Page 29 - IJPS-10-2

International Journal of
Population Studies Age-friendly cities and lifelong learning

action, status, and responsible agency. For example, under
the theme of Outdoor Spaces and Public Buildings, the main
goal is stated as follows:
The community has places to enjoy and be part of
outdoor activities that are accessible and where people
feel safe.
Action 1.4: Completion of Phase 2 of the Age-friendly
and Dementia Friendly Kaumātua Centre
Status: Enhance
Responsible Agency: Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable
Trust.
While the usage of key performance indicators
(KPIs) might be criticized for excessive monitoring and
surveillance, they do provide an indication of what has
been achieved and what is yet to be enacted.
One of the themes for the Age-Friendly Hamilton
Group, derivative of the WHO’s priorities, is that of
housing. From a broader perspective, as noted by Buffel
et al. (2022), the theme of housing is a more hardened
area for age-friendly entities to investigate. They remark
that “the argument is that doing ‘age-friendly’ work also
means recognizing and challenging the wider inequalities
and injustices which affect city life” (p. 157). Given current
economic stringency and continuing immigration into
New Zealand, the demand for housing has far exceeded
supply. For seniors in particular, especially those from
Figure 1. The overview of the Age-Friendly Hamilton Plan 2021 – 2024
Source. Hamilton City Council, (2021, p. 9). relatively deprived neighborhoods, the costs for either
home ownership or renting are very high with increasing
4.1. Achievements homelessness. In Hamilton city, there are a range of
providers (some national governmental, private agencies,
Hamilton was the first city in New Zealand to join the non-governmental organizations, etc.) but there is little overt
World Health Organization’s Global City network in 2018, co-operation across providers and the gaps in provision are
based primarily on a submission from the previous Group serious. Accordingly, the AFHG has secured the services
of the 2018 – 2021 Plan. It has been a flagship initiative. of senior tertiary education students to develop a plan for
Recently, visitors from the American Association for
Retired Persons (AARP) visited Hamilton in August 2022 ascertaining exactly who is providing what for whom in the
to view progress and discuss relevant issues. Hence, the social/senior housing market. We intend to seek further
Group is facing some understandable pressure for acting research assistance on a voluntary basis to gather more
as a leading agency of this type in this country. evidence in this thematic area of housing and in other
domains, but we lack the financial resources to do so.
The original plan was developed after considerable
consultation from varied community organizations 4.2. Challenges
throughout Hamilton. During 2020 (despite COVID-19), 4.2.1. Challenges in task-relationship dichotomy
there were open forums held and ongoing discussions
with agencies such as Age Concern, Rotary, churches, the For a newly formed AFHG, paying attention to both
Waikato Indian Senior Citizen’s Association, the University relationship building and task completion is critical, as
of the Third Age, and neighborhood houses. This needs indicated by group dynamics specialists (e.g., Johnson &
assessment exercise became the basis for changes to the Johnson, 1982). Unless individual members see a place
current Plan. However, needs analysis requires constant for their participation, their commitment may waver.
revisiting and subsequent action (Wacker et al., 1998). At present, we are revisiting the plan for updating and
A strength of the Plan is that for each of the nine themes, allocating responsibility for subgroups to concentrate on
there are clearly defined goals followed by three columns: elected themes and actions.

Volume 10 Issue 2 (2024) 23 https://doi.org/10.36922/ijps.380