An innovative project in Oamaru, which may be unique in New Zealand, ensures elderly tenants in community housing units owned and operated by the Waitaki District Council are kept safe.
The council has had a contract since 2009 with Age Concern Waitaki for its welfare officer, Aileen Wilson, to visit each tenant in the 66 units every three months. That is backed up by council maintenance staff, who carry out work on the units, and a contractor who services heat pumps every three months.
The issue of safety of tenants in council-owned complexes arose earlier this month when an 88-year-old man's body was found in a Wellington City Council unit after he had died more than a year ago.
Waitaki property officer Margaret Hamilton said yesterday the council had had provisions in place since 2009 to ensure tenants in its housing units were safe, using the services of Age Concern. The contract is automatically rolled over each year, ensuring visits to every tenant on a three-month rotational basis.
Age Concern Waitaki president Heather McElroy said the welfare officer ensured the tenants' good health and wellbeing, as well as providing advice and assistance where needed, including dealing with issues that may arise such as benefit entitlements.
The contract had been beneficial for Age Concern, generating more members through friends of tenants who heard about the services offered by the organisation.
Mrs Hamilton said that in addition to the Age Concern welfare officer, the council also kept in contact through staff who carried out work on the units and a contractor who every three months cleaned the filters on heat pumps.
In 2009, the council fully insulated all the units and installed heat pumps. The total cost of the project was $350,000, but the council's share was $60,000 after subsidies and bulk purchase from suppliers.
As units became vacant, the council also renovated them.
Mrs Hamilton said that prior to the Age Concern contract, the council had "tried to keep an eye" on tenants, but regular visits had improved welfare.
She believed the contract might be the only one of its kind in New Zealand and Mrs McElroy said when the national president and chief executive of Age Concern visited Oamaru, they were very impressed with the arrangement.
