With the number of people in New Zealand aged 65+ set to increase dramatically in the coming years, The Selwyn Foundation’s charitable mission focuses on promoting the welfare of older people and helping those who are vulnerable or in greatest need. We reappraised our definition of 'vulnerability' in 2014 and developed new, practical ideas on how our charitable mission could affect the quality of life of older people. We identified four particular areas where our help can make a substantial difference to those in need; social isolation and loneliness, social housing, hardship support and spirituality.