Tauranga Electorate's Aged Care Challenge

Summary: Projected Aged Residential Care Need in the Tauranga Electorate

This report, prepared by the New Zealand Aged Care Association (NZACA), examines the current and future demand for aged residential care services in the Tauranga electorate and highlights the challenges facing the region.

Key Findings

1. Tauranga has one of New Zealand's fastest-growing older populations

• The electorate has experienced significant population growth.

• The number of residents aged 75 years and over is expected to increase substantially over the coming decades.

• This growth will place increasing pressure on health and aged care services.

2. Existing aged care facilities
The report identifies the current supply of residential care, including:

• Rest home beds.

• Hospital-level care beds.

• Dementia care beds.

• Psychogeriatric beds.

It notes that while current facilities provide an important service, capacity will become increasingly stretched as the population ages.

3. Workforce shortages are a major concern
Providers already face difficulties recruiting:

• Registered nurses.

• Caregivers.

• Clinical managers.

• Specialist dementia staff.

These shortages are expected to worsen as demand grows.

4. Dementia demand will rise significantly
The report predicts:

• More people living with dementia.

• Increased demand for specialist dementia care.

• Greater pressure on families caring for loved ones at home.

• Higher demand for respite services.

5. Residential care is becoming part of the wider health system
The report emphasises that aged residential care is no longer simply long-term accommodation.

It increasingly provides:

• Rehabilitation.

• Recovery after hospital stays.

• Transitional care.

• Respite care.

• Reconditioning before returning home.

These services help free hospital beds and improve patient outcomes.

Future Demand

The report concludes that Tauranga will require:

• More residential care beds.

• Additional dementia care facilities.

• Greater hospital-level care capacity.

• Increased investment in workforce development.

• Better integration between hospitals, home support and residential care providers.

Without additional capacity, the region risks:

• Longer waiting times.

• Increased hospital pressure.

• Carer burnout.

• Older people having to leave their local community to obtain care.

Recommendations

The report recommends:

• Planning now for future aged care infrastructure.

• Recognising aged residential care as essential health infrastructure.

• Expanding dementia and specialist care.

• Strengthening links between hospitals, community health services and aged care providers.

• Investing in respite, rehabilitation and transitional care.

• Developing strategies to recruit and retain the aged care workforce.

Overall Conclusion

The report warns that Tauranga is approaching a significant aged care capacity challenge. The rapidly growing older population will require substantially more residential care, dementia services and skilled staff. Planning and investment need to occur now to avoid shortages that could place increasing pressure on hospitals, families and older New Zealanders.

For Grey Power, the report provides strong evidence to support advocacy for:

• Increased Government investment in aged care.

• Better support for dementia services.

• Workforce development.

• Improved hospital-to-home care pathways.

• Long-term planning to ensure seniors can access care within their own community.

This report is a SUMMARY of the full report.

If you would like a digital version of the full report, email me at:

alex.greypower@gmail.com

Potential Solutions

1.     Create a Targeted Aged Care Infrastructure Fund

Issue

Tauranga already has a substantial aged residential care footprint. The challenge is ensuring existing facilities can refurbish, redevelop, expand and modernise before demographic growth outpaces current capacity.

Potential actions

•   establish a national Aged Residential Care (ARC) Infrastructure Fund

•   support refurbishment, redevelopment and replacement of ageing facilities

•   prioritise dementia-capable, psychogeriatric and higher-acuity environments

•   support expansion of capacity ahead of projected demographic demand

•   recognise aged residential care as health infrastructure rather than residential property

•   support investment in recovery, rehabilitation and transitional environments

Potential impact

Builds future capacity before shortages emerge and protects hospital flow as the population ages.

Issue 2

Aged residential care increasingly supports discharge, recovery, reconditioning and transitional care but is not consistently recognised or funded as health system capacity.

Potential actions

·         introduce admission and discharge payments

·         expand transitional and recovery pathways

·         support short-stay, respite, and reconditioning models

·         strengthen discharge coordination across hospitals and providers

·         support earlier discharge and continuity of care

Potential impact

Improves hospital flow, reduces avoidable emergency department returns and supports

recovery closer to home.

Enable Aged Residential Care Providers to Deliver In-Home Support

Alex Zilionis, President

AGED CARE is HEALTH CARE!