Services for older adults

Older Adults

Featured

Ageing Positively Week: 17 to 24 October

Free events for good times and curious minds! Find out what's happening in Ageing Positively Week.

Ageing Positively Week: 17 to 24 October

Free events for good times and curious minds! Find out what's happening in Ageing Positively Week.

Events

Featured

WHAIAO exhibition, part of a series

Ki te Whaiao, Ki Te Ao Marama - a celebration of Mātauranga Māori and the Library's Ngā Pounamu Māori Collections.

SCAPE Public Art Aspiring Artist Exhibition, part of a series

See the winning sculptures, finalists, and a selection of other entries from SCAPE’s annual Aspiring Artist competition.

GenConnect, part of a series

High school students will be available every Thursday during term time from 1–1.45pm to help you find answers to all your tech questions!

Crafty Connections Crew, part of a series

Create in a fun and relaxed environment on a fortnightly basis. Bring along your craft to work on and get to know some fellow crafters.

CINCH

CINCH Community Information Christchurch

Visit the CINCH online directory to join and connect with community groups, organisations, activities, education, and hobbies.

Get news for older adults from the library

Want to get a monthly email with all the latest news? Just subscribe to our newsletters.
Pick Older Adults from our newsletter options under Audience.

Audiobooks and eAudiobooks

We have a range of fiction and non-fiction audiobooks and talking books.

eAudiobooks

Streaming Video

Watch movies and documentaries for free.

eResources: Streaming video

Kanopy

On-demand streaming video service with a large collection of award-winning independent, international and classic films, and documentaries.

New Zealand Geographic

Writers, photographers and scientists tell the story of NZ in this online magazine archive. Includes videos, podcasts, and photography.

Kanopy Kids

Kanopy Kids is a collection of movies and shows for kids.

Enjoy world cinema with Kanopy

Watch films in 40 languages, including Spanish, German, French, Russian, Arabic and Japanese online with Kanopy.

eBooks

Browse our collection of eBooks.

eBooks

eMagazines

Your library membership gives you access to hundreds of popular eMagazines covering a wide range of subjects. We have everything from the Economist to New Zealand Gardener! The eMagazines are replicas of current and print editions. You need to be a library member and have a password or PIN on your library card.

PressReader

PressReader has over 7,000 digital newspapers and magazines from over 100 countries in 60+ languages.

Find AWA eMagazines in the Libby app

Thousands of eMagazines from around the world including many popular New Zealand titles.

The Mirror Historical Archive

This archive has full-text searchable scans of the complete run of the Mirror, including the Sunday Mirror.

The Mail on Sunday Historical Archive, 1982-2011

Full digital access to four decades of British and world history through this generally conservative, at times sensationalist tabloid paper.

eMagazines

Large Print

We have a wide range of large print fiction and non-fiction books, as well as large print Reader's Digest magazines.

We also have a small selection of dementia-friendly books.

Large Print

Dementia-friendly books

Books specially selected and adapted by experts to enhance the joy of reading for people with memory and language problems.

Services for older adults

Find out how Christchurch City Libraries can support older adults who have difficulty accessing a library.

Local History

Local History

Canterbury Stories

Online collections from our digitised archives, publications, & photographs. Includes Photo Hunt images, exhibitions, image sets, & more.

Discovery Wall

Tūranga is the home of NZ’s largest digital touchwall. Find out more, and how you can contribute to this unique heritage resource.

Open Archives at Tūranga: Ageing Positively Week

Oct 22nd | 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Explore the past through archival objects and discover what we can learn from these precious treasures. Free, bookings required.

New street art, old store: Johnson's Grocers

Moata digs into the history of Johnson's Grocers, as a new mural pops up commemorating this Christchurch institution.

Lifelong Learning and Recreation

Find out more about Lifelong learning.

Community connections for adults
These courses at our Learning Centres provide individuals and groups with hands-on skills in using information and communication technologies.

Older people
Search CINCH our community information directory for courses and organisations relevant to older people.

Library events calendar
Browse our calendar for events and classes.

Leisure clubs
Information from Christchurch City Council on recreation for older adults.

Useful websites for older adults

General Information

Age Concern connects, supports, empowers, celebrates and respects all older people in an inclusive community. They have social outings, a range of services such as home and health services, and a useful information directory.

Citizens Advice Bureau provides free, confidential, independent information and advice about your rights on a huge range of topics including funerals, wills, insurance, and trusts.

Eldernet is an online resource for information about support at home, residential care and retirement villages including a retirement checklists and a database of homes available now.

Greypower NZ
Grey Power is an advocacy organisation promoting the welfare and well-being of all those citizens in the 50 plus age group.

New Zealand Aged Care Association  is the largest association representing all parts of New Zealand’s aged residential care sector.

SuperGold Card
Information on the discounts and concessions card issued free to all eligible seniors and veterans.

Super Seniors is run by the Office for Seniors and is a gateway to information on Government services for anyone aged 65+, including applying for NZ Superannuation, financial planning and information on health and wellbeing.

Social Groups and Activities

Book Discussion Scheme (BDS) is a nationwide not-for-profit organisation that lends books and professionally prepared discussion notes to book groups. Groups receive enough copies of their selected title to allow everyone in the group to read the same book at the same time. Find out more about BDS and other book Clubs run through Christchurch City Libraries.

CINCH is an online community directory of clubs, community organisations and continuing education course providers in the greater Christchurch area.

CWEA (Canterbury Workers’ Educational Association) offer courses in a wide range of interest areas with a special focus on Social Justice and Democracy. Recreation and relaxation are also catered for with courses including Tai Chi, singing for pleasure, drawing etc.

Sport Canterbury has many resources to keep you well and help you Live Stronger for Longer. These include community classes, online exercises to follow at home, as well as information on nutrition and wellbeing.

Finance

Te Ara Ahunga Ora (Retirement Commission) Te Ara Ahunga Ora translates to the 'pathway to developing long-term wellbeing'. It reflects that people are on a journey and aligns to the work they do on financial wellbeing, retirement villages and retirement income policies.

Fisher Funds can help financially plan your retirement with information on KiwiSaver and how to approach your bank. They have a thorough planning guide answering many frequently asked questions.

Planning for retirement | New Zealand Government (www.govt.nz) has useful information from the government about NZ superannuation, SuperGold cards, and KiwiSaver.

Work and Income Senior Services
Information relating to superannuation, entitlements, work and income, financial means assessment and SuperGold cards.

Health

Alzheimers NZ
Alzheimers NZ represents people living with dementia at a national level by raising awareness of dementia, providing information and resources, advocating for high quality services, and promoting research about prevention, treatment, cure and care.

Dementia New Zealand
Through awareness, education and support, Dementia New Zealand's mission to help improve the quality of life for those affected by dementia – not only individuals, but also their caregivers, whanau and support networks.

Live stronger for longer
Information on health and exercise for older people.

New Zealand Home & Community Health Association
The Association (HCHA) represents providers of home and community health services in New Zealand.

NZ Telehealth Resource Centre focuses on the distribution of health-related services and information via electronic information and telecommunication technologies. It promotes the use of telehealth in the provision of healthcare and is funded by the Ministry of Health.

Older people's health information from Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora.

SeniorLine is a national information service to help older people and their whānau navigate the health system. It is funded by all 20 District Health Boards in New Zealand. Seniorline provides information to assist older people to make decisions about staying at home, support for carers and residential care.

Technology

Netsafe
Top resources and tips for older people.

Senior Gadget Guide
Free, independent New Zealand guides to choosing and using phones, tablets and everyday technology.

Find books and more