Unified government agency support for healthy homes

The existing conditions of many homes in areas classed as low income but not under housing New Zealand or landlords, contribute and perpetuate health conditions such as respiratory conditions, highlighted by various health reports. For many larger extended families on low incomes who live in homes with holes in their roofs, indequate bathroom and kitchens, to name a few issues, there is nowhere to go for support. Te Puni Kokiri only serves a section of society and at this time has high demand. Elderly members of society often also acting as caretakers of others, who have worked for their own homes, should not be left to live in these dire conditions. Visiting social and health services, are not adequately able to respond to the physical needs for the people in these homes, and should not be spending their time contacting various agencies and trusts to try to help them.

The classification of those who qualify for any support is currently a confusing mismatch of government agencies,with many debilitating health conditions not a match for support, and hard to access for many of the families in these homes. The number of advocacy groups seems to outweigh actual support agencies when researching support for families through government. Housing New Zealand  needs to provide clear information and support for those in their own homes when their homes are unsafe and uninhabitable, this does not means curtains and insulation.

In so many working papers and reports holistic models of health care are present especially those that relate to vulnerable ethinic groups in New Zealand. It would be great to see this theory translated into real outcomes, which means health responses are not limited to  medical care. A persons home is hugely significant to their physical and mental well being.Safe and habitable homes for vulnerable groups should not only be those that are built and administered by the government, otherwise where is the empowerment for people in that system.