Age-friendly Symposium Presentations and Resources

On Monday 17 November 2025, the Office for Seniors hosted global experts, local champions, and creative thinkers to explore how to drive change and build age friendly communities.

The presentations from our Designing Cities for Every Age – Age-friendly Cities & Communities Symposium are now available.

Download the Age-friendly Cities and Communities Symposium programme

Keynote: Introduction to Age-friendly Environments

Learn how global frameworks and local leadership can support practical, age-friendly change for your community. Presented by Dr Thiago Hérick de Sá, World Health Organization, and Dr Tessa Madden, Office for Seniors.

Download the presentation: Introduction to Age-friendly Environments

Living Well in Later Life: Implications for Health System Design

Explore how our health system can support older people to live well with dignity. Presented by Dr Vickie Saunders, Ministry of Health.

Presentation coming soon

Under the Tōtara: Listening Well, Growing Together

Discover how Kāpiti Coast District Council built community-led age-friendly action from the ground up. Presented by Norie Parata and Emma Haxton, Kāpiti Coast District Council.

Download the presentation: Under the Totara

Hei Manaaki: Kaumātua-led and Whānau-centred Innovation in Housing, Infrastructure, Health, and Social Enterprise

Presented by Rangimahora Reddy, KSM, Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust, and Yvonne Wilson, Te Rūnanga o Kirikiriroa.

Presentation coming soon

The Australian Urban Observatory and Designing Liveable Cities for Healthy Ageing

Presented by Professor Melanie Davern and Dr Lucy Gunn, RMIT University.

Download the presentation: The Australian Urban Observatory and Designing Liveable Cities

Co-designing Age-friendly Cities: Policy, Partnership, and Equity

Presented by Associate Professor Emi Kiyota, National University of Singapore.

Download the presentation: Co-designing Age-friendly Cities

Fun, friendship, knowledge and connection – Findings from the Keen Gardeners project

Presented by Dr Tamika Simpson, University of Auckland.

Download the presentation: Findings from the Keen Gardeners project

Spotlight on Age-friendly Initiatives in Local Government

Presented by Claire Wilson, Whangārei District Council, and Rachael Kawana, Napier City Council.

Download the presentation: Age-Friendly initiatives in Whangarei

Download the presentation: Silver Screen Series

Listen Up! A Creative Response to the Seniors’ Housing Crisis

Presented by David Cook and Professor Anna Brown, Massey University.

Download the presentation: Listen Up!

Age-friendly Communities: Widening Our Gaze

Recognise the unique opportunities and challenges for age-friendly initiatives beyond urban settings. Presented by Dr Sara Napier, Auckland University of Technology.

Download the presentation: Age-friendly Communities: Widening Our Gaze

Find Out More and Get in Touch

The WHO Age-friendly Cities Framework sets out eight key areas of urban life like housing, transport, outdoor spaces, participation, and health.

The Office for Seniors supports communities with advice, resources, grants, and an Age-friendly toolkit to guide local plans. Download the Age-friendly tool kit from the Office for Seniors website.

Get in touch with us by emailing agefriendly@msd.govt.nz