Senior citizen communities

Check out your local community centre for a range of recreational and social activities. All community centres are wheel chair accessible.

Community centres

Would you like to go out more but find it difficult to go out on your own? If you’d like to go for a walk in your community, to the park, local café or shops, then Age Concern can help.

Companion walking services

Club Active has a number of group fitness classes suitable for older people: Activate, Activate Circuit, Activate Stability and Activate Yoga.

These classes are held at both Wellington Regional Aquatic Centre (WRAC) and Freyberg Pool & Fitness Centre and are approved by the Live Stronger for Longer programme.

For more information go to Club Active website

Steady As You Go (SAYGO) is an exercise programme that focuses on all parts of the body and is proven to improve strength and balance.

SAYGO is suitable for most people, is fun and very affordable at only $3.00 per session.

The classes are run by Age Concern Wellington throughout the region.

For more information contact communitysup@acwellington.org.nz, call 04 499 6646 or visit Age Concern Wellington website.

We work closely with a number organisations to celebrate our seniors for a whole week during October.

The week sees a number of tours, events, exhibitions, and activities happening around the city, all designed for older residents to get out and about, get active, and get engaged.

Senior Week

Get involved with your local community with Volunteer Wellington. They provide a range of volunteering options to suit people with a varying interests and availability.

For more information go to Volunteer Wellington website or call 04 4994570.

Keen to join in on some online conversations, or learn more about interesting topics? As everyone navigates the Omicron wave, Age Concern are hosting a series of short 45 minutes webinars designed to keep us connected with each other.

Age Concern – Curious Conversations webinar series

Time banking is a way of trading skills in a community, where time rather than money is used as the measurement tool.

Anyone living in the Wellington area can join the timebank.

For more information visit Wellington Timebank website or call 04 920 6708.

Mobility parking permits allow you to park in a Council-owned car park (excluding parking buildings) for longer than the time restriction. This recognises the extra time needed to go to and from destinations. With a mobility card you can park for 1 hour over any time restriction of 30 minutes or longer, or 1 hour over the time you've paid for.

Mobility parking

Beach wheelchair

We’ve got a beach wheelchair available for use – you can borrow it for a full day from Freyberg pool, 139 Oriental Parade. 

It's free of charge, and you can use it to travel on the sand and in the water at Oriental Bay.

Free mobility scooter hire

Enjoy Wellington’s spectacular waterfront and vibrant city on a free mobility scooter. The scooters are safe and easy to use. Trained staff will show you how. 

The scooters are available to anyone aged 18 years or over who has limited mobility, from wheelchair users to the elderly. You're even eligible with a broken leg. 

Scooters can be borrowed for four hours or longer by special arrangement.

Mobility transport and scooter hire

The Total Mobility scheme assists eligible people with a permanent disability or impairment to access appropriate transport to enhance their community participation.

This assistance is provided in the form of subsidised door-to-door transport services wherever scheme transport providers operate. 

Total Mobility scheme – Metlink

The Council offers assisted collections for people who are not able to take their rubbish and recycling to the street (does not include glass). 

If you are on a low income this service may be free of charge.

For more information phone 04 499 4444 or visit our Assisted collections page.

The Council owns and manages 12 branch libraries which provide various services and facilities for senior citizens. All branches are wheelchair accessible.

• Information for seniors – Wellington City Libraries
• Services for customers with disabilities – Wellington City Libraries

Residential ratepayers on incomes up to $25,180 per annum may be eligible for a rates rebate of up to $630 for the current rating year. You can apply for a rebate for the current rating year only.

Each application is judged against criteria set by the Government. The criteria covers many points and, although the income limit is $25,180, you still may qualify for a rebate with a higher income figure if you have dependants, or if your rates are high.

• Rates rebates
• Getting a rates rebate – Department of Internal Affairs

We provide affordable homes to low-income households, and to those who face barriers to other types of housing. Our rents may be subsidised up to 30% of the market rent and are reviewed annually.

In order to qualify, you must be:

• without adequate housing
• a permanent resident, or a New Zealand citizen, or a new arrival who has submitted an application for permanent residence or refugee status.

For more information see:

• Who can get Council housing
• Apply for Council housing
• About the Council's social housing

Wesley Elder Care’s abuse response service works alongside older people, their whānau, and their community to stop abuse, to provide immediate and ongoing safety, and protect older people.  

If you are worried about elder abuse, or concerned about an older person here in the Greater Wellington region, please email help@wesleyeldercare.org.nz or call 04 805 0880. 

Wesley Elder Care website