NZACA in the news
07 March: New Zealand Herald: Aged Care Commissioner calls for free hearing aids to ward off dementia
Summary: The Aged Care Association highlights a major report by the Aged Care Commissioner, which underscores urgent issues: rising dementia rates, staff shortages in aged care facilities, and a need for free hearing aids. The Association reports a drastic drop in average earnings per bed day, from $23.82 to $3.94 in five years.
23 February: The Press: Caregivers facing job cuts and reduced hours
Summary: The Aged Care Association highlights that financial struggles across the sector are worsening, with many facilities operating at a loss. This issue exacerbates staffing shortages and care quality. Liz Robinson stresses that underfunding and outdated facilities contribute to the difficulties faced by caregivers and facilities alike.
17 February: Otago Daily Times: Aged-care funding needed: association
Summary: The Aged Care Association urges the new government to act urgently as the bed-to-population ratio is expected to decline sharply. Hendry criticizes previous governments for their inaction in addressing the increasing demand from a rapidly ageing population.
07 January: Newsroom: Hope new Govt will make good on dementia care pledge
Summary: The Aged Care Association supports the coalition Government’s pledge to address dementia care needs. With a significant shortfall in dedicated dementia beds and underfunded services, urgent action is required. We hope the new government will fulfill its commitment and provide the necessary funding to improve dementia care nationwide.
2023
16 December: Newsroom: Long-suffering Reefton urged to wrest rest home
Summary: Reefton’s Ziman House rest home, closed for nearly two years, faces challenges in reopening due to staffing shortages and funding issues. The Aged Care Association supports exploring community-led solutions, highlighting the broader sector’s struggles with underfunding and staffing, which impact many aged-care facilities across New Zealand.
15 December: Stuff: Lack of dementia care causing harm
Summary: Severe dementia care shortages in Southland are causing serious harm to vulnerable patients, reflecting a nationwide crisis with insufficient beds, staff, and resources. The strain on families and the health system is worsening, highlighting the urgent need for government action and increased funding.
14 November: The Post: Aged care on its knees as Wellington hit by bed shortages
Summary: The Aged Care Association warns of a looming crisis as Wellington faces a severe bed shortage, with 200 beds lost since last year. Without urgent leadership and investment, New Zealand’s aged care system is at risk of collapse, leaving many elderly without affordable care options.
9 November: Otago Daily Times: Aged-care system warning
Summary: The aged care sector in the South is in crisis, with declining profitability, bed closures, and an impending shortage of nearly double the current beds by 2041. The current funding model is unsustainable, risking a two-tier system that leaves many unable to afford necessary care.
26 October: BayBuzz: Fewer aged care beds likely in HB
Summary: A new report reveals that aged care providers in Hawke’s Bay are losing an average of $10.20 per resident daily, while demand for beds rises sharply. The Aged Care Association urges local councils and MPs to support increased government funding to prevent further bed closures and ensure adequate care for the region’s growing elderly population.
19 October: Stuff: Aged care providers losing up to $15, per resident, a day
Summary: Providers are losing up to $15 per resident daily due to rising costs and staffing shortages, leading to bed closures and disrupted care for seniors. The Aged Care Association highlights this issue, stressing that without additional funding and support, the sector’s sustainability and quality of care are at risk.
06 October: RNZ: Pay equity deal for care and support workers delayed by review
Summary: The Aged Care Association is outraged by Te Whatu Ora’s latest review of the pay equity claim for care and support workers. This review, coming after extensive negotiations, is seen as a delay tactic that threatens fair pay for over 65,000 vulnerable workers. Immediate action is needed before the current legislation expires in December.
06 October: Newstalk ZB: Aged care workers call foul as pay equity claim is halted
Summary: Te Whatu Ora’s last-minute review of the pay equity claim for care workers has dismayed the Aged Care Association. With costs higher than expected, the delay impacts the sector’s most vulnerable and low-paid workers. The review is seen as a tactic to reduce costs, despite agreements nearing finalization.
06 October: RNZ: Aged Care Association dismayed by pay equity claim review
Summary: Te Whatu Ora’s latest delay on the pay equity claim for care and support workers has deeply frustrated the Aged Care Association. Representing over 90% of sector workers, we view this review as an unjustified setback for vulnerable workers who urgently need pay parity. Immediate action is crucial.
22 September: Newsroom: The major health crisis ignored by election campaigns
Summary: Disappointment surrounds the 2023 election as aged care issues are overlooked by major parties. Despite the sector’s critical role and urgent funding needs, neither Labour nor National has addressed aged care in their platforms. The sector is grappling with severe bed shortages and staffing crises amid political neglect.
14 September: RNZ: Rest home closes suddenly, leaving families scrambling
Summary: The Aged Care Association is concerned about the closure of Mary Doyle Rest Home’s Nimon House, which has left families scrambling for alternative care. This highlights the critical need for increased investment in aged care. The sector faces severe staffing shortages and infrastructure challenges that demand immediate government action.
03 September: Herald on Sunday: Rest homes charge up to $100 extra a day
Summary: The Aged Care Association acknowledges that up to 70% of facilities charge extra for premium rooms, ranging from $10 to $100 per day, due to inadequate government funding. This shortfall is leading to more premium charges as facilities strive to meet modern care standards and address growing demands.
01 September: TVNZ: Man with osteoarthritis in every joint forced to leave rest home
Summary: The Aged Care Association warns of a worsening crisis as providers like the Mary Doyle Care Centre in Hawke’s Bay cut beds due to staffing issues. With 13,000 more beds needed by 2030, Katherine Rich emphasizes the impact of chronic underfunding and the urgent need for increased government support.
31 August: TVNZ Bulletin
Summary: The Aged Care Association reports a worsening crisis in aged care, with providers closing and cutting beds. Katherine Rich highlights that 1,000 beds were lost in the past year and warns of more closures. The sector needs 13,000 additional beds by 2030. Finding new accommodation for displaced residents is increasingly difficult.
24 August: NZ Herald: Bay of Plenty Hospitals: Five wards over capacity for more than 100 days in 2022; nurses forego taking breaks
Summary: The Aged Care Association links national hospital ward overcrowding to underfunding in aged care. Katherine Rich highlights that frequent overflow and long waits in emergency departments and elective surgeries reflect a broader crisis, exacerbated by inadequate funding for aged care facilities.
23 August: Newstalk ZB: Katherine Rich: Aged Care Association chief executive concerned about the future needs of New Zealand’s aging population
Summary: The Aged Care Association warns of an imminent shortfall in aged care beds, with a need for an additional 13,500 by 2030. Despite demand for retirement village units being addressed, the lack of government plans and loss-making contracts are leading to closures and insufficient new bed construction.
22 August: NZ Herald: Rotorua Hospital: Three wards over capacity for more than 100 days in 2022; nurses forego taking breaks
Summary: The Aged Care Association highlights that Rotorua Hospital’s capacity issues, exacerbated by a shortage of aged care beds, underscore the need for better funding and support. Chronic underfunding and staff shortages force hospitals to manage overflow, impacting patient care and stressing the entire health system.
19 August: Hawke’s Bay Today: No nurses force 22 residents to move
Summary: The closure of Havelock North’s Nimon House, affecting 22 residents, underscores New Zealand’s aged care crisis. Due to severe nurse shortages and funding issues, Arvida gave only three weeks’ notice. The Aged Care Association cites this as a symptom of broader sector challenges, including chronic underfunding and staff shortages.
11 August: RNZ: Aged care crisis looms as providers close up
Summary: New Zealand faces a looming aged care crisis, with a projected shortage of tens of thousands of beds by 2040. The Aged Care Association estimates only 33,000 beds will be available, while 78,000 are needed. The closure of 21 facilities and 136 patients awaiting care highlight the urgent need for revised funding and support.
08 August: StopPress: Aged care crisis highlighted in new campaign via Chemistry and Anthem
Summary: The Aged Care Association’s new campaign, developed with Chemistry and Anthem, exposes the dire future of aged care in New Zealand. Highlighting the impact of a failing funding system and rising elderly population, the ‘Domino Effect’ campaign aims to prompt government action by showcasing the growing crisis and its potential effects on the country.
08 August: NZ Herald: Call for all older people to have power of attorney set up before move to rest home care
Summary: The Aged Care Association supports a legal requirement for enduring powers of attorney (EPOA) before rest home admission to avoid delays and financial risks. However, the Association acknowledges the challenges, including costs and administrative burdens. They advocate for addressing these issues while considering alternatives to immediate EPOA requirements.
07 August: Newstalk ZB: Katherine Rich: Interim CEO of the Aged Care Association on the aged care crisis and The Domino Effect campaign
Summary: The Aged Care Association’s campaign, ‘The Domino Effect,’ highlights New Zealand’s aged care crisis. Chronic underfunding and rising costs, coupled with a shortage of 1200 registered nurses, have led to over 1000 permanent bed closures and temporary closures of 1200 beds. The Association calls for urgent government action.
07 August: Duncan Garner podcast: The cold, hard truth: unmasking New Zealand’s aged care crisis
Summary: Katherine Rich, interim CEO of the Aged Care Association, exposes the severe crisis in New Zealand’s aged care sector. Highlighting a critical shortage of beds and rising costs, Rich underscores the lack of planning and inadequate government funding. This discussion calls attention to urgent issues affecting the elderly population.
07 August: Stuff: A chance to talk with the Aged Care Commissioner
Summary: The ACA expresses hopes the new Aged Care commissioner will be a voice for a sector that has a severe nursing shortage made worse since Covid-19 closed borders and increased competition for nurses domestically, with much higher pay offered at DHBs because of what the association says is significant competition.
05 August: Stuff: Caregivers in tears before their shifts start
Summary: Caregivers in Southland face severe understaffing, leading to high stress and insufficient care. With ratios as extreme as two staff to 27 residents and 969 beds closed nationwide, our sector is under crisis. Immediate action is needed to address funding and staffing shortages to support both caregivers and residents.
02 August: The Platform: Katherine Rich on New Zealand’s residential aged care challenges
Summary: Katherine Rich of the Aged Care Association NZ highlights a critical shortfall in aged care beds projected through 2040, with a need for 80,000 beds against an anticipated 33,000. The sector faces worsening conditions due to inadequate government planning, a shift towards larger operators, and increased pressure on hospitals.
29 July: Stuff: Lack of aged care planning ‘unconscionable’, aged care boss says
Summary: Katherine Rich, interim CEO of the New Zealand Aged Care Association, criticizes the lack of planning by Te Whatu Ora for the increasing demand in aged care. She highlights the severe shortage of beds and funding issues, urging for sustainable investment to prevent further facility closures and address the growing demand.
09 July: BayBuzz: A nursing crisis in Hawke’s Bay and no cavalry to the rescue
Summary: Highlights significant nursing shortages in Hawke’s Bay, including 50-60 vacancies in aged care facilities. Greg Pritchard, the association’s representative, notes ongoing recruitment challenges exacerbated by better conditions offered by other medical centers, stressing the need for improved support for aged care staffing.
04 July: Newsroom: Te Whatu Ora ‘deliberately underfunding us’, industry group claims
Summary: Aged care providers accuse Te Whatu Ora of underfunding them after a $4bn pay equity offer for public sector nurses. This increase exacerbates the pay disparity, making it difficult for aged care to retain nurses, despite the sector’s crucial role and existing funding challenges.
07 June: NZ Herald: Aged care crisis: Are we doing enough to take care of our elderly?
Summary: Aotearoa’s aging population is overwhelming already strained and understaffed aged care facilities, leading to serious care issues. Despite some recent improvements, significant challenges remain in staffing and care quality.
03 May: Newsroom: IRD applies to liquidate large aged care provider
Summary: Sound Care Group, managing nearly 300 beds across six rest homes, faces insolvency as it contends with staff shortages and funding issues. Last year, the sector lost 1,200 beds, exacerbating pressure on the public health system. The Government’s funding model and pay disparities continue to impact the sector’s stability.
01 May: NZ Doctor: Loan repayment, bonding scheme for nurses – National
Summary: The National Party’s proposed student loan repayment scheme for nurses and midwives, which includes a five-year work bond, aims to address the health system’s crisis. The Aged Care Association supports the policy, highlighting its potential to boost nurse recruitment in the aged care sector.
01 May: RNZ: Elderly patients stuck in hospital beds with no place to go
Summary: Over 130 elderly patients are stuck in hospitals due to a lack of available rest home beds caused by staff shortages. This situation is exacerbating hospital overcrowding and delaying elective surgeries. The aged care sector faces severe staffing and bed capacity issues, impacting patient care and hospital operations.
01 May: RNZ: shortage of rest home beds putting pressure on health system, providers say
Summary: Aged care providers warn that the shortage of rest home beds is causing longer wait times for elective surgery and overcrowded emergency departments. With 1200 beds closed and 138 patients waiting to be transferred, the sector is under severe strain.
30 April: RNZ: National’s health policy: Bonding scheme for nurses and midwives
Summary: National’s health policy proposes a bonding scheme for nurses and midwives, covering $4500 of student loans for a five-year commitment. It also offers relocation support for overseas recruits. The Aged Care Association supports the policy but the Nurses’ Organisation calls for more support for current students.
29 April: RNZ: Aged Care Association calls for overhaul to safeguard older people
Summary: Aged Care Commissioner Carolyn Cooper calls for a full review of New Zealand’s health system, highlighting significant gaps impacting the elderly. With 4795 safety notifications from care homes and about 1200 closed beds due to shortages, she emphasizes the need for improved primary care, acute care, and workforce planning to ensure adequate support for older people.
18 April: NZ Doctor: Backlash at Te Whatu Ora reuqest to survey practices on nurses’ pay
Summary: Te Whatu Ora’s proposed survey on nurse pay faced backlash for requesting sensitive data. General practice leaders criticized the survey, while the ACA noted that the $200 million fund is inadequate and called for full pay parity to prevent additional strain on aged care facilities.
18 April: NZ Herald: Northland healthcare short at least 300 nurses
Summary: Northland faces a severe nursing shortage, with an estimated 300 more nurses needed. Despite interim pay increases, issues with pay equity and staffing persist, impacting both public healthcare and aged care facilities. Advocates call for urgent improvements to address these shortages and disparities.
01 April: NewstalkZB: Rest home complaints reveal staff shortages, alleged neglect
Summary: Investigations into aged care facilities have revealed significant issues, including staff shortages, alleged neglect, and inadequate facilities. Complaints include residents being left soiled and lacking essential services like hot water. The sector’s staffing crisis has led to facility closures and overflow in public hospitals, exacerbating the problem.
29 March: NZ Doctor: Nurses’ pay is a glass half empty: Resthomes run deficits to pay nurses more, say funding is short
Summary: Aged care facilities are facing financial strain after raising nurse pay rates to prevent losing staff to public hospitals. The sector’s leadership criticized the government’s “pay disparities” fund for not adequately addressing the growing pay gap between aged care nurses and those in public hospitals, resulting in significant deficits.
13 March: Newsroom: Care funding crises hit both ends of life
Summary: Early childcare education (ECE) and aged residential care providers struggle with rising wage costs due to insufficient government subsidies. Both sectors face challenges with funding models, impacting care quality and financial viability. Pay parity issues and underfunding lead to staff shortages and service disruptions, particularly affecting smaller providers.
13 March: Newstalk ZB: Aged Care Association CE on the continued lack of pay parity
Summary: Despite a promise for pay parity in November, aged care nurses continue to earn up to $20,000 less than public hospital nurses. Te Whatu Ora’s funding has been insufficient, causing frustration and leading to further service disruptions and bed closures, says ACA CE, Simon Wallace.
09 March: NZ Doctor: Pay ‘bump’ omits primary care, hospitals poaching practice nurses
Summary: The NZ Aged Care Association urges the government to address significant pay disparities, noting that the allocated $20.1 million is insufficient compared to the needed $46 million. The sector struggles with over 1,000 vacancies and 1,200 closed beds, exacerbating pressure on hospitals.
08 March: TVNZ: Nurses to minister: ‘I don’t think we can carry on much longer’
Summary: Health Minister Ayesha Verrall addressed issues in the nursing sector, including staff shortages and pay disparities. Despite recent pay rises, senior nurses feel undervalued, and the aged care sector is critically short of 1,000 nurses.
06 March: RNZ: Virtual nursing – the answer to staff shortages or a short cut?
Summary: An RNZ interview on the Aged Care Association’s role in overseeing the pilot of virtual nursing services and the associated expansion to nearly 40 facilities. The discussion also included concerns about the impact on caregiver workloads and care quality.
17 February – RNZ: Cyclone Gabrielle: Care for the elderly
Summary: ACA CE Simon Wallace highlights ongoing issues in aged care facilities due to power outages and supply shortages. While most residents have returned to their homes, some in Wairoa are still housed at a local marae. The sector is dealing with staffing shortages and critical supply needs.
02 February – Newshub: Weather: Why the South Island’s heatwave is bad news for some
Summary: The South Island’s heatwave, with temperatures over 30°C, poses health risks for the elderly and increases fire dangers.
02 February – Otago Daily Times: Cutting beds ‘short-sighted’
Summary: Criticizing the decision to cut 12 psychogeriatric beds from the new Dunedin hospital, calling it “incredibly short-sighted” given the rapidly aging population. Presbyterian Support Otago highlights that New Zealand will need over 38,000 additional aged-care beds by 2042, including for intensive care. As of June 2022, there were 94,100 people over 85 in New Zealand, underscoring the urgent need for more comprehensive care facilities.
30 January – NZ Herald: Aged-care Crisis: The soaring costs hitting Kiwi families
Summary: This article highlights the significant funding shortfall in New Zealand’s aged care sector, revealing that despite recent funding increases, the sector remains underfunded by approximately $425 million. Rising costs and increased demand for care have exacerbated the crisis, impacting families and facilities across the country.
28 January – The Listener: An age-old problem
Summary: This article explores the increasing complexity of care needs in New Zealand’s aged care sector and the funding shortfall that fails to meet these demands. Rising costs and staff shortages have led to the closure of approximately 1,100 beds, exacerbating the sector’s challenges.
2022
28 November
TVNZ – Health worker pay parity celebrated by Aged Care Association
RNZ – Aged Care Association on pay bump for staff
Rotorua Now – Health staff set to get a pay increase
14 November
NZ Herald – Samantha Heath: Aged care in critical need (paywall)
13 November
Sunday Star Times – ‘Exhausted and demoralised’: Healthcare workers plead for help amid burnout crisis
10 November
Newshub – Aged care organisation behind elderly Jacinda Ardern billboard pleads for urgent change
NZ Herald – Billboards show aged versions of Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson to highlight care sector crisis
BusinessDesk – Aged-care ginger group gets personal with politicians
NewstalkZB – Dr Chris Gallavin: The aged care sector is on the brink of collapsing
2 November
1News – Reporter Simon Mercep on the closure of Mercy Parklands | Watch here
22 October
Newshub – Age Care Association chief executive Simon Wallace told Newshub he’d “rather close beds than compromise the quality of care” | Watch here
14 October
BayBuzz – NZACA Hawkes Bay representative Greg Pritchard talks to BayBuzz about the issues facing the aged residential sector in the region | Listen here
10 October
RNZ – Simon Wallace speaks with Finn Blackwell about the effects of the nationwide nursing shortages | Listen here
4 October
RNZ – Simon Wallace speaks with The Panel to discuss nursing shortage | Listen here
Newstalk ZB – Kerre Woodham: Where are we going to get these aged care workers we desperately need? | Listen here
Newsroom – In aged care crisis, the grass is always greener on the other side of The Ditch | View here
NZ Herald – Aged care crisis: Elderly languishing in hospitals as 1200 nurses sought, 940 beds closed | View here
Newstalk ZB – Aged care sector having to turn away new residents amid nursing shortage | Listen here
28 September
One News – Next Cenus date announced with new measures after poor 2018 turnout | View here
21 September
RNZ – Simon Wallace speaks with The Panel on whether or not the Return to Nursing Workforce Support Fund has been successful | View here
19 September
Newstalk ZB – NZ Aged Care Association chief executive on aged care labour shortage | View here
17 September
Stuff – Aged care sector desperate for nurses to fill shifts | View here
13 September
Newshub – Several Aucklanders say it’s ‘about time’ most COVID-19 rules scrapped | View here
RNZ – Covid-19 rules mostly scrapped – will masks be missed? | View here
8 September
Stuff – Upper Hutt rest home will stay open after deal with aged-care provider | View here
7 September
Voxy – Taranaki care home bed vacancy updates now available in Taranaki via Eldernet | View here
29 August
Newstalk ZB – Mike’s Minute: When will this Govt actually accept accountability | View here
Otago Daily Times – ‘Imminent system failure’: Aged-care system on verge of collapse | View here
25 August
Radio NZ – Migrant nurses discouraged by immigration settings – National Party | Listen here
Newshub – National accuses Government of ignoring bleak warning that aged care sector will fail if staff shortages aren’t addressed | Watch here
22 August
One News – Lower migrants pay ‘a positive policy’ – Immigration Minister | View here
Newshub – Nursing, aged-care sectors say Government’s temporary changes to relieve workforce shortages will have little impact | Watch here
Radio NZ – Simon Wallace discusses immigration changes with Susie Ferguson | Listen here
Newstalk ZB – Simon Wallace talks to Kate Hawkesby: Govt has missed an opportunity to address nurse shortage | Listen here
18 August
Stuff – Upper Hutt rest home closure ‘catastrophic for the community’ | View here
Newshub – One of New Zealand’s largest rest homes shuts due to nurse shortage, warnings more closures to come | Watch here
Newstalk ZB – CO-CEO Dr Chris Gallivan: St Joseph’s elder care facility closing due to staff shortages | Listen here
Stuff – Staff shortages force closure of Upper Hutt nursing home after almost 100 years in operation | View here
17 August
Stuff – Aged Care Commissioner calls for ‘urgent intervention’ on workforce issues | View here
15 August
Today FM – Lloyd Burr talks to the Aged Care Commissioner Carolyn Cooper | View here
11 August
NZ Herald – Far North aged care sector continues to struggle with demand | View here
4 August
Stuff – Half of Canterbury’s aged care homes reporting unsafe staffing levels | View here
Stuff – Rotary volunteers helping a Covid-hit retirement village raises alarm | View here
3 August
DHBs weren’t consulted about fast track residencies | Listen here
Otago Daily Times – Aged-care projections queried by provider | View here
2 August
Business Desk – Healthcare workforce boost welcomed but ‘show us the money!’ say employers | View here
1 August
NZACA media release – Aged care sector welcomes health recruitment service View here
Scoop press release – The Perfect Storm: Health And Housing Crisis Will See More New Zealanders Struggle To Access Aged Care Services | View here
Stuff – Report calls for review of ‘underfunded’ aged care sector | View here
Newshub – Aged care in crisis as sector loses 1000 beds in six months due to staffing issues | View here
28 July
The Detail – The rest home nursing crisis that will only get worse | View here
27 July
Stuff – Elderly left in their beds until after lunch as care shortage worsens | View here
22 July
Today FM – Lloyd Burr talks to Simon Wallace about the NZACA petition | View here
Radio NZ – ’24 hours shifts’ – Aged Care sector staff shortages at crisis point | View here
18 July
Business Desk – It’s time govt got out of the corner on migrant nurses | View here
14 July
Otago Daily Times – Covid impacting aged-care facilities | View here
13 July
Radio NZ – Warick Dunn on The Panel | Listen here (from 03:00)
12 July
Newshub – Andrew Little refuses to call buckling health system ‘crisis’ as figures reveal big jump in reports of understaffing causing safety risks | View here
8 July
Stuff – Long waits for frail Kiwis to access aged care will ‘collapse the health system’ | View here
6 July
Stuff – Opinion, Simon Wallace: After years of neglect, aged care sector is under threat | View here
Stuff – Covid-19: Almost 1000 rest home beds out of action, nurses working ’24 hours straight’ | View here
5 July
Newstalk ZB – New report shows lack of funding for aged care patients | Listen here
RNZ – People entering rest homes with hospital-level needs – report | Listen here
RNZ – Postcode lottery for aged care admittance – research | View here
29 June
RNZ – Nurses at Wellington Hospital ‘burnt out’ as patient numbers climb | View here
19 June
Q+A – NZ’s failure to attract migrants hurting Covid recovery – National | View here
12 June
Newshub – National accuses Kris Faafoi of misleading New Zealanders about evidence behind migrant nurses’ residency pathway | View here
10 June
NZ Doctor – Aged care rejects Health New Zealand’s funding increase | View here
8 June
Stuff – Rural specialist health services in crisis | View here
26 May
NZ Herald – Local aged care facilities speak up on lack of nurses | View here
24 May
RNZ – Family fears as aged care faces staffing struggle: ‘It’s heartbreaking’ | View here
21 May
Otago Daily Times – Overlooked aged care sector dismayed | View here
20 May
NZ Doctor – Budget ignores collapsing aged residential care sector | View here
18 May
RNZ – Hutt Hospital patients, nurses say local health service vital | View here
17 May
Newshub – Nationwide shortage leads to rest home offering $500 to families who find them nurses | View here
16 May
NZ Herald – Budget 2022: Funding hopes for Northland aged care already at ‘breaking point’ | View here
13 May
RNZ – Doctors, unions join call for nurses on immigration green list | Listen here
Stuff – Southern aged care providers write to MPs, DHB for support | View here
Otago Daily Times – Nurses backpay parity call | View here
The Raglan Chronicle – Nursing crisis hits Raglan Rest Home and Hospital | View here
12 May
Otago Daily Times – Squeezed to ‘absolute desperation’ | View here
11 May
RNZ – Aged care sector desperate for funding | View here
Newsroom – Historic pay equity deal down the drain now | View here
Stuff – Crisis looming as lack of nurses sees Taranaki rest home provider leave beds empty | View here
7 May
Stuff – Aged care system ‘broken’, as Southland runs out of beds for elderly people | View here
6 May
Newsroom – Taskforce needed to fix nursing woes | View here
Wairarapa Times – Elder care crisis | View here
5 May
Otago Daily Times – No quick fix for aged care staffing | View here
Stuff – Nursing shortage keeps West Coast rest home shut | View here
4 May
Stuff – Aged care on life support ahead of Budget Day (Opinion editorial – Simon Wallace) | View here
3 May
Waatea News – Loss of aged care beds as nurses leave | View here
Stuff – Aged care sector ‘in crisis’ with more than 1000 registered nurses needed across the country | View here
2 May
Newstalk ZB – The reality is older people are being displaced and uprooted | View here
RNZ – Staffing crisis causing aged care sector to collapse, provider says | View here
29 April
Newsroom – Retirement villages to close doors in ‘perfect storm’ of nursing shortages | View here
26 April
Voxy.co.nz – Covid-hit care and support providers reach out to Kiwis | View here
24 April
Stuff – Retirement villages are booming, while aged care homes face a staffing crisis over nurses’ pay, forcing the closure of more than 400 beds | View here
12 April
Today FM – Interview with Lloyd Burr on the RN workforce crisis | Listen here
11 April
Stuff – Rest home staff working 16-hour shifts, caring for up to 15 residents at a time | View here
10 April
NZ Herald – Omicron outbreak: Surge in aged care deaths; 164 facilities battling cases | View here
8 April
RNZ – Other measures being used to protect vulnerable elderly in resthomes | View here
7 April
RNZ Checkpoint – Concerns some rest homes no longer checking vaccine passes | Listen here
5 April
Newshub – Concern over businesses dropping vaccine pass requirements | View here
Today FM – Interview with Tova O’Brien on the nursing shortage | Listen here
3 April
Sunday – Fed-up nurses say they are understaffed and overworked | Watch here
20 March
NZ Herald – Omicron outbreak: More than 110 rest homes hit by Covid-19; experts warn death toll will grow | View here
16 March
Newsroom – Elderly ‘snatch and grab’ in Reefton | View here
10 March
Stuff – Nursing shortages threaten arts programmes in care homes | View here
8 March
Stuff – Staff shortages close 400 aged care beds across New Zealand | View here
3 March
NZ Herald – Omicron in dozens of rest homes, sector coalition warns staff shortages ‘potentially catastrophic’ | View here
1 March
Waatea News – Covid restrictions hitting rest home workforce | View here
26 February
NZ Herald – Rest homes ‘on verge of collapse’ | Print/Premium only
18 February
Stuff – Covid-19: Aged care homes trying to avoid an Omicron-fuelled staffing crisis | View here
Stuff – Covid-19: Aged care calling for PPE to protect residents | View here
11 February
The Spinoff – NZ aged care confident in the face of omicron, but sees ‘enormous pressure’ on staffing | View here
Otago Daily Times – Shortage of nurses is nationwide | View here
1 February
RNZ – Covid-19: Families prepare for aged care closures | View here
RNZ – Omicron spread a ‘huge worry’ for Grey Power members | View here
Stuff – Covid-19: Blenheim businesses braced for Omicron onslaught | View here
29 January
Stuff – Covid-19 boosters mandatory for essential workers but not for vaccine pass | View here
25 January
Stuff – Covid-19: To ‘hunker down’ or keep active? The question Omicron poses for elderly Kiwis | View here
24 January
RNZ – Kitchen worker at Auckland rest home believed to have Omicron | View here
2021
16 December
Stuff – Covid-19: Rest home charging $10 for visitor vaccine pass criticised | View here
13 December
Stuff – Covid-19: ‘Aged care is going to be different’ association says | View here
9 December
Stuff/The Southland Times – DHBs snapping up aged care staff, health bosses say | View here
6 December
Health Ministry ‘traffic light’ advice for aged care inconsistent – Aged Care Association | View here
3 December
RNZ – Covid-19: Nerves about rest home visits over summer | View here
26 November
Newsroom – No answers for isolated care home residents | View here
15 November
Stuff – The LGBTQ retirees who don’t want to become invisible, again | View here
14 November
Stuff – Job or jab? Vaccine-hesitant workers face agonising choice as mandate deadline looms | View here
9 November
RNZ – Plea for more dementia support and resources to meet growing demand | View here
22 October
Newstalk ZB – Aged care homes opening to visitors despite rules | View here
21 October
RNZ – Covid-19: Aged Care thrilled by MIQ spots for health workers | View here
RNZ – Health worker MIQ spots a start, but more needs to be done – expert | View here
Newstalk ZB – Radius Care: Retirement village chain to allow visitors for residents’ mental health | View here
20 October
Newshub – COVID-19: Vaccine boosters on way by end of year for high-risk people | View here (NZACA Board member, Gordon MacLeod)
14 October
RNZ – Auckland aged-care residents struggling with isolation in lockdown (NLG members Dr Frances Hughes and Cheyne Chalmers) | View here
9 October
Newshub – Coronavirus: Aged care sector begs Govt for vaccine mandate, else ‘residents will die’ | View here
6 October
Stuff – Covid-19: ‘No jab, no visit’ policy for visitors to Ryman Healthcare rest homes | View here
5 October
Otago Daily Times: Aged care losing nurses to DHB roles | View here
30 September
Radio NZ – Covid-19: Healthcare leaders on new one-off visa | View here
Stuff – Nearly 165,000 migrants eligible for fast-tracked residency | View here
28 September
Stuff- Aged residential care reaching ‘tipping point’, DHB boss says | View here
17 September
TVNZ – Elderly patients turned away from rest homes due to lack of nurses | View here
13 September
RNZ – New Zealand losing migrant rest home staff to Canada, UK due to MIQ unavailability | View here
3 September
Stuff – Vaccine puts a security blanket around aged care centres (Anna Blackwell, NLG) | View here
2 September
The News – Aged care under extra stress | View here
26 August
Radio NZ – Call for government to consider cheaper, quicker testing for Covid-19 (NLG Chair Dr Frances Hughes) | View here
25 August
Radio NZ – Aged Care Association supports mandatory vaccination | View here
22 August
Newshub – COVID-19: Aged care facilities feeling pressure of staff shortages | View here
21 August
Newsroom – Health Ministry reassures on PPE stocks | View here
19 August
Radio NZ – Covid-19: Anxious wait for older Coromandel residents | View here
13 August
Radio NZ – Expats ‘dismayed’ by lack of action on MIQ availability | View here
4 August
Stuff – Simon Wallace spoke with Stuff reporters about the appointment of an Aged care Commissioner | View here
24 July
Stuff – NZ’s aged-care sector faces an ‘impending crisis’ | View here
16 July
Stuff – Speedier Covid-19 vaccination roll-out urged for retirement village residents | View here
5 July
RNZ – Covid-19 vaccine rollout ‘a DHB postcode lottery’ | View here
17 June
The Guardian – ‘Locals don’t like this job’: New Zealand’s aged care sector fears immigration reform | View here
15 June
NZ Herald – Covid 19 coronavirus: Rest home vaccination disparity revealed | View here
12 June
Stuff – Aged care nursing shortage in Southland ‘a serious situation’ | View here
18 May
RNZ – ‘Scene setting’ immigration speech labelled confusing by critics | View here
RNZ – Rest home industry worried immigration reset will make staffing trouble worse | Listen here
27 April
ABC News (Australia) – New Zealand’s vaccination program is built on Pfizer and a plan to take it slow | View here
22 April
Stuff – Resident, who is 101, gets Covid-19 vaccine as rollout occurs at aged care facilities in Wellington region | View here
RNZ – Healthcare professionals react to sector overhaul | Listen here
21 April
Newshub – Health Sector Reforms: Experts and providers react to the biggest shake-up in 20 years | View here
19 April
Newshub – Palmerston North rest home residents still six weeks from being vaccinated as trans-Tasman bubble opens | View here
14 April
Stuff – Top of the south ‘setting benchmark’ for Covid vaccinations in rest homes | View here
8 April
RNZ Checkpoint – Rest homes still waiting for Covid-19 vaccination start date | View here
23 March
Gisborne Herald – Ongoing fight to close nursing pay gap | View here
4 March
NZ Herald – Ministry of Health considers starting vaccinations in South Auckland as priority | View here
3 March
RNZ – Elderly should be next in line for Covid-19 vaccine – advocate | View here
2 March
NZ Herald – Health expert wants travellers prioritised for vaccine | View here
26 February
RNZ – Aged Care industry concerned by plans to slow immigration | View here
RNZ – Lack of migrant workers a concern for aged care sector | View here
15 February
Stuff – Rest homes and retirement villages halt visits to vulnerable elderly in short, sharp lockdown | View here
3 February
Newstalk ZB – Retirement village operator adopts strict new Covid jab hiring policy | Listen here
Otago Daily Times – No jab, no job: Retirement villages’ new staff will need to be vaccinated | View here
1 February
RNZ – Covid-19: Strong argument for mandatory vaccination for some workers – law expert | View here
2020
3 December
Newshub – Vulnerable elderly clamouring to be first in line for COVID-19 vaccine in New Zealand | View here
26 November
Stuff – After 20 unsuccessful job applications Covid returnee wonders if she belongs in NZ | View here
23 October
NZ Herald – Serious health workforce burden looms: Experts say more migrant workers needed | View here
14 September
RNZ – Covid-19: Aged care restrictions will remain despite possible Alert Level changes | Listen here
4 September
Newsroom – In-house testing at rest homes mulled | View here
2 September
The Spinoff – Confusion over what ‘alert level 2.5’ means for Auckland rest homes | View here
NZ Herald – The ‘new normal’ of visiting New Zealand aged care facilities | View here
31 August
RNZ – Only some Auckland aged care facilities moving to level 2.5 | View here
20 August
RNZ – New Zealand’s aged care association members take no chances | View here
18 August
Newshub – COVID-19: Anger as Auckland rest home keeps elderly in rooms for five days as precaution | View here
17 August
Stuff – Coronavirus: Aged care homes to stay in level 4 lockdown until | View here
16 August
RNZ – Push for aged care staff to be tested on site | View here
Newshub – COVID-19: Rest homes say they’re still not getting enough PPE | View here
14 August
Stuff – Aged care better prepared for Covid resurgence but gaps remain | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: Elderly community ready for Covid-19 lockdown | View here
13 August
Otago Daily Times – Rest-homes snap back into lockdown | View here
NZ Herald – Covid 19 coronavirus: Alert level 2 quashes events around Northland | View here
RNZ -Covid-19: Rest homes in lockdown | Listen here
12 August
Newstalk ZB – All NZ rest homes move to alert level 4, ‘full lockdown, no family visits’ | View here
RNZ – All rest homes going into level 4 lockdown for three days | View here
NZ Herald – Covid 19 coronavirus: All NZ rest homes move to alert level 4, ‘full lockdown, no family visits’ | View here
NZ Herald – Covid 19 coronavirus: Whanganui reacts to move back to level 2 | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: All rest homes locked down as ‘extra precautions’ taken to protect aged-care sector | View here
Stuff – Taranaki District Health Board meeting to plan services for level 2 | View here
Stuff – Business as usual at Taranaki hospitals during alert level 2 | View here
Newshub – Coronavirus live updates: COVID-19 in community, Auckland going to level 3 | View here
Otago Daily Times – Southern rest-homes ‘fully prepared’ for lockdown | View here
17 June
Newsroom – Health board’s PPE squeeze revealed | View here
12 June
NZ Herald – Covid 19 coronavirus: Aged care/rest home review finds delays meant outbreaks ‘accelerated’ | View here
RNZ – Aged care staff unfamiliar with Covid-19 epidemiological terminology – report | View here
Otago Daily Times – Infections worsened by delay | View here
NZ Doctor – Aged care sector welcomes Covid-19 cluster review report | View here
11 June
Newshub – Coronavirus: Ministry of Health report reveals aged care staff were ‘highly stressed’ by lack of communication over COVID-19 clusters | View here
RNZ – Aged care clusters introduced by staff or visitors – review | View here
RNZ Checkpoint – ‘We play a huge role’ in NZ health – Aged Care Association boss | Listen here
RNZ – Review shows rest home workers ill prepared for Covid-19 | View here
Stuff – Report on aged-care clusters reveals how virus got in to facilities | View here
NZ Herald – Covid 19: Rest home review finds confusion and lack of PPE as virus struck | View here
1 News – All rest home Covid-19 clusters were started by staff or visitors, review finds | View here
RNZ Checkpoint – Aged care faces crisis as nurses paid less than DHB peers | Listen here
5 June
Stuff – Aged-care nurses fed up with wage disparity launch campaign for fair pay | View here
28 May
NZ Herald – Coronavirus: Dangerous testing gaps not rest home’s fault, says Aged Care Association | View here
22 May
Stuff – Coronavirus: Low staff levels must be part of any reviews into rest home outbreaks | View here
19 May
NZ Herald – Covid-19 Budget fails aged care workers | View here
16 May
NZ Herald – Covid 19 coronavirus: Inside the deadly St Margaret’s rest home cluster | View here
13 May
Stuff – Time to ‘loosen the rope’ in rest homes: Visiting rules in Covid-19 Alert Level 2 explained | View here
12 May
RNZ – Today is international nurses day, aged care nurses underpaid | Listen here
Newstalk ZB – How rest homes will operate under alert level 2 | Listen here
Newshub – How frontline medical staff celebrated International Nurses Day amid the coronavirus pandemic | View here
Seven Sharp – Seven Sharp celebrates nurses on International Nurses Day | View here
Stuff – Move to Alert Level 2 receives mixed reactions from experts | View here
Newshub – Whanganui grandmother counting down days to alert level 2 to be reunited with grandchild | View here
11 May
Stuff – Move to Alert Level 2 receives mixed reactions from experts | View here
8 May
NZ Herald Premium – Covid-19: 37 staff down, 3 residents positive; Inside the Atawhai Assisi Rest Home cluster | View here (Premium subscription required)
Stuff – Visitors welcome back to rest homes in Covid-19 alert level 2 | View here
RNZ – New screening criteria for aged care facilities | Listen here
7 May
RNZ – Covid-19 screening expanded for rest home residents | View here
2 May
NZ Herald – A toll of 11: Inside the deadly Rosewood rest home cluster | View here
Stuff – Inside Rosewood: The rest home with over half of NZ’s Covid-19 deaths | View here
30 April
Stuff – Aged-care sector doing its utmost to protect the vulnerable | View here
Stuff – NZ Aged Care Association gets audience with Ministry over rest home testing | View here
28 April
Newsroom – Slow movers on PPE called out | View here
24 April
Newshub – Rest home residents call on Ministry of Health for increased coronavirus testing | View here
23 April
Stuff – Ministry’s refusal to allow testing of asymptomatic aged care residents criticised | View here
Newsroom – Will pharmacies, GPs and dentists survive Covid-19? | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: Christchurch woman stuck in hospital unable to get Covid-19 test | View here
Newshub – Ministry of Health continuing rest home audits during COVID-19 lockdown prompting ‘huge concern’ | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: $26m aged care top-up doesn’t go far enough, industry leader says | View here
Stuff – Christchurch woman stuck in heartbreaking ‘predicament’ given Covid-19 test to allow her to leave hospital | View here
Stuff – Ministry’s refusal to allow testing of asymptomatic aged care residents criticised | View here
22 April
New Zealand Parliament – Epidemic Response Committee Meeting Recording: Wednesday 22 April | View here
Hansard Transcript Epidemic Response Committee 22 April 2020 | View here
Radio NZ – Epidemic Response Committee challenges government’s health response | View here
Newshub – Coronavirus: Health workers threatened with disciplinary action for speaking out over PPE issues | View here
One News at Six – Clashes over rest home testing, flu vaccinations at Epidemic Response hearing | View here
NZ Herald – ‘Decades of neglect’ of the health system have caused Covid-19 breakdown issues | View here
Otago Daily Times – Health sector critical of Govt’s Covid response | View here
Star News – Govt criticised over flu vaccine ‘debacle’, Covid funding | View here
Newshub Wednesday 22 April | View here
21 April
Stuff – Hutt Valley DHB backs down, allowing 93yo to have Covid-19 test against government advice | View here
18 April
Stuff – Government funds $276m for PPE, Pharmac and residential aged care | View here
17 April
Newsroom – Why rest homes will get millions from taxpayers | View here
15 April
ODT – Aged-care facilities in focus as deaths rise | View here
NZ Herald – Targeted inspections of aged-care facilities after rest-home outbreaks | View here
Stuff – Aged care facility at centre of sixth significant cluster in Auckland | View here
NZ National Party – Rest homes should have testing kits | View here
14 April
RNZ Conan Young – ‘Requests fallen on deaf ears’: Rest homes consider buying Covid-19 tests | View here
RNZ Morning Report – Coronavirus: Aged Care Association CEO on plan to buy test kits | Listen here
Newsroom – Rosewood residents relocated, isolated | View here
Newstalk ZB – Aged care review announced as death toll grows | Listen here
RNZ Checkpoint – Some exceptions for visiting dying relatives at rest homes | Listen here
One News at Six 14 April | Watch here
NZ Herald – Aged care review announced as Christchurch’s Rosewood Resthome death toll reaches 6 | View here
13 April
NZ Herald – Covid 19 coronavirus: New Zealanders should ‘take heart’ in declining case numbers but grave fears remain for a group of dementia patients | View here
Newstalk ZB – Calls for mandatory testing of people moving into rest homes after deaths | Listen here
12 April
Newshub – Rest home bosses perplexed at lack of COVID-19 testing for new residents | View here
Newshub – Coronavirus: Ministry of Health stands by not testing all new rest home residents | View here
Stuff – Another lonely death from Covid-19, as the virus spreads into another aged care home | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: Deficiencies found at rest homes with Covid-19 cases | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: A warning of more Covid-19 deaths as New Zealand marks a three-week low in new cases | View here
11 April
Stuff – Scores of cases at rest homes, deaths a ‘tragedy waiting to happen’ | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: Man in 70s becomes second Rosewood Rest Home death, fourth nationwide | View here
Stuff – Coronavirus: George Manning rest home in Christchurch reports 14 cases of Covid-19| View here
6 April
RNZ – Health staff working to deal with Dementia care facility COVID-19 cluster | View here
5 April
Newshub – New rest home residents now need negative COVID-19 test first | View here
4 April
NZ Herald – Rest homes get tough on new residents – no admittance without virus test | View here
RNZ – Rest homes will not admit residents without a negative Covid-19 test | View here
1 April
RNZ Nine to Noon – Minister Iain Lees-Galloway and CE Simon Wallace speak to Kathryn Ryan on immigration changes | Listen here
27 March
RNZ Nine to Noon – CE Simon Wallace speaks to Kathryn Ryan on ARC staffing issues | Listen here (from 12’17”)
23 March
RNZ Checkpoint – Covid-19: Concerns for elderly under NZ lockdown | Listen here
18 March
Newsroom – COVID-19 Elderly people’s double pandemic risk | View here
8 March
Newstalk ZB – Simon Wallace and Dr Ayesha Verrall with the latest on COVID-19 | Listen here
4 March
TVNZ – ‘NZ rest homes ‘not geared up’ for coronavirus outbreak, calls for national action plan’ | View here
3 March
NZ Herald – ‘Coronavirus: Rest homes, retirement villages plead for national aged care response plan’ | View here
RNZ Checkpoint – ‘Rest home worries over Coronavirus: They are ignoring us’ | View here
Chief Executive Hon. Tracey Martin is the spokesperson for the New Zealand Aged Care Association.
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