Around $1.5billion is spent on looking after the elderly in New Zealand a year.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew visited Bethlehem Views Retirement Village to see the developments aged care living facilities have made in Tauranga.

Rita Frew on her 92nd birthday receives a visit from Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew, Tauranga MP Simon Bridges and Sanderson Group owner Fraser Sanderson.

Kitchen manager Jude Eades shows Simon around the kitchen.

'New Zealanders are living longer and healthier.

'What we are finding is that there are larger numbers in using the over 85 population who are requiring some form of care.”

Jo was invited to Tauranga by Tauranga MP Simon Bridges to see the development in Bethlehem.

'He told me they (the Sanderson Group which owns Bethlehem Views Retirement Village) are responding to the demand of additional beds.

'Since 2008 in terms of aged residential care we are up $192million. In total now, in terms of how much we are actually spending on older New Zealanders and their care, I think it's about $1.5billion a year.”
She says it is growing but it is keeping pace with the numbers.

'While times are really tight, we have invested additional money into dementia care because that is where the biggest investment gap was.

'That has certainly worked, because since doing that about three years ago the numbers of dementia care beds have increased by 24 per cent.”
Jo says there are no longer have the waiting list for dementia care beds closest to home.

'Times are still tight and we are trying to work smart and get dementia care pathways improved.”

Jo is working on a number of initiatives which can help the elderly remain an integral part of the community.

'Health is often the issue, but it's not just health. I think our aging in place strategy is wonderful but it has created a bit of a side effect in terms of social isolation.

'In some cases people can get very isolated in their own home. They are there because we help them to remain there but it may be that they are no longer mobile to get out and about.”
With her senior citizens hat, she is trying to address social isolation as well.

'The idea that I had, which came from an elderly neighbour of mine who was socially isolated because of lack of mobility, but the way she stayed in touch was the people she knew who visited her she asked them to give her small jobs to do.

'So she rolled calendars for the local pharmacist and she rang people for me to remind them about meetings. She was able to reach out and remain in a voluntary roll in the community.”