''I have been here during the time the baby boomers started moving into older age.
''If you look at old photos in our building, you see lots of people sitting down. That's no longer the case.''
There had been a shift away from seeing older people as ''vulnerable'', but she emphasised this remained the organisation's focus when dealing with elder abuse.
The organisation engages with about 15,000 older people per year and has 932 volunteers. Collectively, volunteers clock up 325 hours per week.
Ms Davidson, who declines to give her age, but says she is ''old enough to be a pensioner'', says her biggest highlight was the development of the falls prevention programme.
Steady As You Go was developed by Dr Clare Robertson and the late Prof John Campbell, in conjunction with Age Concern.
''It is the major highlight for me.''
At present 1500 people are enrolled in the programme, and it has also been picked up in other areas.
Age Concern dealt with the fallout when Compass Group took over the meals on wheels service.
Age Concern runs the meal delivery service, and Ms Davidson appeared keen to stay out of the public debate.
''I'm more of a quiet talker behind the scenes.
''Our position during that difficult time was to maintain our focus on older people who needed a meal, and supporting our volunteers.''
Only a ''very small handful'' of delivery volunteers quit when the service was outsourced to the multinational, she said.
Similarly, the agency is not outspoken on the health service, or the publicity around long wait times.
''Of course, we hear stories where people are waiting extraordinarily long times for knees or hips and any other elective surgery.
''While I am not always in agreement with decisions that the DHB makes, I am cognisant of the very difficult funding environment and geographical environment that they have to deal with,'' Ms Davidson said.
Ms Davidson, whose late mother, Ella, was Otago's first female mayor, laughs as she rules out a tilt at local politics.
''I'd be a useless councillor, I wouldn't be loud-mouth enough.''
Ms Davidson said she would keep busy, and had not ruled out some part-time work in future.
Her official last day was in November, but she is assisting the organisation until just after new chief executive, Debbie George, takes the helm on January 9.
For Ms George (57) the new job is a homecoming after 15 years away from Dunedin. Ms George grew up in Macandrew Bay, and has spent the last 12 years on the West Coast.
A trained nurse and occupational therapist, she set up Family Start on the West Coast.
The family support agency has two offices, in Greymouth and Westport.
Ms George has been based in Westport.
''I am very aware that I have massive shoes to fill and acknowledge the fantastic job Susan has done over the past 15 years,'' she said.
''I am really excited about the challenge and look forward to working with the team, the executive and the Otago communities.''
Ms George's two sons live in Dunedin, and she has a granddaughter here.
''It just feels like I'm going home.''
