Avoiding online scams, driver courses, news, and much more... |
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Welcome to another edition of our newsletter. We hope your week has started well.
It's been a significant last few days with the tangi of Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, and the anointing of his daughter Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō as the new Māori Queen. What a moving sight it was to see the members of the Raungaiti Rugby Club carrying Kīngi Tūheitia up the sacred maunga (mountain). Spring has now sprung and the daffodils and lambs are about. And so is the spring wind! Let's hope the sun can shine through this week.
Thanks for sharing a few minutes of your day with us. Please give us a call on 04 499 6646 or email info@acwellington.org.nz if you would like to get in touch with us.
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STAYING SAFE CLASS FOR OLDER DRIVERS |
Staying Safe is a FREE classroom-based refresher workshop for senior road users. Age Concern runs these workshops in partnership with NZTA/Waka Kotahi. They run from 10am till 2pm with refreshments provided! Registration is required. To register for a class now, click on the link below, phone us on 04 499 6646 or email events@acwellington.org.nz
Next classes: - Tuesday 17 September, Upper Hutt Cossie Club
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Thursday 19 September, Wainuiomata Community Hub, Lower Hutt
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OMAI FA'ATASI - COME TOGETHER |
We are partnering with Atamu to provide a social connection service specifically for Pasifika seniors. This is a regular event for all Pasifika seniors. There is plenty of room, and food, so come and join us for the next fun social gathering for Pasifika seniors! * Free social gathering for seniors * Fun activities
* Enjoy lunch, a chat and make new friends
* No need to register, just turn-up
We will also do Steady As You Go, a light exercise which caters for our seniors' physical and mental wellbeing.
When: Tuesday 10am – 12.30pm, 24 Sept & 15 Oct
Where: Salvation Army, 89 Warspite Ave, Cannons Creek, Porirua
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Join Age Concern's monthly pop-up social connection hubs for seniors: come by for some tea and coffee, and snacks, and a great speaker! Everyone welcome.
Next hub events:
Linden - Linden Community Centre, 10 Linden Avenue, Tawa. Tuesday 10 September, 1pm (Hearing Therapist talk) Upper Hutt - Heretaunga Christian Centre, 51 Lane Street - Wednesday 11 September, 12pm (Dementia Wellington talk) -
Lower Hutt - Walter Nash Centre, 22/26 Taine St, Taitā, Thursday 12 September, 1.30pm (Ian James - Seeing Eye Talk)
Te Aro - Te Pokapū Hapori- Wellington Central Community Centre - 105 Manners St, Te Aro, Thursday 12 September, 10.30am (Hearing Therapist talk) Vogelmorn - Vogelmorn Hall, 13 Vennell Street, Brooklyn, Tuesday 24 September, 2pm
Call 04 499 6646 or email events@acwellington.org.nz for details. |
Last year, our Making Connections Day at Johnsonville was a huge success. We had so many people wanting to attend that we had to close registrations long before the event.
Because of this, we wanted to make this year's event even bigger and better. Thanks to the Wellington City Council and our key sponsor AMP, this year's Making Connections Day will be held at the St James Theatre! This is a very special FREE event for all seniors. Come and make some new connections, hear from some interesting speakers and enjoy some lovely food.
Our keynote speaker will be the Minister for Seniors, Hon Casey Costello. - Make connections with other seniors
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Make connections with organisations and businesses that can help you
- Make connections with Age Concern
Join us at MAKING CONNECTIONS 2024! Where: St James Theatre
When: Wednesday, 2 October, 9am - 3pm
Entry Cost: FREE! |
TI WIKI KAUMĀTUA/SENIORS WEEK 2024 |
Ti Wiki Kaumātua/Seniors Week is being celebrated in Wellington from 25 September to 2 October. The theme this year is "Tō tātou wāhi" or "Our Place". A brochure detailing the many and varied events and activities taking place during the week is available at local community centres and libraries, as well as through Age Concern Wellington Region. The activities and events are designed for seniors and include arts and crafts, exercise classes, movies, guided tours, morning or afternoon teas at various community centres, and a variety of board and card games.
The brochure also details the activities being provided at the Age Concern Wellington Region's Making Connections day being held at the St James theatre on Wednesday 2 October.
Click here to see Wellington City Council's Seniors' Week webpage and
Click here to view the online brochure... |
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SPECIAL EVENT – GUIDED TOUR OF PUKEAHU PARK |
Pukeahu National War Memorial Park is the central place for New Zealanders to remember and reflect on this country's experience of war, military conflict, and peacekeeping, and how that experience shapes our ideals and sense of national identity.
We are working with Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage to bring you free guided tours of this amazing park When: - Thursday 26th September
- Thursday 28th November
Meet at the Pukeahu Education Centre, 191 Tory street. Parking available by the Education Centre. Turn into 191 Education entre's driveway, there is parking on the side there.
Bookings are essential so please call Vanessa on 027 248 0335 or email events@acwellington.org.nz to reserve your space. This programme is accessible for different mobility needs.
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TEA AND TECH, AND SCAM PREVENTION |
Baffled by technology? Want to learn more about avoiding online scams? Come to our Tea and Tech workshop. Tea and Tech is a free Age Concern event where friendly volunteers and staff will help you one-on-one with your tech device. Bring your digital device and get help from some friendly people.
There will also be a presentation on avoiding online scams.
Come to Tea and Tech if you need help with:
• Getting connected with friends and family online (WhatsApp, Facebook, etc.)
• Doing online banking
• How to watch TV on the Internet
• Doing your grocery shopping online
• Using email and visiting websites
• Learning more about online scams and how to avoid them
Next event:
When: Wednesday 30 October, 9:30am
Where: Seatoun Village Hall (22 Forres St, Seatoun)
Cost: FREE! But you must register using the blue button below (or by calling 04 499 6646) |
CURIOUS CONVERSATIONS WITH KERRY PRENDERGAST |
On the last Curious Conversation, we heard from Kerry Prendergast about the Te Araroa Trail. If you missed it, you can view the recording here. The book Kerry spoke about in our conversation, Every Effing Inch, is available to purchase here (click here).
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OFFICE SPACE AVAILABLE FROM MID-OCTOBER |
Age Concern Wellington Region is moving to bigger office space so its current office on Level 1, Anvil House, 138 Wakefield St will become available from mid October.
Office space – 54 square meters (of which 42 m2 is open office, plus 12 m2 enclosed office) plus separate meeting room of 11m2, and shared storage room, large shared meeting rooms, kitchen and toilet facilities.
For more information please contact the building manager: Maryellen Angus, Mobile: 027 2477 881
or email: maryellen@munrobenge.co.nz
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OUR LATEST STEADY AS YOU GO FALLS PREVENTION CLASSES |
Check out some of our new classes... all welcome!
To find out more about Steady As You Go and for a full list of Steady As You Go and Aligned To Go classes around the Region, click here or call 04 499 6646.
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STEADY AS YOU GO ONLINE EXERCISE CLASSES – ALL WELCOME |
Every Wednesday at 9:30am there is a livestream Steady As You Go class on Zoom. It's open to anyone - you don't need any prior experience. It is a gentle entry-level exercise class, and all you need to do is register by filling in the form online (click the blue button below). The link will be sent to you. Come and join the 20+ other seniors online for some gentle exercise fun together! |
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CAN YOU JOIN OUR REGULAR DONOR TEAM? |
Did you know that Age Concern Wellington Region is a charity? Only about a quarter of our funding comes from the Government and another quarter from local Councils. We need to raise the rest of the funding we need to keep the programmes you've just read about in this newsletter going.
We have a team of donors who contribute to our work on a regular basis. Regular donations help us budget and plan for the future. Are you able to join our regular donor team? Even $10 per month makes a real difference!
To make a regular donation using our secure website, click the button below. Select your donation frequency using the drop down menu on the form. Or you can call us if you want to make a regular payment using internet banking directly. |
Useful Tips
From phone calls and text messages saying you owe money, need to claim a parcel, or must renew an important document, to emails and letters claiming to want to give you money or urgently needing you to renew a registration of some kind, there are countless approaches out there. Sadly, it's important to be on your guard.
Some useful tips include considering requests and asking yourself how the request makes you feel. It's also important never to enter passwords on unknown sites. Even clicking on a link in a text message can be dangerous. Scammers are good at making things seem urgent, so perhaps the most useful advice we've come across is to 'pause, reflect, protect." |
TE WIKI O TE REO MĀORI 2024 |
Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week) an annual celebration for all New Zealanders to show their support for the Māori language, an official language of this country. This year the celebration will take place from 14 – 21 September 2024.
The theme for 2024 is 'Ake Ake Ake – A Forever Language'. It represents the resilience, adaptability and endurance of Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa. It also reflects the commitment of New Zealanders to embrace and learn te reo Māori long into the future. For more information go to https://www.reomaori.co.nz/
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SHOUT OUT TO MITRE10 CROFTON DOWNS |
Age Concern Wellington Region would like to thank Mitre 10 Crofton Downs for donating gifts for speakers at our upcoming Making Connections day on 2 October.
Mitre 10 Crofton Downs regards itself as unique in Wellington as in addition to being the place to shop for hardware supplies it offers management services for projects such as landscaping, kitchen, bathroom and laundry renovation. They will oversee your project from start to finish using skilled local tradesmen and quality materials. For more information go to www.mitre10.co.nz/croftondowns
Thanks for your support, Mitre10 Crofton Downs! |
WELLELDER COUNSELLING SERVICES FOR OLDER PEOPLE |
WellElder offers counselling services specifically for older adults, with a vision to provide funded, accessible, and affordable support for individuals, couples, and families. Their services are available at various locations across Wellington and in clients' homes if mobility is an issue.
WellElder believes we all face challenges as we age. We are never too old to learn new skills, change behaviour, grow in insight and understanding, or maintain good emotional health. Older people are used to getting on with life themselves, but a skilled professional is surprisingly easy to talk to, and can help to:
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Move out of depression
- Reduce anxiety or stress
- Make decisions about challenging issues
- Improve relationships
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Develop a sense of wellbeing
- Come to terms with events and decisions in our lives
No issue is too big or small – whatever we face can be brought to counselling. To find out if you are eligible or to make an appointment, you can go to their website for more information, or phone 04 380 2440. |
AVOIDING ISSUES WITH INSURANCE |
The Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO Scheme is a disputes resolution service, to help with unresolved problems between you and your financial service provider. You might have an insurance claim that you believe has been wrongly declined, or you might not be satisfied with the service you're receiving. IFSO cannot look at complaints about pricing of your insurance and increases in premiums. If you're struggling to afford your premiums, they recommend you talk to your insurer about your options or shop around for quotes from other insurers. Sometimes, you can reduce your premiums by choosing a higher excess.
To send them an enquiry or make a complaint - phone 0800 888 202 or fill in the online form on their website. For more information and tips for avoiding issues with your insurance, click HERE
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Whooping cough is not under control in Aotearoa New Zealand. When outbreaks occur, it affects thousands of people. If you are 65 or over and around babies and young children, it is important to get a booster for Whooping Cough.
The booster is free at ages 45 and 65 and is available from your healthcare provider and from many pharmacies. If you missed your booster at age 65 you can still catch up for free. If you're unsure of how many doses you've had, check with your health provider.
The whooping cough vaccine also protects you against tetanus and diphtheria - if you've had a tetanus booster recently, you may already be protected against whooping cough. Immunity reduces over time, so it's important to get the booster. For more information Click HERE |
BETTER DIGITAL FUTURES FOR SENIORS IN PORIRUA |
Free courses for all! Find out how to use your digital device. Porirua City Centre Library and Digital Inclusion Alliance Aotearoa offer free courses to help those who need technology/digital support. Get help with basic digital literacy courses in various subjects such as online shopping, online banking, going on to government websites, how to use apps on your smartphone, how to setup an email account or browse the internet, buy/sell on TradeMe, use library apps such as Libby, and much more.
The courses are slow paced, suitable for seniors, and can be tailored to their level of experience. All the programs are free. Clients are also welcome to go in and use their computers and connect to free Wi-Fi.
All the information is available on their website too (porirualibrary.org.nz/digital), including a link to register. |
The Access and Choice Wellbeing Support service provides free wellbeing support for people of any age who are living in the greater Wellington and Wairarapa regions.
The services are part of GP practices and appointments take less than 30 minutes. Best of all, you can probably be seen on the same day. Your wellbeing team will aim to work to understand your situation and then make sure you get the support you and your whānau need, whatever that may look like. For more information see www,wellbeingsupport.healthnz/about-access-and-choice |
Participants wanted for research about improving medicines safety for older New Zealanders on multiple medicines at hospital discharge.
Researchers from the University of Otago Wellington are looking at patient experiences of managing their medicines after hospital discharge including obtaining medicines prescribed and understanding any changes. You may be eligible if you have had a stay in hospital in the last 3-4 months and you are taking 5 or more regular prescribed medicines. It would take 20-30 minutes in person, via phone or Zoom. You will be given a $50 grocery voucher as a token of appreciation. You can find out more from their website or contact Abby Dunlop at abby.dunlop@otago.ac.nz or phone 04 832 3279.
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UPPER HUTT DEMENTIA SINGING GROUP
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A lovely friendly dementia singing group meets on a Tuesday afternoon 1pm at the Rimutaka Baptist Church Hall, Upper Hutt. It is singing with guitar, gold coin donation and coffee and tea is provided. The group is run by a volunteer from Dementia NZ.
If you are interested or need more information please contact Kevin for more details 021 311 465.
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IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS AND CONTACTS
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COVID-19 Healthline 0800 358 5453
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emergencies dial 111
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For non-emergency police matters dial 105
- If you are feeling anxious or just
need someone to talk to call or text 1737
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Age Concern Wellington 04 499 6646
- Dementia Resources https://www.harrislist.co.nz/
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Depression Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 111 757
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Healthline (open 24/7) - 0800 611 116
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Suicide Crisis Helpline (open 24/7) - 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO). This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
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Alcohol Drug Helpline (open 24/7) - 0800 787 797. You can also text 8691 for free.
- For further information, contact the Mental Health Foundation's free Resource and Information Service (09 623 4812).
- WellElder: a counselling service for older people, or those supporting an older person. Wellington Region: 04 380 2440 (Tuesday - Thursday)
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Lifeline: qualified counsellors and trained volunteers: 0800 543 354 or free text 4357
- Samaritans: confidential support, empathetic listeners: 0800 726 666
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The Continence NZ Helpline 0800 650 659
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Elder Abuse Wellington Helpline 04 805 0880
- Dementia Wellington 04 972 2595
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If you need to discuss your entitlements phone the MSD Senior Services line 0800 552 002
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Wellington City Council: wellington.govt.nz or 04 499 4444
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Greater Wellington Regional Council http://www.gw.govt.nz/
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Hutt City Council: huttcity.govt.nz/ or 04 570 6666
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Porirua City Council: poriruacity.govt.nz/ or 04 237 5089
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Kapiti Coast District Council: https://www.kapiticoast.govt.nz
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Upper Hutt City Council: upperhuttcity.com/ or 04 527 2169
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ASB Bank Senior Priority Direct Line 0800 272 119
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THANK YOU AIR RESCUE SERVICES FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT |
We really appreciate the support of Air Rescue Services who have provided us with some funding for our mahi with seniors. Thank you! |
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Age Concern Wellington Region is a registered charity. We are part of a wider network of more than 30 Age Concerns located across the country.
Visit our website to find out more about our work around the Wellington Region and how you can be involved
www.acwellington.org.nz
© Age Concern Wellington Region Trust
Charities # CC61759 |
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