Needs of ageing Māori are diverse
There is no one size fits all model of care when it comes to supporting older Māori, according to the director of Massey University's Research Centre for Māori Health and Development, Chris Cunningham.
Speaking at Age Concern’s 2011 conference, Professor Cunningham says the needs of ageing Māori are diverse and will affect the level of care they will need when they reach retirement age.
A minority of Māori men live long enough to reach the age of eligibility for superannuation.
He says “many Māori have planned on the continued government provision of superannuation, which means they may be financially less well off in retirement and less able to afford quality heath care, for example.”
Professor Cunningham’s research has shown there is a high degree of social financial support made by older Māori to whānau, churches and maraes.
“Questions remain as to whether government superannuation and health services will be enough to provide for older Māori and how this will be reflected in the level of state-funded services that older Māori will require.
“Some Māori sub-groups will be better positioned than others to fend for themselves.”
Source: Press Release by Massey University
Resources
Professor Cunningham's presentation slides are available to view.
> DOWNLOAD as a PowerPoint file [1.5MB]
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