Edition 16

COTA Queensland is committed to advancing the rights, needs and interests of people as they age in Queensland.  Our monthly e-newsletter provides news about upcoming events and connects you with relevant information to enhance the quality of life as people age. 

OFFICIAL NOTICE OF COUNCIL ON THE AGEING QUEENLAND ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The 58th Annual General Meeting of the Council on the Ageing Queensland will be held on Friday 20 November 2015 commencing at 1:30pm.

The AGM will be held on level 17/ 53 Albert Street Brisbane. Light refreshments will be served.

Please ring 3316 2999 or 1300 738 348 to advise your attendance.

Have Your Say.  Register as a Consumer Reference Member Today!

We work with local councils, the Queensland Government and the Australian Government on ageing-related issues.

Hearing the stories and experiences of people from throughout Queensland informs our work so that we can better understand what makes an age-friendly Queensland.

By registering your details as a Consumer Reference Network member you will have regular opportunities to contribute your knowledge and experience to ongoing discussions that impact on people as they age. 
 

To contribute your knowledge and experience to ongoing discussions that impact upon people as they age CLICK HERE.

Congratulations Zeitha!

Each quarter we randomly select a winner of a $50 Coles Voucher from our Consumer Reference Network participants. 

Zeitha from Forest Hill was our much deserving winner this quarter, she is currently studying and travelling into Brisbane on a regular basis for her studies so the voucher was a nice surprise!

Alison Taylor, COTA Queensland Peer Educator

Volunteering to be a Peer Educator six years ago for COTA Queensland has been a wonderful worthwhile experience for me. I have been trained in three different programs now, each relating to important issues for older Australians. The opportunity to deliver a message of hope and educate my peers to access help when required offers me a great deal of satisfaction as well as sense of worth to be actively involved in the community in my retirement years. The sharing of stories has great value and each program provides for some of this exchange of experiences and ideas.

COTA Queensland provides a professional and supportive environment both for training and working in the delivery of each program. If you have spare time, consider getting involved, educating your peers to enjoy a better quality of life with knowledge of personal rights and awareness of support programs as we age.

COTA Queensland Peer Educators – Recruiting Now!

We are currently recruiting volunteer Peer Educators to deliver free information sessions for older Queenslanders on Consumer Directed Care and the reforms to Aged Care Services. We are currently focusing on recruiting in southeast Queensland (from Sunshine Coast to the Gold Coast and out to Toowoomba), as well as inviting people to register their interest to be a Peer Educator outside of this area so we can grow our program and reach in 2016.

If you are interested contact Kerryn Clarke , COTA Community Education Coordinator for more information and an application form on education@cotaqld.org.au  or call 1300 738 348.

Information Sessions on Aged Care Reforms

Alongside the current rollout of Aged Care reforms, COTA Queensland is continuing to offer free information sessions for seniors’ groups and groups of future or current consumers of home care services. The sessions aim to increase the skills and knowledge of participants to maintain control of their own life by making the most of consumer directed care (CDC) through the new reforms, as well equipping them with more information to be active partners in their own health care and support needs with their service provider. Sessions run for about an hour, are free and are conducted by a trained COTA Peer Educator.

Peer Education is an informal way of delivering information where a Peer Educator is invited as a guest speaker to an existing group that meets regularly, or as a speaker at a ‘one off’ special session with seniors and carers. The sessions are designed to enable consumers to speak freely about their concerns and ask questions about the current reforms to home care packages. Please note the session is not designed for staff training.

If you are interested in booking a speaker for 2016 please contact Kerryn Clarke, Community Education Coordinator on 3316 2913 or via email on kerryn.clarke@cotaqld.org.au.

Know who is on the other side of the phone

Source: Wetern Union 

Tax Scam Continues to Scare People Out of their Money. Imagine receiving an unexpected call with the person stating they are from the Australian Tax Office or Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (CDPP). The caller states you owe the Australian Tax Office money and that there is a warrant for your immediate arrest for non-payment.

The caller states payment is required immediately to avoid arrest. The caller then goes on to state your assets such as bank accounts may be frozen if payment is not made.

Read More 

'Doing It Tough' Queensland Older Women's Experience of Poverty

During Anti Poverty Week Wesley Mission Brisbane, COTA Queensland and the independent research firm Urbis launched a report which examined older women’s experience of living in poverty and disadvantage across Queensland.  Drawing upon published research, discussions with stakeholders and conversations with older women in metropolitan, regional, rural and remote areas, this report provides  insights into the current and future experiences and needs of older women across Queensland, particularly, those who may be experiencing financial hardship, and/or at risk of disadvantage.

The overwhelming impression from undertaking this research was how reluctant women were to identify as living in poverty.

Read More

Shaping Ageing Cities

We are living in the urban and ageing era. As cities across the globe continue to grow, more people are growing old in housing, streets, communities that often are failing to respond appropriately to ageing populations with specific policies. This provides a unique opportunity to influence and design urban environments and social structures in ways that respect, protect and fulfil our rights, including in older age.

Arup, Help Age International, Intel, Systematica have just released Shaping Ageing Cities: 10 European case studies.

Read More 

Medical Workforce Plan for Queensland

The ageing of our population will have impact on Queensland's medical workforce. A Medical Workforce Plan for Queensland is being developed and will be delivered in two phases.

Phase 1 White Paper (by end of November 2015): This is the first part of a broader Medical Workforce Plan and will be a preliminary document including macro data on current medical workforce supply and demand and form the basis for ongoing external consultation with key stakeholders such as the specialist medical colleges and professional organisations. It is proposed that the white paper will formulate a number of strategic questions around medical workforce that will be posed to stakeholders to distil and determine the focus of the final plan.

Read More 

Older Persons Statewide Health Service Planning

COTA Queensland has been appointed to the Project Steering Committee for the Department of Health Older Persons statewide health service planning project and development of Policy for the Provision of Services for Older People.

The Steering Committee provides strategic advice, direction and decision-making to inform the development of the Policy for the Provision of Services for Older People and Care of Older Persons health services planning project for endorsement by the Departmental Leadership Team.

Statewide  Older Person’s Health Clinical Network

COTA Queensland continues to represent older people on the Department of Health’s Statewide Older Person’s Health Clinical Network which guides improvement in patient health outcomes, functional capacity and quality of life by identifying service gaps in acute and subacute care services including rehabilitation, palliative care, subacute mental health and Geriatric Evaluation and Management and psycho-geriatric services in both hospitals and the community.

For further information: policy@cotaqld.org.au

2015 Brighton Community Lead Steering Committee Members

Back Row (L-R) – Dr Cliff Pollard, Chris Seiboth, Mark Tucker-Evans, Terry Mehan, Dr Elizabeth Whiting
Front Row (L-R)  Sue Kimmins, Denise Herbert (Chair), Linda Isaak

COTA has been appointed to the Brighton Health Campus Project Steering Committee to provide direction and leadership for the Brighton Health Campus Project in developing a vision, service profile, workforce considerations and partnership opportunities for the Brighton Campus, consistent with the Eventide tradition of responding with compassion and care for those most in need.
 

Read More 

Participate in research: Investigating Concerns about Falling in People with Visual Impairment

Researchers at QUT are looking for people to participate in a research project investigating how central vision loss impacts on concerns about falling and how this may influence falls and activity levels. 

The research team are looking for adults over 65 years of age living independently in the community who have either central visual impairment ie. loss of central vision due to macular degeneration,  or have no eye conditions and normal vision. 

Your participation will involve attending an initial assessment at the QUT Kelvin Grove campus, followed by a one-year follow-up visit.  If you are interested in participating and would like to find out more please contact: Ursula White: 07 31385713 email: ursula.white@qut.edu.au

The NDIS - what’s all the hype?

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) has been the ‘’pink elephant in the room’’ – some people are interested and want to know more, some are curious but wary, and some just want to completely ignore it, hoping it will go away.

(The NDIS website is confusing, information which has been provided by COTA Queensland  to the Director of the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) Queensland , Ray Jeffery.  The site seems complicated, although with a simplified version, many people would have the ability to navigate through the information and feel more confident that the NDIS has great potential.)

The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) is the national system aimed at providing better support to Australians with disability, is governed by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), and is Commonwealth funded.

Read More 

National Plan for Elder Abuse Needed

In a speech to the Financial Services Council on Monday, the Age Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan (above) said that Australia's rapidly ageing population is at risk of being cheated out of their homes and savings by the people closest to them.

"A lot of older people don't see it coming," she told Fairfax Media.

"Older people need to be helped to seek independent legal and financial advice, even when dealing with people close to them," Susan Ryan said.

Read More

Residential Transition for Ageing Queenslanders

COTA Queensland has been appointed to the Taskforce to advise the Queensland Government on housing options and approaches to support older Queenslanders to retain their independence into old age and control how and where they live.

The Taskforce comprises a cross-section of community, business and government representatives who will provide their experience and advice. The Taskforce is expected to complete its work by late 2016.
For further information: policy@cotaqld.org.au

Commencement of Severe Behaviour Response Teams

Source: Department of Social Services

The Government announced that through an open competitive grants process HammondCare have been selected to establish and operate national Severe Behaviour Response Teams (SBRTs), expanding support for aged care residents experiencing extreme and severe Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia (BPSD).

SBRTs will be a mobile workforce of clinical experts who will provide timely and expert advice to residential aged care providers that request assistance with addressing the needs of people with the most severe BPSD.

SBRTs will operate from 7 am to 7 pm, commencing in most jurisdictions on Monday 2 November, with national coverage by 9 November 2015. Aged care providers requiring assistance from SBRTs will then be able to call the Dementia Behaviour Management Advisory Service (DBMAS) 24 hour helpline on 1800 699 799.

Read More

The National Aged Care Advocacy Programme

Source: My Aged Care

Advocacy is important in supporting aged care consumers to make informed choices, particularly for vulnerable consumers. With the implementation of CDC, advocacy is becoming increasingly important as clients navigate the aged care service system in a more individualised way than before. The National Aged Care Advocacy Programme (NACAP) provides free, independent and confidential advocacy and support to consumers, or potential consumers, of Australian Government subsidised residential aged care, Home Care Packages or flexible care services, their families and representatives. NACAP services promote consumer rights and help consumers to be involved in decisions about their care options to enhance the quality of care that they receive. More information about aged care advocacy can be found on the MyAgedCare website at www.myagedcare.gov.au/how-make-complaint/advocacy-services.

2ND LGBTI Ageing & Aged Care Conference

The 2nd National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) Ageing and Aged Care Conference will be held at the Arts Centre, Melbourne on  26 and 27 October. The aim is to promote healthy ageing for older LGBTI people and to ensure the needs of older LGBTI people are understood, respected and addressed in Australia’s aged care policies, programs and services.

For further information and bookings CLICK HERE 

Support Our Work and Get Involved

Our aim is to help create a more just, equitable and caring community in which older people are actively involved and have access to appropriate support, services and care. You can help us to continue to fight for an Age-friendly Queensland by:

• Leaving a bequest in your Will to COTA Queensland
• Donating today through PayPal or by shopping online with Shopnate
• Joining as an individual and receiving a wide range of  benefits through the COTA Rewards and Savings program
• Joining as an organisational member and contribute to our information exchange, policy development and service development
• Joining over 500 Queenslanders in our Consumer Reference Network to enable you to contribute your knowledge and experiences to the development of our submissions in response to those issues impacting on people age they age in Queensland

• Volunteering  and contributing  in creating an Age-friendly Queensland