A Vision for the Future of Aged Care in New Zealand: A Lyttelton Case Study

Abstract

In line with global trends, New Zealand’s ageing population is rapidly increasing. This means that more than 1 million New Zealanders will enter the 65+ group by 2068. New Zealand will need to adapt to these demographic changes by adjusting the number and type of age care services available. Currently in New Zealand, there is an undersupply of rest homes and many are ageing stock. In addition, the lifestyle aspirations and expectations of ageing New Zealanders and the types of housing that best suits these is changing. Aged care facilities will need to adapt to meet these requirements, including addressing increasing social issues such as loneliness and social isolation. The integration of these facilities into future neighbourhoods will become increasingly important as they increase in density and where mobility is a core priority. Within this context, the purpose of this thesis is to experiment the design of alternative multigenerational residential aged care model. The key question it addresses is: How can a new aged care model, a multigenerational co-care residential space, be successful in enhancing experiences of ageing and help to reduce pressures on New Zealand healthcare services? By understanding successful ageing and its relationship with the living environment, this research seeks an innovative solution to enhance the quality of aged care and the ageing experience of ageing New Zealanders.This includes exploration of methods to improve the quality of care services and increase the portion of informal care in aged care facilities to meet residents' satisfaction. The final proposal is an alternative aged care facility that promotes intergenerational interactions in the case study city of Lyttelton, New Zealand.