Age Concern delivers a wide range of health promoting programmes, events, and workshops to meet the needs and interests of older people, koroua and kuia. These programmes aim to support older people to remain independent and to make changes that will benefit their health and wellbeing. We want to see all older people live dignified, flourishing and purposeful lives, to be well and to be connected.
Some of our health promotion activities include falls prevention education, strength and balance classes, driver education, living without a car workshops, physical activity groups, and nutrition courses and workshops for seniors. Some Age Concerns offer wellbeing expos, activities to develop digital skills, housing workshops, sleep seminars and mindfulness/mental wellbeing sessions. Collectively, we enable older people to participate and stay healthy and connected in their community.
Enter your postcode below to contact your nearest Age Concern and to find
out what health promotion activities are available in your area.
Steady As You Go©
Age Concerns run many exercise programmes but the most widespread and popular programme is Steady As You Go©.
Steady As You Go© is a fun and social, strength and balance exercise programme for older adults. The exercises are gentle but progressively increase muscle mass and balance so you can live a longer and healthier life.
Steady As You Go© can increase:
-
Independence
- Balance and balance confidence
- Leg strength
- Flexibility
- Spatial awareness
- Wellbeing
- General fitness
- Social connections
- Tasks in everyday life
Steady As You Go© is an evidence-based programme, evaluated by University of Otago researchers. They found the classes improved physical function, reduced the risk of falls, were fun, improved sense of wellbeing and confidence and provided links with other people in the neighbourhood.
The classes are set up and led by a qualified Age Concern Steady As You Go© instructor for the first ten weeks and then classes continue with the help of trained peer leaders from within the group.
Across the country we have approximately 245 Steady As You Go© groups and over 4500 participants. To join a Steady As You Go© class, contact your local Age Concern.
Staying Safe: Refresher Courses for Older Drivers
What we are doing to keep older people safe on the roads
We drive on our roads every day. For many of us they are our lifeline – driving is a means of independence, social connection to family and friends and access to essential services.
Staying Safe: Refresher Courses for Older Drivers are run all over New Zealand by local Age Concerns to help keep them safe when using our roads.
The theory-based refresher course is an opportunity for participants to re-familiarise themselves with traffic rules and safe driving practices as well as increase their knowledge about other transport options available to help keep them mobile for as long as possible, whether behind the wheel or when they stop driving.
To see what impact we made we ask participants to tell us what they thought of the course and how well we did. We ask them to tell us a little bit about themselves so we can see who came along and if we are reaching a wide range of people. We also collect data on how many courses we delivered and where we delivered them to see if we are doing enough and covering all of New Zealand.
Past Reports
April - June 2023
January - March 2023
October - December 2022
To join a Staying Safe: Refresher Course for Older Drivers, contact your local Age Concern to see if they have a class in your area.
