Billboards show aged versions of Jacinda Ardern, Grant Robertson to highlight care sector crisis

A billboard showing an aged Grant Robertson and Jacinda Ardern.

New billboards showing digitally-aged images of politicians have popped up in Wellington to bring attention to the lack of aged care nurses in Aotearoa.

Aged Care Matters launched the billboards today to raise awareness of the crisis facing the aged care sector.

Digital billboards near Parliament show what Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson might look like when they are in their late 70s and early 80s - the age many New Zealanders move into care homes as they can no longer live safely alone.

Another billboard showing an aged-up Jacinda Ardern and Grant Robertson.

The billboards also included projected figures which estimate by the time Ardern and Robertson are this age the country will need approximately 66,100 more aged care beds and 12,400 more aged care nurses.

Spokesperson Scott Scoullar hopes the billboards will attract attention and drive politicians to acknowledge “what we have been saying all along”.

“The aged residential care sector is at a tipping point.”

Metlifecare chief executive Earl Gasparich says if the Government doesn’t address the issues now, care options for older New Zealanders will continue to shrink.

“If we continue on this trajectory, it’s unclear how the sector will cope when Labour leaders need aged residential care themselves.”