Help Guides

Step-by-step help for older people and whānau. Choose a guide, then check its recorded review and source dates.

Immediate danger? Call 111 Urgent contacts Recorded agencies and contacts

What do you need?

Matching help guides

Showing 1–6 of 11 matching guides (11 total). Search matches saved guidance, including uncertainty; it does not confirm current entitlement.

Start Here: Navigating the Seniors Knowledge Base

First-time visitors, older individuals, and their families looking to find relevant resources.

Guide review recorded: 2026-06-12

Choosing Between Home Care, Rest Home, and Retirement Village

Older people and whānau weighing the main living and care options.

Guide review recorded: 2026-06-12

Where to Complain and Who Regulates What

Seniors, family members, or carers experiencing issues with services or care.

Guide review recorded: 2026-06-12

Money, Legal, and Family Decision Checklist

Individuals preparing legal and financial documents for future stages of life.

Guide review recorded: 2026-06-12

Getting Home and Community Support

Seniors wishing to remain in their own homes with supportive services.

Guide review recorded: 2026-06-12

Understanding Retirement Villages and ORAs

Individuals considering moving into a retirement village.

Guide review recorded: 2026-06-12

Need help quickly?

Use these first contacts when safety, care quality, money, or an official decision cannot wait.

Call 111 if someone is in immediate danger.

Elder Abuse Response Service: 0800 32 668 65, text 5032, or email support@elderabuse.nz.

Open support site

HDC general enquiries: 0800 11 22 33, Monday–Friday 8.30am–5pm. Use the site for complaint options.

Netsafe advice: 0508 638 723, Monday–Friday 9am–5pm. Separately, report spam or scam texts to DIA on 7726.

Agency decision

Ombudsman general enquiries: 0800 802 602, Monday–Friday 8.30am–5pm. The site explains public-agency complaint options.

Visit Ombudsman

Contact details checked against primary service pages on 10 October 2026. Check the linked service for current hours and complaint or reporting scope.

Need another source?

Search the knowledge base Browse the library

Recorded agencies and contacts

The directory includes government, complaints bodies, sector groups, community services and operators. Descriptions, contacts and review dates are saved records; check the linked organisation for current remit, hours and availability. Quick Help above has a separate primary-source contact check.

Showing 1–6 of 35 matching agencies (35 total).

Complaints body

Health and Disability Commissioner

Promotes and protects health and disability consumers' rights, and assesses and resolves complaints about services, including aged care. Formal investigation is one possible pathway.

Recorded contact: 0800 11 22 33 — general enquiries, Mon–Fri 8.30am–5pm

Recorded check: 2026-10-10 | Scheduled review: 2027-01-10

Recorded services and source notes

Sector roles: complaints; consumer rights; published decisions
Services: complaint assessment and resolution; referrals to independent advocacy; Code of Rights guidance
Regions and audiences: National | residents; families; providers; advocates
Regulatory relevance: Independent statutory complaints and rights oversight.
Why it matters: HDC decisions reveal recurring quality and communication failures across care settings.
Editorial partnership assessment: High-value official referral and evidence source; not a commercial endorsement partner.

Health and Disability Commissioner official website

Source: Health and Disability Commissioner | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-06-22

Evidence note: Official remit, complaint routes, Code of Rights material, and published decisions.

Source: Health and Disability Commissioner | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: HDC promotes and protects health/disability consumers' rights and resolves complaints. Name remains Health and Disability Commissioner.

HDC: Contact us

Source: Health and Disability Commissioner | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: 0800 11 22 33 is labelled general enquiries; Monday–Friday 8.30am–5pm. This is not an emergency service or the independent Advocacy Service number.

HDC: Complaint process

Source: Health and Disability Commissioner | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: HDC assesses health/disability service complaints. Formal investigation occurs in a small minority; outcomes may involve provider resolution, referrals or no further action. HDC cannot itself recover compensation/refunds, arrange appointments or provide a second clinical opinion.

HDC: Talk to the Advocacy Service

Source: Health and Disability Commissioner | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: Independent free advocacy helps people understand rights and resolve complaints. Its number is 0800 555 050, distinct from HDC's enquiry number.

Recorded publication status: published | Public record: Yes

Complaints body

Aged Care Commissioner

Independent commissioner within HDC focused on aged-care quality and older people's rights.

Recorded contact: 0800 11 22 33

Recorded check: 2026-06-22 | Scheduled review: 2026-09-22

Visit Aged Care Commissioner

Recorded services and source notes

Sector roles: aged-care oversight; system advocacy; consumer rights
Services: system monitoring; reports; rights promotion
Regions and audiences: National | older people; families; providers; policy teams
Regulatory relevance: Independent statutory role hosted within HDC.
Why it matters: Provides a sector-wide lens across complaints, quality, access, and system design.
Editorial partnership assessment: Primary accountability source for evidence packs and briefings.

Aged Care Commissioner official website

Source: Aged Care Commissioner | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-06-22

Evidence note: Official role page and published Aged Care Commissioner material.

Recorded publication status: published | Public record: Yes

Complaints body

Office of the Ombudsman

Reviews public-agency decisions and monitors places of detention under OPCAT, including secured aged-care facilities.

Recorded contact: 0800 802 602

Recorded check: 2026-06-22 | Scheduled review: 2026-09-22

Visit Ombudsman

Recorded services and source notes

Sector roles: OPCAT monitoring; public-agency complaints; official information
Services: investigations; inspections; guidance
Regions and audiences: National | residents; families; advocates; agencies
Regulatory relevance: Independent Officer of Parliament with statutory investigation and monitoring powers.
Why it matters: OPCAT reports provide high-authority evidence on dignity, restraint, safeguards, and conditions.
Editorial partnership assessment: Official accountability and methodology source.

Office of the Ombudsman official website

Source: Office of the Ombudsman | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-06-22

Evidence note: Official complaint, OPCAT, and monitoring functions.

Recorded publication status: published | Public record: Yes

Government agency

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora

Plans, arranges, funds and delivers publicly funded hospital, primary and community health services, including health-funded aged residential care and support pathways for eligible older people.

Recorded contact: 0800 855 066 — general enquiries; Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri 8am–5pm, Wed 9.30am–5pm

Recorded check: 2026-10-10 | Scheduled review: 2027-01-10

Visit Health NZ

Recorded services and source notes

Sector roles: commissioning; funding; service delivery; workforce
Services: aged residential care; home support; hospital services; NASC pathways
Regions and audiences: National; Regional | public; providers; clinicians; families
Regulatory relevance: Public health-service planner, funder and provider; aged-care access depends on needs, eligibility and contracted services.
Why it matters: Its contracts, service models, operational guidance, and regional plans drive sector capacity.
Editorial partnership assessment: Priority source and potential public-information integration partner.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora official website

Source: Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-06-22

Evidence note: Official health-service, programme, publication, and provider guidance.

Health NZ: Our role and priorities

Source: Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: Health NZ leads day-to-day planning and delivery of publicly funded hospital, primary and community services and designs, arranges and delivers services. The current primary indexed page lists public health, primary/community, hospital/specialist and mental health/addiction services.

Health NZ: Aged residential care

Source: Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: The current primary indexed page says Health NZ funds ARC providers for long-term residential care and services to eligible older people. Eligibility, contracts and capacity are distinct from general agency remit.

Health NZ: Contact us

Source: Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: General enquiries: customerservice@health.govt.nz; 0800 855 066. Published hours are Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday 8am–5pm and Wednesday 9.30am–5pm. Appointment enquiries go to the local hospital, health centre or clinic. It is not represented here as clinical advice or emergency triage.

Work and Income: Residential Care Subsidy

Source: Work and Income | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: Needs assessment is through Health NZ-funded NASC. MSD assesses assets/income when required. Health NZ funds and pays eligible contracted residential care directly to providers. Work and Income's role must not be described as providing the care or determining clinical need alone.

Recorded publication status: published | Public record: Yes

Government agency

Ministry of Health Manatū Hauora

Government's lead health policy adviser, with policy, regulation and health-system monitoring functions. It does not provide healthcare services directly.

Recorded contact: 0800 400 569 — Ministry general enquiries

Recorded check: 2026-10-10 | Scheduled review: 2027-01-10

Visit Ministry of Health

Recorded services and source notes

Sector roles: policy; legislation; system monitoring; ministerial advice
Services: policy publications; Cabinet material; regulatory guidance
Regions and audiences: National | government; providers; researchers; public
Regulatory relevance: System steward and lead policy department.
Why it matters: Its policy advice, regulation and monitoring inform health-system settings and oversight of Health NZ and providers.
Editorial partnership assessment: Primary official-source and policy-watch organisation.

Ministry of Health Manatū Hauora official website

Source: Ministry of Health Manatū Hauora | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-06-22

Evidence note: Official policy, legislation, Cabinet, and system-performance material.

Ministry of Health: Our role

Source: Ministry of Health | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: The Ministry is government's lead health adviser with three functions: policy, regulation and monitoring. It monitors Health NZ and other health entities and administers relevant legislation. It is not Parliament and does not unilaterally enact statutory settings.

Ministry of Health: Contact us

Source: Ministry of Health | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-10-10

Evidence note: Ministry general enquiries are 0800 400 569. The page separately lists 0800 855 066 for Health NZ service enquiries. The Ministry says it does not provide healthcare services directly; health concerns go to a healthcare provider/Healthline. No phone hours verified for 0800 400 569.

Recorded publication status: published | Public record: Yes

Regulator

HealthCERT

Administers certification and audit requirements for hospitals, rest homes, and residential disability providers.

Recorded check: 2026-06-22 | Scheduled review: 2026-09-22

Visit HealthCERT

Recorded services and source notes

Sector roles: certification; audits; standards; enforcement
Services: provider certification; audit publication; regulatory guidance
Regions and audiences: National; Facility-level | providers; residents; families; auditors
Regulatory relevance: Core certification authority under health-care service legislation.
Why it matters: Facility audits are the strongest recurring public source for care-quality and corrective-action intelligence.
Editorial partnership assessment: Critical public-data source; facility-level reuse requires careful context.

HealthCERT official website

Source: HealthCERT | Published: Not recorded | Accessed: 2026-06-22

Evidence note: Official certification guidance and certified-provider audit database.

Recorded publication status: published | Public record: Yes