Presenter(s):

Karen Billings-Jensen, Age Concern New Zealand, New Zealand

Abstract

At the IFA conference in Bangkok in 2023, Age Concern New Zealand presented on the Steady as You Go © programme, its flagship Strength and Balance programme. The programme supports older people who want to live well, stay active and remain socially connected by reducing the risk and incidence of falls while improving strength, balance, social connections and confidence. The programme has some key features including peer leadership of groups in local communities supported by a coordinator. The programme has recently achieved national accreditation with the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), a NZ Government department tasked with injury prevention and recovery.
In 2024, Age Concern worked with ImpactLab on a Good Measure report which explored the Social Return on Investment of the programme. The Good Measure report measured social value by asking the following questions:
• Outcomes: What positive long-term changes in participant lives does Steady as You Go© help to create?
• Effectiveness: What academic evidence is there about how effective a programme like Steady as You Go© can be at achieving those changes?
• Population: How many people does Steady as You Go© reach, and how many engage long enough to meaningfully benefit?
• Opportunity: Who does Steady as You Go© serve, and what is the opportunity to make a difference for those people?
ImpactLab calculate Social Value/Return on Investment using the data from those questions. Outcomes x Effectiveness x Population x Opportunity.
This paper explores the findings of that report including the calculated financial return of each dollar invested in the programme.
Using the Outcome questions above, the report identifies significant direct outcomes and changes for participants including improvement in mental and physical health and a reduction in injurious falls, reduction in presentation at Emergency Departments, and reduced hospitalisation. All of these have direct benefits for both the older person and the health system.
The report also identifies indirect benefits which are just as powerful including increased confidence, social connection and quality of life; and reductions in stress, loneliness and isolation and mortality.
The paper will also explore the demographics of the population in the study and the future opportunities for growth and reach across more communities.
The findings from this report also stack up alongside a concurrent Good Measure report that the ACC completed with ImpactLab on the national approach to Strength and Balance programmes. Both reports demonstrate the impact that regular Strength and Balance programmes or activities have on Ageing Well.

Bio(s):

Karen is the Chief Executive of Age Concern New Zealand. She joined the charity in March 2022 and draws from nearly 30 years of experience in managing and delivering services across the New Zealand not-for-profit sector. A social worker by training, she champions the wellbeing, rights, respect, and dignity of older people and supports local Age Concern services across communities, delivers national advocacy, and represents key topics impacting older people in the media. In addition, Karen works in partnership with key stakeholders across the sector, including the Aged Care and Disability service providers, to ensure that the vision of Better Later Life is achieved for all. Karen’s work at Age Concern currently focuses on critical areas impacting older people including housing and age friendly communities and design, income and cost of living impacts, health services and access, loneliness and social connection, and elder abuse and neglect prevention.