Three decades of working with Treasured Older Adults of Pacific Islands origin has been a precious learning and valuable experience for oneself.  Eight ethnicities, eight cultures, more than eight languages and always enjoying the similarity and uniqueness of each community of older adults.  In common was the importance of celebrations, art, crafts but the common enabler was their Happiness, Health and Safety.  

Challenges in life was real in the 90s and it is today.   All efforts of services delivered to value and treasure older adults makes importance of their rights to have Independence, Participation, Self-fulfilment, Care and Dignity.   Older people's love for their children and grandchildren and wishing to continue to nurture and support their families often make them vulnerable.   

Our ageing population hold wisdom, knowledge of culture and customs, also genealogy, and lived experience.  Our youth and young profession people of today are showing a lot of interest in asserting their identity and learn from Treasured Older Adults within their family or community network.

It would be remising not make importance of the significant contribution family/whanau/aiga carers contribute to the vulnerable older adults they care for.  A significant number of family/whanau/aiga carers are older people.