Imagine working your whole life, only to find out the society you gave everything to can’t care for you when you need it most. It’s a future many Kiwis are at risk of facing—unless we do what needs to be done today.

In the next 25 years, the population of Kiwis over 85 is set to triple.

By the time today’s politicians are in their 80s, we’ll need at least 11,800 more aged care nurses, and 61,300 additional aged care beds. That’s why we’re calling on the Government to increase funding for aged care in New Zealand, now—before it’s too late. 

By signing this petition, you could help ensure your grandparents, your parents, and even your children, get the care they deserve when they need it most.


The impact of under-funding aged care.

We call them aged care facilities, but they’re much more than that. They’re communities. They’re the place 35,000 Kiwis call home. 

The alarming thing is, we’ve lost close to 1000 aged care beds in the past six months alone due to staff shortages. One thousand beds means 1000 older people who have to move to another aged care facility, away from their homes, and sometimes even away from their families. 

The loss of aged care beds is causing "bed block" in public hospitals—patients aren’t being discharged because there's nowhere for them to go.

This doesn’t just affect older Kiwis. It affects us all. Because, as the problem gets worse, our already stretched public health system won’t be able to cope. And that means elective surgery wait lists will get longer.


The nursing shortage.

Care home nurses provide daily care and support to older Kiwis, from help with day-to-day activities through to 24-hour hospital-level care. However, due to Government under-funding, we don’t have enough nurses to provide this care. 

The aged care sector currently needs around 1,200 registered nurses to keep beds open, and that number’s only going to increase as the population ages. 

Where are all the nurses? With around $23,000 to $33,000 less funding per nurse in aged care, working at a public hospital where they could earn 20% more has seen many highly qualified people vote with their feet.  Their departures, and the challenges of recruiting new people, have resulted in an often overworked and underpaid workforce. Nothing is being done to correct this disparity.

New Zealand’s immigration settings also make it extremely difficult for overseas nurses to come in and fill the gaps.


What needs to be done?

• We need 1,200 more aged care nurses now.
  Fair care for every Kiwi starts with fair pay for aged care nurses. We’re asking the Government for pay parity for aged care and DHB nurses, and to address immigration issues to attract overseas nurses.
  
  
• We need 15,000 more beds by 2030.
  By 2030, it is estimated another 12,000 – 16,000 aged care beds will be needed. That’s as many beds as there are in the entire public hospital network. We need to increase funding to incentivise creation of new beds.
  
  
• We need investment in dementia care.
  The system is already struggling to cope with the 70,000 New Zealanders estimated to have dementia. With numbers set to double by 2050, we need to invest in specialised care services now.
  
  
• We need to fix the funding model.
  We’re already seeing a widening gap between those who can afford aged care and those who can’t. We need a realistic funding model to ensure equal access to aged care.

The care we give our older population reflects our values as a nation. Help us show the New Zealand Government what needs to be done right now to ensure the right care continues for decades to come.


Please sign and share this petition. 

For your grandparents. 

For your parents. 

For you.

Projected figures are estimates only. This is not endorsed by any political party or politician.