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Fashion models strutted their stuff at a fundraising event in Ashburton last week celebrating International Day of Older Persons.
The fundraiser for Age Concern Ashburton, held at Lochlea Lifestyle Resort, saw models Jan Jacobs, Jenny Wells, Kay Black, Elizabeth Stuckey, Jill Blacklock and Carolyn Nelson showcase some of the spring and summer collection from retailer Caroline Eve.
It was one of two events for the annual day; the other was a digital assistance event run by Digital Waitaha at the Ashburton library.
Age Concern Ashburton manager Dianna Leonard said while the parade was a fundraiser, it also provided a wonderful opportunity to bring people together.
The day began with lively chatter as folks connected with each other over a cuppa and bite.
“International Day of older persons was about celebrating and recognising the valuable contributions older people make to our society,” Leonard said.
Older folks wanting assistance with their computers or devices were able to pop along to the library to ask a digital rangatahi from Digital Waitaha for help as part of the older person day.
They provided help to seniors wanting to learn how to identify risky websites, navigate online with more confidence and prevent scams.
The United Nations International Day of Older Persons is a global celebration of the contributions of older people, to raise awareness of the challenges they face, and encourage communities to take action to support ageing well.
This year’s theme was ‘The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives’.
There were six key messages:
See the person, not the stereotype. Every older person has unique experiences, talents and aspirations. Positive ageing starts with seeing people as individuals.
Calling out unconscious bias towards ageing. Small assumptions can have a big impact. Everyone benefits when people of all ages are respected and included.
Treating older people with real respect - no talking down. A society built for longer lives is one where people are treated with dignity, are heard and included. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity at every age.
Be kind, patient and friendly. Small acts of kindness can make a world of difference. The stronger and more inclusive our communities are, the more people can thrive as they age.
Stand strong against abuse and neglect. Speak up, support others and help create communities where older people feel safe, valued and supported.
Reach out and connect. Loneliness is not an inevitable part of ageing. Everyone can have a role in creating a sense of belonging. Living longer should also mean living connected.
Ageing populations
The United Nations says the number of people aged 60 years or over globally has more than doubled, from around 541 million in 1995 to 1.2 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050.
Global life expectancy has reached 73.5 years in 2025, an increase of 8.6 years since 1995. The number of persons aged 80 years or over is growing even faster and is projected to surpass the number of infants by the mid-2030s and reach 265 million.