Shifting Landscapes of Residential Aged Care in New Zealand: Marketisation, Divergent Interests and

Marketisation, Divergent Interests and Financial Exclusion

Presented by: Dr David Conradson, School of Geography, University of Southampton

Date & time: Wednesday July 15th @ 4-6pm

Venue: C5C Research Hub West, room 371

Abstract: Since the mid-1990s, the landscape of residential aged provision in New Zealand has undergone significant change. For most of the post-war period, aged care facilities were provided by a mix of faith-based organisations and small private sector operators. In recent years, however, a number of large faith-based agencies have withdrawn from aged care provision, citing rising costs and increased competition. Many of the divested facilities have subsequently been purchased by corporate operators, firms whose involvement in aged care has been expanding through both acquisition and new development. In an interesting further turn of events, several of these New Zealand based firms have recently been bought, in whole or part, by Australian investment funds. The presentation will discuss these shifts in the landscape of residential aged care services in New Zealand, noting the potential for divergence between the interests of local stakeholders and geographically more distant shareholders. It asks whether this marketisation might foster new forms of financial exclusion amongst particular groups of the older population.

Contact: If you wish to contact Dr Conradson, he may be contacted at d.conradson@soton.ac.uk.