Age Concern Media Release - Thursday 30 June 2011

Respect, rights, responsibilities for older people – Age Concern

We need a culture of greater respect for older people, Age Concern National President Liz Baxendine said in a speech today.

In a wide-ranging speech at Age Concern Tauranga’s AGM, Mrs Baxendine called for greater respect for older people.

“There is a great underlying need: for older people to be respected. This includes many things: being able to live as and where we wish; being able to participate in the community; having sufficient income to maintain quality of life, including affordable healthcare.”

“These are basic human rights.”

Mrs Baxendine explained the link between elder abuse and neglect and the break-down in respect for seniors.

“Lack of respect can lead to financial abuse, psychological abuse, physical abuse, neglect and even sexual abuse. The personal losses associated with abuse can be devastating and include the loss of happiness, independence, life savings, health and family relationships.”

Mrs Baxendine balanced the respect call with a reminder that older people also have responsibilities.

“We all have responsibilities to remain active citizens, to contribute to our communities to the best of our capabilities, to be involved in our own healthcare, to be prudent with our finances, and to participate in the civic life of our society.”

“Older people have a particular contribution to make in this election year and Age Concern will be encouraging them to participate in the democratic process.”

Mrs Baxendine emphasised Age Concern’s political independence: “While Age Concern is keenly interested in politics, our organisation is apolitical. This is a valuable quality in political debate.”

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