There's a demographic wave rolling through Northland, and most of us are watching it from the shore rather than preparing for it. According to the 2023 Census, 21.8% of Northland's population — more than 42,000 people — are already aged 65 or over, well above the national average. The region's median age sits at 43.2 years, compared with 38.1 years nationally. These aren't distant projections; they're today's reality. And yet, the funding model underpinning aged care in New Zealand has not kept pace. That matters enormously for places like Kerikeri Retirement Village, the only charitable, community-led aged care provider in Kerikeri — and arguably one of the largest employers that most locals haven't thought twice about.
Kerikeri Retirement Village is a registered charitable trust. Every dollar it earns from its retirement accommodation on its 12 acres of parklike grounds is reinvested into its 68-bed care facility, which offers rest home, hospital-level, and dementia care to anyone who needs it — regardless of financial circumstance. That last part is worth sitting with. In an era when large commercial operators are pivoting away from care towards premium village living, this organisation has maintained an open-door policy built on values rather than margins. That's admirable and something that the wider Kerikeri Community might not fully appreciate.
. A government review released in early 2024 found that Aged Residential Care in New Zealand is under-funded, that the funding model is no longer fit for purpose, and that problems are acutely worse in regional and rural New Zealand. The Aged Care Association has flagged that of 205 provincial and rural providers, 110 are at extreme risk due to funding shortfalls. Kerikeri Retirement Village's own website acknowledges this gap plainly: the government funds the essentials, but they want their residents to have more than basic healthcare — in-house physiotherapy, meaningful activities, and genuine human connection. Filling that gap falls on donations, bequests, and community goodwill. Meanwhile, they're also clear-eyed that their facility needs upgrading to meet future standards, and that the demand for their services is only going to grow.
Which brings us back to that wave. Nationally, New Zealand's 65+ population is projected to reach around 1.9 million — nearly 28% of all New Zealanders — by 2073. Northland, with its older-than-average demographic profile and relatively high levels of socioeconomic deprivation, will feel that pressure sooner and more acutely than most. The risk of doing nothing is not abstract: it's the closure of small rest homes in remote communities, it's frail elderly people managing at home without adequate support, and it's the erosion of the very kind of community-led, values-driven care that Kerikeri Retirement Village has been providing for decades.
The encouraging thing is that the Village is not sitting still. It's prudently invested in new beautifully designed self-contained apartments, a new Community Centre (under construction) and day programmes. There are also some very tangible and accessible ways to shape the future of the Village. The Gifts for Goldies appeal offers supporters a chance to contribute to specific projects — from sponsoring residents’ outdoor excursions and arts and entertainment programmes, to donating towards gardens and care equipment. These aren't abstract fundraising buckets; they're purposeful, named gifts that directly improve daily life for people in care. And this year carries extra significance — Kerikeri Retirement Village is planning its 40th anniversary celebrations and is actively seeking sponsors and supporters to help mark four decades of community-led aged care. It's a genuine opportunity for local businesses and individuals to align with something that matters, and to be part of a milestone that belongs to the whole Far North community. If you'd like to know more about donating, sponsoring the anniversary celebrations, or simply staying connected with what the Village is doing, contact Fundraising Manager Adele Woodward on 027 257 5314 or at fundraising@kerikerivillage.co.nz.
