the city an easy place for older residents (officially deemed as 65+).

Project manager Rochelle Friend says the initiative, based on a World Health Organisation push, would build on the positive aging strategy introduced 10 years ago.

'It's about making things as accessible for the older people as everyone else, and with Tauranga's high older population it's important to ensure the city is as age-friendly as possible. It's all about older people's wellbeing.”

Rochelle says the focus is on enabling people to 'age actively' by enjoying good health, continuing to participate fully in society and live in security and independently in their own home as long as possible.

Community workshops are being held throughout the city throughout the next fortnight to hear what older people want changed, and what they would like more of – with plans to have a recommended strategy by June.

Rochelle is uncertain what the issues would be, but says pre-consultation with people living in elderly housing had shown some places were better for older people than others. She says the differences were often due to the ability to modify homes for older people's needs so they could live at home longer and still have access to services in the community.

Tauranga is the first New Zealand country working on the initiative but Rochelle was unsure how long it would take to achieve.

'Some things will take longer than others, but there are some issues we will be able to do pretty quickly, such as incorporating the positive age-friendly images Ross Brown has taken for us to help promote the right message.”

Photographer Ross Brown, who has taken a series of images of older people living active lives for free, says it was great to be part of such a positive community project.

A series of 10am-12pm workshops will be held throughout the city on Thursday, January 31 (Tauranga Senior Citizens Club, Norris St), February 1 (Arataki Community Centre, Zambuk Way), February 5 (Saint Columba Church, Otumoetai Rd), February 7 (Tauranga RSA, Cameron Rd, Greerton), February 8 (Papamoa Community Centre, Gravatt Rd), February 12 (Bethlehem College Performing Arts Centre) and February 14 (Lighthouse Church on the Hill, Welcome Bay Rd).

For more details contact Rochelle on 577 7244.