When it comes to sexuality and intimacy in an aged care setting, how can staff balance residents’ rights with a duty of care? DR CATHERINE COOK and Associate Professor MARK HENRICKSON address a complex and sensitive topic.

Future government policies will need to be flexible to accommodate the diverse needs of ageing baby boomers, a Victoria University of Wellington researcher has found.

Low wages, high workloads and stress outweigh the love of the job for New Zealand’s aged care workforce.

A new Office of Social Services and more investment in data technology are among the recommendations proposed by the New Zealand Productivity Commission aimed to improve our social services system.

The ‘Ageing Well’ National Science Challenge was launched today by Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.

Waikato District Health Board has teamed up with Bupa Care Services and the Institute of Healthy Ageing to establish a new research health fellowship in rehabilitation medicine.

New research findings on the employment of older New Zealand women is to be presented today in Wellington at the Ministry of Social Development, followed by a panel discussion.

Associate Health Minister Jo Goodhew has announced today that publication of full rest home audit reports will continue.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) today announced it will fund two multi-institutional teams to work collaboratively with Japan on innovative ways to improve elderly care through robotics and human assistive devices.

The New Zealand Aged Care Association’s election campaign, which calls for increased funding for aged care providers, appears to be gaining momentum, as various organisations lend their support to the issue.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is happening on 15 June. This is a global issue that is not limited to any one gender, religion, cultural, ethnic or income group. During the month of June, Age Concern is running events to raise awareness of elder abuse and neglect.

MARTIN TAYLOR, chief executive of New Zealand Aged Care Association, finds very little for aged care in the Government’s “record” health Budget.

The recent Careerforce Workforce Development Conference in Wellington addressed pay and training as crucial to aged care’s future, as JUDE BARBACK discovered.

Although health played a leading role in Budget 2014, funding for residential aged care did not feature prominently among today’s Budget announcements.

As the Ministry of Health’s six-month trial of publishing full audit reports for rest homes online draws to a close at the end of May, the Ministry is keen to gauge how the initiative has been received by the public.

A new strategic framework for New Zealand’s dementia community was recently launched by Alzheimers New Zealand, replacing and building on the National Dementia Strategy 2010-2015.

Massey University’s PROFESSOR FIONA ALPASS reflects on the latest findings from the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement Study, which reveal some of the challenges faced by informal caregivers.

NYEMUDZAI ESTHER NGOCHA-CHADEROPA shares the stories of four Indian nurses working as caregivers in New Zealand residential aged care facilities. Their experiences – at times distressing – differ significantly from their expectations of life and work in New Zealand.

*INsite provides a sneak peek at research recently published by The University of Auckland showing which interventions are likely to reduce the likelihood of older people requiring hospitalisation. *

Five years after the first major Christchurch earthquake struck, new research has revealed the impact the quakes have had on older Cantabrians.

INsite talks to GABI HOLLOWS, the first person to be awarded the Ryman Prize.

Recently qualified dietitian Debra Nell completed her master’s thesis on meeting the nutrition and hydration needs of residents in dementia care units. As part of her research, she developed a series of recommendations for facilities catering for these special residents.

JUDE BARBACK looks to the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation for advice on nutrition considerations for the older athlete.

Last year INsite reported on the findings of the Inclusion, Contribution and Connections (ICC) study led by Massey University’s Health and Ageing Research Team (HART). Here, we look at HART’s next steps.

INsite looks at the ambitious task ahead of the Ageing Well National Science Challenge, now underway.

CARMEL GREGAN-FORD sheds some light on the causes, treatments and management of chronic kidney disease.

BEATRICE HALE reviews Active Ageing, edited by Andrea Principi, Per H. Jensen, Giovanni Lamura (Pub.Policy Press 2014) and finds it has much to offer policy makers and social gerontologists on the under-researched area of voluntary organisations.

We are inundated with messages about how to achieve a healthy diet and lifestyle. So how do we sift through all the claims and information to determine what is genuine, sound and useful?

Do caregivers understand what spiritual care is and how to meet residents’ spiritual needs as they approach end of life? JUDITH HARDIE discusses her research into spiritual care in New Zealand rest homes.

NGAIRE KERSE gives an update on the fascinating LiLACS NZ study in which the quality of life for a large group of Māori and non-Māori in their eighties has been monitored and analysed over five years.

JUDE BARBACK looks at a recent dance and dementia project that has had a lasting impact.

New research shows that baby boomers want choice and control as they enter old age.

The end of April saw a flurry of reports released, all with relevance to New Zealand’s home and community support services.

CAROLINE BARTLE says it’s time to stop talking and start acting on funding a campaign to tackle loneliness in older people – ultimately delaying, or even preventing, the onset of dementia.

SHELLEY JONES looks at recent research on actual risk of falling and perceived risk, and the implications for older people.

Clown doctors show that sometimes laughter truly is the best medicine. CAMERON TAYLOR, of Clown Doctors New Zealand Charitable Trust, reports.

Dr JULIE JACKSON-GOUGH discusses the benefits of singing for older people.