PensionReforms' summary and comments
This report is from the Population Studies Centre at the University of Waikato and the Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit.  The report comprises a number of chapters from the named authors and is edited by two of them.

New Zealand has an ageing population though the median age of its population is less than in some equivalent countries.  In the mid-2000s, New Zealand's was 35.9 years whereas in the UK France and Canada it was 39 and in Germany and Japan it was 42 and 43 years respectively.

"Ageing is a critical driver of the demographic changes taking place in New Zealand over the next decades. From 2011, the post-war baby boomers begin to move into the 65+ age group in large numbers. Projections from Statistics New Zealand (middle series) indicate that 100,000 people aged 65+ will be added to the population every 5 years from 2011 to 2036.

"The largest increase is expected to take place in the decade 2021 to 2031, when an extra 276,000 people are projected to move into this older age group."

By 2051, the median age will rise from "...36 years at present to 46 years in 2051, and the percentage of those aged 65+ will increase from 12 percent to 26 percent in 2051." 

The report investigated "...the level of wellbeing of older people, and the determinants of that wellbeing. As well, the research investigated possible ways of improving the wellbeing of older people, through providing robust evidence from a substantial national random sample of older New Zealanders."

The definition of "wellbeing"... "involves people both experiencing a sense of satisfaction with life, and acquiring appropriate capabilities to achieve a good quality of life."  The report collected subjective and objective data across the following "domains":
Leisure and recreation, health, education, living arrangements, work and retirement, safety, economic and standard of living, social connectedness, rights and entitlements and finally, culture and religion.

"From the survey of 1,680 people aged 65-84 years in 2007 [a telephone survey with a response rate of 36.4%], the results suggest that most feel satisfied with their life (87.8%), and this high level of subjective wellbeing, is associated with the following social and economic indicators: 
                        - Good health: mental and physical 
                        - A higher personal income 
                        - Living with a partner or with others 
                        - Home ownership 
                        - Participation in leisure and recreational activities 
                        - Participation in community organisations 
                        - Access to amenities like shops and public transport 
                        - Not having long periods outside the workforce during their working lives 
                        - Not being forced into retirement 
                        - Not going without essential items and services 
                        - Considering religious faith to be important 
                        - An expectation that their rights and entitlements to financial security, family support and access to health and residential care will be fulfilled."

There were not too many surprises in the results, apart perhaps from the very high overall satisfaction levels (88%).  For example, "... [m]en reported a significantly greater sense of wellbeing than women.  People who were married or lived with a partner reported a greater sense of wellbeing than people living alone.  It is likely that the higher levels of wellbeing for men were because they tended to die earlier than women, while still living in a marriage or partnership.  The greater longevity of women meant that they were more likely to be widowed."

The policy implications of the survey's findings again did not contain too many surprises:
"Policy will need to increasingly take into account [the demonstrated] diversity among older people, and recognise that, for the 65 plus group, there is a considerable range of capabilities and needs."

Again, on 'community' aspects:
"Policy at the government and community level should ensure that older people, regardless of gender, have easy access to transport, community organisations, and well resourced home based services. Such a strategy would also ensure that women have other means of social support when (and if) they later live by themselves. It is also important that policy settings ensure that women, who have lower incomes than men and yet live longer than them, are not precluded from playing a full part in society when they age."

The report suggests that public policy might have a role in housing:
"Policy could encourage different housing arrangements that increase neighbourhood and community contact. These could range from units with shared facilities to housing development planning that enhances neighbourhood contact. Such living arrangements could also allow for greater community participation."

The report asked respondents what, specifically they needed to "age in place" - in other words, continue to live in their own home, as opposed to some form of 'sheltered' accommodation:
"The responses showed that almost all of the older people (97.5%) could identify what would enable them remain in their own home.  The most important aspects to allow them to "age in- place" included (in order of importance): 
                        - their own or their spouse's good health 
                        - having family and friends close by living in a desirable neighbourhood 
                        - having easy access to transport 
                        - reasonable rent or maintenance." 

Unsurprisingly, the report found that "...older people experience greater levels of wellbeing when they are able to pursue their interests, participate with others and have access to a range of activities beyond their home."

PensionReforms notes that the survey's findings parallel other New Zealand work on the wellbeing of its older citizens - see here and here.  Together, they paint a reasonably positive picture of the social and economic well-being of New Zealand's older citizens.

Clearly, the significant role of New Zealand's relatively generous Tier 1 pension ("New Zealand Superannuation") and the high proportions of mortgage-free, home ownership amongst the retired contribute to both earlier findings as well as to this report's conclusions (as noted by the report itself).  Only 8% of the survey's respondents lived in rented accommodation and only 7% of owners reported a mortgage.

The report provides useful background information on what older New Zealanders are thinking about.  Much is as might be expected though the data were gathered before the global economic crisis.  That might be expected to add a new "social and economic indicator" to the list of potential measures. (File size 3.8 MB; 234 pp)  330