United Future
Since: Aug 2007
Posts: 314

Caring for Elderly

Posted in Discussion Forum at 02:04PM, 2 Nov 2011 ∞ Permalink

UnitedFuture has two key policies to keep older New Zealanders warmer and healthier. Both are about making New Zealand the kind of country it should be and make economic sense.

Subsidise the power bills of over-65s by $50 per month for the three coldest months of the year – June, July and August – so our seniors can afford to keep warm

A free ‘Warrant of Fitness’ annual health check for those over-65 to identify health problems and illness early

It is the decent thing to do in terms of how we treat the elderly in our country.
Times are tough, but if you cut too many corners you end up with a false economy – and a very harsh country.
Each winter, on average an extra 3000 people a month are hospitalised at a cost to taxpayers of about $880 a day, and a great many of those people are elderly – that adds up to about $243 million in extra hospital costs each winter... Read the full text of this article.

kiwicafe
Since: Nov 2011
Posts: 2

Posted at 02:04PM, 2 Nov 2011 ∞ Permalink

Seniors? Until today, I never considered myself a Senior. I am 68, recently diagnosed with MND, 5 years back in Aotearoa after 40 years of successful overseas experience. My partner, a teacher, just had a cancerous growth removed and I am looking at our future. It's a toughie. I paid into America Social Security at such a high rate that I was fully funded in a short period of time. The value of the NZ$ is killing me financially. At present I have no debt, I have now had to stop earning an income and am faced with huge bills for medical and health. I follow alternate therapies as there is no known cure for MND and I shudder at the de-powering of PHARMAC by overseas interests. I continue to be involved in community affairs but am beginning to pull back. So where do I turn? What is my future. I am still creatively active at my three disciplines of film, photography, writing and hope to publish soon. Who as in which political direction do I turn to find support?

DGN_AK
Since: Nov 2011
Posts: 5

Posted at 10:02PM, 2 Nov 2011 ∞ Permalink

Such hand-outs need to be means tested.

Grant Buchan
Since: Oct 2011
Posts: 4

Posted at 05:24PM, 29 Nov 2011 ∞ Permalink

DGN_AK in this case yes as i suspect that the power bills of the well off would be higher and a smaller percentage of that bill would be the heating targeted by this policy. however all too often means testing can just result in excess administration with many people simply using creative accounting to get around the means test whilst possibly excluding some who actually need the help due to some difference in their circumstances that pushes there 'means' up on paper but doesn't really translate into their actual ability to support themselves. additionally means testing can lead to people who make the effort to adapt to and improve their material circumstances being not significantly better off for it due to the withdrawal of the means tested welfare. now done well means testing may help keep the cost of social services down but many of the above factors eat away at this positive effect and my opinion is that it should be considered in combination with simplifying administration of social welfare along with serious consideration of how much we actually reduce costs by going to means testing.

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