Healthy Ageing
Complete Healthy Ageing Course
Practical steps for ageing well in Aotearoa, from strength and kai to friendships and health checks, with planners you can print.
NZ$37.99Buy
Healthy ageing courses for staying strong and independent
Practical help with eating well, keeping strong and steady on your feet, and planning ahead, for older adults and the whānau who support them.
- 10 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
Staying active is one of the best things you can do as you get older. New Zealand guidance for older people encourages regular moderate activity, less time sitting, and activities that build balance, strength and flexibility on several days each week. Balance and strength work matters most for preventing falls, which are a leading cause of injury in later life. Live Stronger for Longer, a joint programme from ACC, Health New Zealand and the Health Quality and Safety Commission, lists community strength and balance classes and home-based programmes around the country.
Food needs change with age too. Many older people need the same or more protein than younger adults, along with milk products for calcium and enough fluids through the day, even when they do not feel thirsty. Losing weight without trying is not a normal part of ageing and is worth mentioning to a GP. If you or a parent need help at home, your GP can refer you for a Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) assessment.
Our healthy ageing courses, written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition, turn this into exercise cards, meal planners, a home hazard checklist and simple logs. They are general education, so check with your GP before starting new exercise if you have a heart condition, have had a recent fall or feel unsteady.
All healthy ageing courses
Healthy Ageing
Complete Healthy Ageing Course
Practical steps for ageing well in Aotearoa, from strength and kai to friendships and health checks, with planners you can print.
NZ$37.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Nutrition for Older Adults
Simple food for later life, with a malnutrition risk checker, easy meal planner and appetite boosters for days when eating is hard.
NZ$29.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Nutrition for Older Adults
Simple food for later life, with a malnutrition risk checker, easy meal planner and appetite boosters for days when eating is hard.
NZ$29.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Strength for Older Adults
Gentle, safe strength training for older people, at home and at your own pace, so everyday tasks feel easier.
NZ$29.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Strength for Older Adults
Gentle, safe strength training for older people, at home and at your own pace, so everyday tasks feel easier.
NZ$29.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Balance and Everyday Mobility (Falls Prevention)
Simple balance moves and a safer home for older New Zealanders, plus clear steps for what to do and who to call if a fall happens.
NZ$29.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Balance and Everyday Mobility (Falls Prevention)
Simple balance moves and a safer home for older New Zealanders, plus clear steps for what to do and who to call if a fall happens.
NZ$29.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Supporting an Ageing Parent
Keep your parent at the centre of every decision, with conversation starter cards and a planner for sharing responsibilities.
NZ$34.99Buy
Healthy Ageing
Supporting an Ageing Parent
Keep your parent at the centre of every decision, with conversation starter cards and a planner for sharing responsibilities.
NZ$34.99Buy
Which healthy ageing course to start
- The full picture: Complete Healthy Ageing Course covers activity, food, social connection and health appointments, with a self-check to start.
- Eating well: Nutrition for Older Adults looks at protein, calcium, fluids and small appetites, with a risk checker that signposts your GP.
- Getting stronger: Strength for Older Adults is a 12-week chair-based plan for building leg and arm strength.
- Staying steady: Balance and Everyday Mobility covers home hazards, balance exercises and what to do after a fall.
- For adult children: Supporting an Ageing Parent helps you understand needs, compare care options and share responsibilities in the whānau.
What the healthy ageing tools do
- Healthy ageing self-check: a quick look at activity, food, sleep, mood and social contact.
- Chair-based and balance exercise cards: clear steps and a safer version of every move.
- Home falls hazard checklist and falls diary: room by room, plus a record of any slips or trips.
- Easy meal planner, hydration tracker and appetite ideas: small, nourishing meals and drinks through the day.
- Appointments tracker and care options sheet: keep health visits and support options organised.
When to involve the GP
See your GP if you or an older relative:
- have had a fall, even without an injury, or are scared of falling
- feel dizzy or unsteady, especially when standing up
- are losing weight without trying, or eating and drinking much less than usual
- become more confused or forgetful than usual
Call 111 if someone cannot get up after a fall, has hit their head while taking blood-thinning medicine, or has chest pain or signs of a stroke. For health advice at any time, call Healthline free on 0800 611 116.
Healthy ageing courses: your questions
What is Live Stronger for Longer?
It is a national falls prevention programme run by ACC, Health New Zealand and the Health Quality and Safety Commission. Its website lists community strength and balance classes and in-home programmes.
Is it too late to start strength exercises?
No. People can build strength and balance at any age. Start gently, use a sturdy chair for support and build up slowly. If you have a heart condition or a recent fall, get your GP's go-ahead before you begin.
Why do older adults need more protein?
Muscle is harder to keep as we age, and enough protein, spread across meals, helps along with strength activity. The nutrition course gives easy ways to include protein foods at each meal.
What is a NASC assessment?
Needs Assessment and Service Coordination services assess what support an older person needs to live safely, such as help at home or respite for carers. Your GP or hospital team can make a referral.
Can I take these courses for a parent?
Yes. Many people use them to support a parent or grandparent, and the supporting an ageing parent course is written for adult children and wider whānau.
Official sources
Walk through the hazard checklist
Ten minutes, room by room, and you will know which small changes would make home safer.