Age Concern New Zealand welcomes the opportunity to comment on the He Ara Oranga wellbeing outcomes framework. We made an earlier submission on the 2020 Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcomes Framework and are impressed with the frameworks development since May 2020.
Covid-19 has placed additional strain on people’s mental health, internationally and in Aotearoa. New Zealand’s recent adjustment to alert levels for a second time has highlighted the emotional toll of this pandemic. It was an unsettling reminder of how quickly change can occur and how uncertain the near future may become.
Older adults have tackled numerous and various challenges throughout their lifetime, one being the Covid-19 pandemic. The older generation is resilient and they have many life experiences that equip them to handle difficult times. That said, we hope that the He Ara Oranga wellbeing outcomes framework can help guide services to support and assist older people to maintain mental health and positive wellbeing in their later years of life.