The Life and Living in Advanced Age; A Cohort Study in New Zealand (LILACSNZ): Te Puāwaitanga o Ngā Tapuwae Kia Ora Tonu is the first large-scale study of people in advanced age in Aotearoa, New Zealand and the only longitudinal study of people in advanced age that includes a large number of Māori people. The overall study, funded by the Health Research Council, aims to find out what factors contribute to ageing successfully in those already very old. LILACSNZ is directed by a joint leadership team in close relationship with the RōpūKaitiaki o Ngā Tikanga Māori/Protectors of Principles in Conduct in Māori Research.
In wave one of LILACSNZ (2010), the interviewers recruited 429 Māori aged 80 to 90 years old and 523 non-Māori aged 85 years old; as well as cultural and environmental information from the participants. In wave two (2011), the researchers collected detailed information on the cohort’s food intake. Wave three is funded for 2012. LILACSNZ is envisaged as a 15-year study, aiming for a minimum of five years of follow-up for this precious group of people.
Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga is supporting the Māori cohort of the study, called Kaumātua Ngā Kuia: Taonga Aroha. This project is led by Principal Investigator Dr Lorna Dyall and the Project Manager Dr Mere Kēpa. The team has found that while the participants may have experienced many changes throughout their life, almost all live life positively and were keen to contribute their knowledge to future generations. For the Māori participants, growing old is a positive experience.
The Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation, Tauranga; Ngā Matāpuna Oranga Kaupapa Māori Primary Health Organisation, Tauranga; Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Pikiao and Te Korowai Aroha Health Services, Rotorua; Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Whakatāne; and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Irapuia, Ōpotiki are involved as the contractors and the RōpūKaitiaki o Ngā Tikanga Māori provides invaluable support in governing the research team. LILACSNZ has established a pan tribal, multi-disciplinary intellectual advisory group to support the Māori PhD candidate.
The study is becoming increasingly visible, both in New Zealand and internationally, as there is growing awareness of the ageing population and how people can live to an advanced age well. Recent findings from LILACSNZ include older Māori who are engaged in cultural practices and connected to their traditional community enjoy a higher quality of life. Indeed, some of the Māori participants are still in the paid workforce, and more than 30% are involved in mahi aroha/voluntary work with whānau, hapū, marae, and social organisations.
The researchers were awarded one of the 2012 Excellence in Equity Awards from The University of Auckland.
Outputs
Journal articles
Wright-St Clair, V. A. Kēpa, M., Hoenle, S., Hayman, K., Keeling, S., Connolly, M., Broad, J., Dyall, L., & Kerse, N. (2012). Doing what’s important: Valued activities for elder New Zealand Māori and non-Māori. Australasian Journal on Ageing
Dyall, L., N. Kerse, K. Hayman and S. Keeling (2011). Pinnacle of Life- Māori living to Advanced Age. New Zealand Medical Journal 124(1331): 75-86.
Kēpa, M & Manu'atu, L. (2012). An Indigenous and Migrant Critique of Principles and Innovation in Education in Aotearoa/New Zealand. International Review of Education: Volume 57, Issue 5 (2012), 617-630. DOI: 10. 1007/s 11159-011-9249-1
Dyall, L., Kēpa, M., Hayman, K.,Teh,R., Moyes,S., Broad J.B., and Kerse,N., (2013). "Engagement and Recruitment of Maori and non-Maori People of Advanced Age: Te Puawaitanga o Nga Tapuwae Kia Ora Tonu, Life and Living in Advanced Age: A Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ)." Australian and NZ Journal of Public Health.
Hayman, K., Kerse, N., Dyall, L. Kēpa, M , Teh.R., Wham,C., Wright-St Clair, V. A., Wiles,J., Keeling,S., Connolly, M., Wilkinson,T., Moyes, S., Broad, J., Jatrana, S., Scragg, R., Reid, I., Bolland, M., Doughty, R. and Davis,P. (2012). "Life and Living in Advanced age: a Cohort Study in New Zealand, Te Puāwaitanga O Nga Tapuwae Kia ora Tonu: - LILACS NZ, Study Protocol " BMC Geriatrics 12: 33 10.1186/1471-2318-1112-1133.
Conference Proceedings
Kēpa, M, Kerse, N, Dyall, L. (2012). Te Puāwaitanga o Ngā Tapuwae Kia Ora Tonu: Cultures and Ageing. Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga International Indigenous Research Development Conference Proceedings 2012. The University of Auckland
McDonald, M & Kēpa, M. (2012). He Kāhui Ruahine: My Doctoral Sisterhood. Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga International Indigenous Research Development Conference Proceedings 2012. The University of Auckland
Muru-Lanning, M & Kēpa, M. ( 2012). Developing Research in Mātauranga te Mate Māori. Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga International Indigenous Research Development Conference Proceedings 2012. The University of Auckland
Kēpa, M (accepted & forthcoming 2012). Donating a Sample of Blood: Where– to–from–there? Pacific Edge: Transforming Knowledge into Innovative Practice. Waipuna Hotel and Conference Centre, Auckland. 18–19 April
Presentations
- Manu’atu, L, Kēpa, M, Tautakitaki, Pepe, M (2012). Indigenous and Migrant Education A Conceptual Circle of Fresh Ideas and Inclusive Education. The Joint Australian Association for Research in Education and Asia-Pacific Education Research Conference & World Education Research Association Focal Meeting. AARE-APERA 2012 Regional and Global Cooperation in Educational Research Conference. University of Sydney, 2-6 December.
- Kēpa, M. (2012). Life and Living in Advanced Age: A Cohort Study in New Zealand (LiLACS NZ). International Network of Indigenous Health Knowledge and Development (INIHKD) 5th Biennial Conference. University of Queensland (St Lucia Campus, Brisbane, Australia. 24th to 28th September 2012
- Kēpa, M, Dyall, L, Kerse, N (2012). Being Māori in Advanced Age. Panel Presentation. Ageing and Diversity, New Zealand Association of Gerontology Conference, Waipuna Lodge 13 to 15 September.
- Bennett, J., McKendrick, Merritt, M, Muru-Lanning, M, Kēpa, M, Dyall, L, Kerse, N (2012). Panel Presentation on Cultural Identity: Roots of Resilience, Mate Māori Mātauranga and New Ideas, Doctoral Supervision, Advanced Ageing and Healthy Indigenous Families Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Indigenous Development Conference 2012. Owen Glenn Building, the University of Auckland 27–30 June 2012
- Kēpa, M, Muru–Lanning, McKendrick, J. Panel Presentation: Researchers Supporting Each Other in LiLACS NZ (Awhi Tautoko Māori Mātauranga: Transforming Emerging Mate Māori Researchers Through Awhi Tautoko of Experience). Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Indigenous Development Conference 2012. Owen Glenn Building, the University of Auckland 27–30 June 2012
- Kēpa, M (2012). Donating a Sample of Blood: Where– to–from–there? Pacific Edge: Transforming Knowledge into Innovative Practice. Waipuna Hotel and Conference Centre, Auckland. 18–19 April
- Kēpa, M, Smith, P. McPherson, B, Reynolds, L. (2012). Caring About Our Parents in Elite Age. Te Kaumātuatanga: the highs and lows of the elderly, Kaumātua Seminar, Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, Whakatāne, 24th October. A presentation to 160 Kaumātua (11 of whom are 80 to 90 years old) in a bilingual and bicultural Māori community