Retirement Life
27 May 2025
You might be able to stay at home longer than you think
Getting older comes with a few extra challenges. Maybe it’s the laundry piling up, the garden getting away on you, or minor memory lapses that aren’t disastrous but might make your loved ones worry. The good news is there’s help at hand. And you don’t necessarily need to leave home to find it.
Many seniors start seriously considering a retirement village for the security and extra support when they realise they’re slowing down and finding things harder, but are reluctant to leave a beloved home or community. This is when home care can be the key, allowing them to stay put, safely and comfortably, in the home they love.
“Home care is really about helping people stay independent,” says Paul McLaren, owner of Home Carers, a Christchurch-based agency that supports older Kiwis. “We’re not here to take over, just to take the pressure off.”
What is Home Care?
Think of it as having a friendly extra pair of hands around. It’s not medical or nursing care (though there are options for that if you need it). It’s the practical stuff that can get a bit tricky with age, like:
- Vacuuming or tidying up
- Doing laundry or changing the sheets
- Prepping meals
- Picking up groceries or meds
- Taking out the rubbish
- Helping with phones, remotes, or internet
- Just popping in for a cuppa and a check-in
You can also get more involved support, like overnight help, dementia-friendly routines, or assistance after surgery. And you can choose how much or how little help you want, perhaps starting with someone coming in once a week, then adding to it later if things change.
The key benefits of care that comes to you
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- Peace of mind for you and your family knowing someone is checking in, helping out and noticing if anything changes.
- Continued independence and sense of agency for seniors who value familiar surroundings and routines.
- Improved wellbeing: A clean, safe home supports mental health and reduces stress.
- Flexible services that can be tailored to your needs and adjusted over time.
- Cost effective: being able to pick and choose services to fit both your needs and budget means home help can be a more affordable option, particularly compared to residential care.
Why choose home care over a retirement village?
For starters, it’s familiar. You’re not packing up your life and everything you know and are used to. It’s also personal, tailored to your specific circumstances.
“Everyone’s needs are different,” says Paul. “We’re here to make care fit the person, not the other way around.”
Just ask Home Carer client Margaret* (82). Her kids floated the idea of a retirement village, but it wasn’t for her.
“My lemon trees, the view from my kitchen window… I didn’t want to leave those behind,” she says.
Instead, they arranged weekly visits for groceries, a bit of meal prep, and help moving around. She was even matched with a carer who shared her passion for gardening.
“I didn’t want to start again. I just needed a little help so I could keep living the life I love.”
Or Dave* (76). After heart surgery, his family thought assisted living would be the logical next step, but the cost was prohibitive and the timing felt all wrong. So they looked into home support instead.
“We thought we’d need a retirement unit,” says Dave’s daughter, “but home care gave Dad everything he needed, right where he was.”
Now, Dave’s getting daily check-ins and building his strength again, all from his favourite chair.
Meanwhile, Helen* (79) was recently diagnosed with early-stage dementia. Her children were worried but didn’t want to push her into a home too early. So they created a plan with a home carer that includes regular wellness checks and gentle cognitive activities.
“It wasn’t about the cheapest or flashiest option,” says her son. “It was about keeping Mum connected to her life.”
Help with costs?
You might be eligible for government-funded support for home help if you’re a NZ resident or citizen, your needs have been assessed by an official agency, and you meet income and health criteria. You can find out more, including whether you might qualify via this government website.
If you don’t qualify for government subsidies and the cost for in-home services exceeds your budget, options like reverse mortgages or our debt-free alternative Lifetime Home can help by allowing you to release equity from your home to supplement your income in later years.
*Names have been changed for privacy. All stories reflect real Home Carer client experiences. This article is for information purposes only; we do not endorse nor receive financial compensation from any company referenced.
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Written by:
Vanessa Glennie
Vanessa is Head of Communications at Lifetime Retirement Income. She’s an experienced investment writer, having spent more than a decade writing about financial markets in the global fund management industry.
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