Well Elders: Promoting wellbeing in older people Online Workshop Series (WOP2025/01)

"I have care and support that enables me to live as I want to, seeing me as a unique person with skills, strengths and personal goals"

Well elders: thriving through participating and contributing

A comprehensive overview of the research, evidence and latest international thinking on promoting wellbeing in older people as applied to the Aotearoa-New Zealand context

Over recent years there has been a greater awareness of the fundamental role that wellbeing plays in enabling individuals and communities to thrive. Take the opportunity to learn how older peoples' workers and agencies, local government, churches and health services can put wellbeing at the heart of what they do that enables older people to thrive.

Hear from an experienced wellbeing specialist who has lectured and implemented numerous wellbeing programmes at the local, national and international levels.

Aotearoa-New Zealand’s population is ageing rapidly. There are more and more people living into old age. The World Health Organisation has identified that as the baby boomer generation ages, many will enjoy reasonable physical health, however mental health issues, in particular depression and anxiety, will be a prevalent health issue. Therefore promoting mental wellbeing will be a major focus for those working with older people.

Informed by social, cultural and environmental determinants, adopting a wellbeing framework enable workers and agencies to identify how they can be "agents of wellbeing" for older people and how to incorporate wellbeing outcomes into their work.
Mental wellbeing is not just the responsibility of the health sector, the workshop is ideal training for anyone working with older people in:

• aged care facilities

• churches

• community based older people agencies

• local government

• older persons' mental health services

• primary health care

• retirement villages

​Workshop Description

Wellbeing is determined by proven social, economic and cultural factors that positively or negatively impact on the wellbeing of older people. Factors such as loneliness, diminishing physical health, income and food security, significant loss, elder abuse, the invisability of older people, cultural alienation and impacts of rual to urban migration and immigration from the Pacific Islands in the 1950's and 60's.

Factors Based on these determinants and frameworks it is possible to develop an evidence-based programme logic with clear wellbeing outcomes and indicators and evaluation tools. An overview of the determinants and outcomes will be covered in the workshop.

Promoting wellbeing is an effective strategy in mitigating the impact of mood and anxiety disorders in older people, but it should not be it's primary aim of wellbeing promotion. The emphasis is on ageing well and thriving elders.
The training does not offer a ready-made wellbeing older peoples' wellbeing package but rather helps participants to:

• understand the underlying theory, principles and best practice in promoting mental wellbeing,

• identify the enablers and disablers of wellbeing in older people people

• to move from an outputs to outcomes focus in designing wellbeing programmes or activities

Participants in this workshop series may also be interested in the Grey Not Blue: Depression and suicide in older people workshop (Click on date for further information and online registration)

Online: Wednesday 24 & Tuesdays 30 September & 7 October 9.30am - 12.30pm

Auckland: Tuesday 14 October 9am - 4pm

Topics Include:

• Theoretical foundations of mental wellbeing in Elders

• Different outcomes for different purposes - the difference between welfare, wellness and wellbeing approaches

• Not the same thing - why a mental illness approach and a mental wellbeing approach are not the same

• Agents of Wellbeing

• Teaching an old dog new tricks - Reframing for positive ageing

• From redundancy to purposeful and meaningful ageing

• Transitions, moving on & grief: the role of coping, adjusting and adapting

• Dying well - a wellbeing approach to death and dying

• The Wheel of Wellbeing

• The emerging social pandemic - loneliness and social isolation in older people

Online workshop delivery
The online workshop format for TaylorMade workshops is delivered via Zoom in three 3-hour weekly workshops. The four workshops which will be delivered on Mondays - 1, 8 & 15 September 2025 - 9.30am to 12.30pm.

An opportunity for learning with internationally respected mental wellbeing practitioner and suicidologist, Barry Taylor

Barry has worked in mental wellbeing promotion and suicide prevention/postvention for 35 years at the local, national and international levels. His extensive experience includes sitting on state and national government advisory committees; designing, implementing and evaluating suicide prevention programs; writing suicide prevention guidelines, training packages and community resources; providing technical advice to community based and national mental wellbeing and suicide prevention programs.

He has led multiple ‘firsts’ in mental wellbeing both in Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas. In recognition of his outstanding contribution to mental wellbeing and suicide prevention, he was awarded in 2016 the NSW Mental Health Commissioner's Community Champion Award.

Barry has lectured on wellbeing both nationally and internationally and been appointed to numerous government advisory committees on mental wellbeing and suicide prevention. He brings to this workshop extensive experience in advising communities and government on post-disaster recovery in terms of both mental wellbeing promotion / community resiliency and suicide prevention.

Throughout his career he has been a strong advocate for more focused action on suicide in older people which he termed "the forgotten population." He is the only New Zealand member of the International Suicide in Older Persons Working Group. As a Health Sociologist and Public Health practitioner, Barry has a long-term interest in the factors that contribute mental distress and suicide risk in older people, such as social isolation and retirement and sense of purpose. His approach to responding to these challenges is promoting wellbeing and resiliency

Barry has a long-term interest in the social, economic and cultural determinants of wellbeing, especially the role of gender and he brings a wealth of knowledge and passion for promoting wellbeing in older men. He has examined the impact of discrimination, internalised stigma, social exclusion or inclusion on mental wellbeing along with the role of human rights as an enabler of wellbeing.

He embraces an holistic understanding of wellbeing and has an interest in the role that spirituality, tikanga and ecology contributes to a person's wellbeing.

After a number of years overseas, Barry has returned both passionate and enthused to make a contribution to a well and thriving Aotearoa New Zealand

WORKSHOP DETAILS

WORKSHOP PLACES ARE LIMITED. REGISTER EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT
If the workshop is full please register your name on the waitlist.

Group Booking Discount: Book 3 or more participants in one booking and receive 20% discount off each registration

Payment: Payment is by either:
Credit Card (Visa or Mastercard) or 
Instalment payment (ZIP and Afterpay) 
Invoice - Organisations can request to pay by invoice. At payment method click on Invoice,

Terms for Payment By Invoice
Payment by Invoice is only for NGOs, Government Departments, Te Whatu Ora, PHOs, Schools and tertiary organisations, businesses.By selecting to pay by invoice the organisation agrees to the following conditions:

1.  Your place in the workshop is not confirmed until payment has been received. Payment of the invoice must be made within seven days of registering to avoid having your registration cancelled. Late payment fees apply.

2.  A Tax Invoice from TaylorMade Training and Consulting will be sent to you separately which will contain bank details for payment.  

3.  By registering for the workshop, you agree to the cancellation and policy. (refer below).  Organisations who cancel within seven days of the workshop and have not paid the invoice for the outstanding registration fee are still obligated to pay the outstanding debt.

Scholarships:

There is a limited number of partial and full scholarships for those wishing to attend the workshop. Full scholarships are available for mental health consumers, carers and volunteers. Partial scholarships of either 25% or 50% off the registration fee are available for full time tertiary students in health, social service and disability related courses. Further information and how to apply for a scholarship is available on the TaylorMade website.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

Workshops can fill quickly. If you are no longer able to attend the workshop please cancel your registration as soon as possible. The following refund policy is strictly adhered to.

Cancellation up to seven days prior to the commencement of the workshop:  Full Refund less $35+GST admin fee

Cancellation within seven days prior to the commencement of the workshop: No refund but registration can be transferred to another person. To transfer your registration log on to your registration and update the name and contact details to the new person attending.

None attendance on the day of workshop: No refund

Cancellation of Workshop by TaylorMade Training:
TaylorMade Training and Consulting (TMTC) reserves the right to cancel the workshop up to two weeks before the workshop if there are not the minimum number of registrations.

If cancelled, participants will be offered a refund either by way of a credit to attend another TMTC workshop (within 12 months of the cancelled workshop) or full refund of their registration fee.

Refunds will be made to either the credit card used to pay for the registration or an electronic transfer into a bank account specified by the participant. TMTC accept no responsibility for any other costs incurred by participant as a result of a workshop cancellation.

Disclaimer: The information and professional advice delivered in the workshop and the associated printed material is provided solely on the basis that before relying on this material, participants should obtain appropriate advice relevant to their particular circumstance to evaluate its accuracy, currency, completeness and relevance for their purposes. TaylorMade Training and Consulting will not be liable for any damages of any kind to any person or entity arising from the use of this information. Your attendance at this workshop reflects your acceptance of this statement.

Organiser Contact Details

Barry Taylor
Principal Consultant | TaylorMade Training and Consulting
Mobile: 027 241 6979
Email: registration@4wellbeing.nz    Website: www.4wellbeing.nz

TAYLORMADE TRAINING AND CONSULTING IS PROUD TO BE AN AGE CONCERN DIGNITY CHAMPION 
TAKING A STAND AGAINST AGEISM AND PROMOTING POSITIVE AGEING