HELP US NAME THIS E-NEWSLETTER
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It is our intention to send you our e-newsletter on a monthly basis to keep you informed about issues impacting on Queensland's ageing population.
We invite you to suggest a name for our e-newsletter.
The winner will receive a $50 voucher.
We are also interested in you bringing items of interest to us which we may include in our e-newsletter.
Please submit your names for our e-newsletter to info@cotaqld.org.au by 15 February 2013. You can submit content ideas to the same email address at any time.
 
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YOUR STORY, OUR TABLE
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Take a seat, Share your experience, Make a difference!
COTA Queensland invites you to join our Queensland-wide Table, a forum in which you will have the opportunity to regularly contribute your knowledge and experience to ongoing discussions about community care as well as other issues that impact on people as they age in Queensland.
Participants at Our Table will receive regular updates about the stories we are hearing and about how those stories are influencing COTA Queensland’s policy and advocacy work.
COTA Queensland would like to encourage readers to make a difference by joining us at Our Table. Participants at Our Table will go in a quarterly draw to win a voucher to the value of $50.
You can find out more about taking a seat at Our Table at www.cotaqld.org.au or by contacting COTA Queensland’s research officer at research@cotaqld.org.au or by telephone on 1300 738 348.
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ENERGY HARDSHIP AND ELECTRICITY DISCONNECTIONS IN QUEENSLAND
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Queensland Council of Social Service (QCOSS) has released a Research Report Energy Hardship and Electricity Disconnections in Queensland indicating that in three of the four years to June 2011 the percentage of customers disconnected in Queensland was higher than in any other jurisdiction in Australia.
Since disconnection rates are an indication of market performance and levels of hardship, Queensland's high rate should be a matter of concern for the electricity sector.
COTA Queensland's Chief Executive is a member of the Energy + Water Ombudsman Queensland's Advisory Council and welcomes hearing about issues of concern for older people.
Contact policy@cotaqld.org.au
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HOME ENERGY SAVER SCHEME
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The Home Energy Saver Scheme (the Scheme) is part of the Australian Government’s climate change plan. Funding for the Scheme is $50.5 million over four years (until 2014-15) to support low-income households across Australia experiencing difficulty meeting and paying for their energy needs.
What can HESS offer you?
HESS is provided through community organisations around Australia and can help by offering low-income households experiencing difficulty meeting and paying for their energy needs with:
• information about easy and affordable ways to use less energy in the home
• one-on-one budgeting assistance
• information on whether you are getting the right rebates and assistance
• help to understand your energy bills and the energy market
• advice, advocacy and support
• links to other services that may be able to assist you, and
• help to access no or low interest loans to purchase energy efficient appliances.
To find out more click here
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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS
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Getting help to stay at home through Community Care
Community Care Services aim to help frail aged people and people with a disability live independently in their own homes and enjoy quality of life for as long as possible.
To ensure frail aged people gain access to available care services appropriate to their assessed needs, and to support carers in their caring role the following services are available:
• Community Care Services
• Consumer Directed Care Respite Care
• Information for people receiving community aged care
Access to Community Care Call 1800 200 422, this number can provide information on a range of aged care services and supports available locally and nationally. Coordination and advice can also be provided to access respite services, counselling and emotional support for carers.
COTA Queensland is interested in hearing about your experiences with Community Care services (see Your Story Our Table).
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GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN AGED CARE A WIN FOR OLDER AUSTRALIANS
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Aged care providers will be able to charge bonds up to $500,000, but will be required to make pricing information public and readily available, under the first recommendations of the new Aged Care Financing Authority.
The authority has recommended the maximum price for lump sum bonds be set at the 95th percentile of all accommodation bonds for the most recent year of data, which based on current data would be equivalent to $500,000.
A complaints system would be established to deal with complaints of unreasonable pricing, and operators could still apply for special approval to charge a higher bond if they provided evidence it was justified.
COTA Australia chief executive Ian Yates – who sits on the authority as a consumer representative – said the most important aspect of the recommendations was that providers would no longer be able to find out the value of a person’s assets before they set a bond price. Read the full article here and media release from COTA Australia here.
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LIVING LONGER, LIVING BETTER.
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The National Ageing and Aged Care Strategy for People from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Backgrounds (the Strategy) was launched on 20 December 2012.
As part of the Older Australians from Diverse Backgrounds stream of the Living Longer Living Better aged care reform package, the Government announced consultation with groups representing people from diverse backgrounds to assess the requirement for the development of further tools and/or strategies to support their needs in aged care.
Some older Australians with diverse needs find it difficult to access aged care information and services that are sensitive to their backgrounds and circumstances. The Government is committed to ensuring people from diverse backgrounds can access aged care services that are specific to their care needs.
The Strategy will help inform the way Government responds to the needs of older people from CALD backgrounds and better support the aged care sector to deliver care that is sensitive and appropriate.
Visit the Department of Health and Ageing for more information.
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SUBMISSION TO QLD GOVERNMENT'S REVIEW OF THE RESIDENTIAL TENANCIES AND ROOMING ACCOMMODATION ACT 2013
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The private rental sector is no longer a tenure of transition for Queenslanders, it has become a mainstream housing tenure. A third of Queenslanders rent their homes and this is higher than the national average. Most renters live in the private rental sector.
The myth that older Australians are well housed is under challenge. While 82 percent of over 65s live in home ownership, including those who still have mortgages, a significant 14.5 percent of over 65s are renters. Half of these people live in public and community housing and half live in the private rental sector. Those in the private rental sector face rent levels that take a large proportion of their pensions. Their occupancy is insecure and the physical conditions do not always support ageing in place e.g. having to use steps where ramps are needed. Older single women are especially vulnerable to not being able to access home ownership. Declining rates of social housing means more older people will be trying to access the private rental sector over time.
The private rental sector will need to be able to respond appropriately to the needs of Queenslanders as they age. The Queensland Government is reviewing its tenancy legislation and COTA is advocating for decisions that will improve outcomes for older renters.
Please click on the link to read the full text of COTA Queenland’s submission.
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TPI/EDA VETERAN TRAVEL PASS
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From 1 January 2013, the Queensland Government extended the benefits of its Totally and Permanently Incapacitated Veteran Travel Pass to Extreme Disablement Adjustment Veterans.
The TPI/EDA Veteran Travel Pass entitles eligible TPI/EDA ex-service men and women to unlimited free travel on approved public transport services throughout Queensland.
The TPI/EDA Veteran Travel Pass is available to Queensland residents who hold a Commonwealth Department of Veterans' Affairs Repatriation Health Card – for All Conditions (Gold), that is embossed TPI or EDA
Application forms for the Travel Pass are available online.
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IT'S AS EASY AS ABC
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Audio description on TV
In August 2012, the ABC commenced a 13-week technical trial of audio description (AD) on ABC1 that aimed to assess the technical challenges of delivering AD in Australia. This was the first time that AD was made available on television for over 600,000 Australians who are blind, vision impaired or can benefit from the service.
At the end of 2012, the ABC reported on the trial to the Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to inform the Government’s decision for an ongoing service. The report included factors such as resourcing needed for a permanent service, response to the trial and the impact on existing technologies, such as televisions and set-top boxes.
Communications Minister Senator Stephen Conroy has acknowledged that AD is strongly desired by the Australian vision impaired community and has stated that the Department will work closely with interested parties to address issues and work towards establishing a permanent AD service on Australian TV.
Read Senator Conroy’s media release supporting a continued AD service on TV.
Campaign organisations, with Media Access Australia, have published a report highlighting the consumer experience of the AD trial and informing Government’s thinking regarding the introduction of a permanent AD service:
• Blindness Sector Report on the 2012 Audio Description Trial [PDF 298KB]
• Blindness Sector Report on the 2012 Audio Description Trial [Word 412 KB]
For further information about how audio described TV is delivered visit Media Access Australia. Here you will also find the latest audio description news from Australia and around the world.
Source: http://www.audiodescription.com.au/audio-description-tv
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DID YOU KNOW?
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NOTES FORM COTA QUEENSLAND'S HISTORY
COTA Queensland's first local committee (then the Old Person's Welfare Committee) met at Toowong on 21 January 1958 (President Mr T.J. Weedman presiding) and the Centre was officially opened by then Governor of Queensland and our Patron Sir Alan Mansfield on 1 April 1958
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THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT!
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COTA Queensland takes a look at useful apps.
Bupa has recently launched their Choosing a Care Home app for Apple mobile devices, along with a downloadable resource book for those who don’t have the required mobile device. e Minister for Ageing, Mark Butler, tested and launched the app at Bupa Windsor in Melbourne. This app is available for free from iTunes.
NPS Antibiotics Reminder app
When you’re prescribed a course of antibiotics it’s important to take them exactly as directed by your health professional — even if you begin to feel better — otherwise they won’t work as well as they should.
It can be hard to remember to take your antibiotics on time, so the Antibiotics Reminder app has been developed to help you:
• set alerts that remind you to take your medicines
• track whether you’ve taken all your doses
• record (and share) how you feel in a recovery diary.
Download it now for free from the App Store*.
Find My Phone - Install the Find My iPhone application onto your iPhone, and you do not need to worry about misplacing your iPhone again. This application helps you locate your lost phone by displaying its location on another device (on a map), by playing a sound, displaying a message or remotely locking the device.
Magnifying Glass with Light – This free app is designed for both iPhone and iPad. It is a magnifying glass with flashlight and is great for giving a little extra help to see small objects, read small writing, look at maps, read menus etc.
Policelink is introducing a number of new on-line forms for Queenslanders to report incidents.
As an alternative to phoning 131 444, you can complete these forms in your own time. A Policelink Client Service Officer will reply to you via e-mail with a Police reference number.
Emergency Smartphone App
The Ready Qld smartphone app provides real-time updates and information about volunteering opportunities in your local area.
Ready Qld smartphone app.
• Download Ready Qld app for Android
• Download Ready Qld app for iPhone
With the app you can:
• register with CREW (Community Response to Extreme Weather) to be an emergency volunteer
• see current emergency volunteering opportunities
• access important contacts for emergencies in one place and save your own emergency contacts
• watch short disaster prepare and response videos
• find out what you need to have in your emergency kit, and check them off when you have them.
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SWITCHOVER ASSISTANCE STILL AVAILABLE
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Analog TV will be switched off in the Brisbane switchover region, including Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast on 28 May 2013. The Brisbane switchover region will be the tenth region to switch to digital-only TV.
Australian Government assistance and support is still available to eligible pensioners across areas of Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast through the Household Assistance Scheme.
The Household Assistance Scheme is available for people who have a working TV, have not yet converted to digital TV and receive the maximum rate of the Age Pension, Disability Support Pension, Carer Payment or the Department of Veterans' Affairs Service Pension or Income Support Supplement payment.
The Department of Human Services has written to people inviting them to test their eligibility. People who think they might be eligible but haven't received a letter should call the Department of Human Services on 1800 55 64 43 to test their eligibility and to opt-in.
For more information visit the Digital Ready Website www.digitalready.gov.au or call the Digital Ready Information Line on 1800 20 10 13.
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Advertisement
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DIAL-AN-ANGEL® was founded in 1967 by 29-year-old mother-of-three Dena Blackman, prompted by her own difficulties finding home help.
45 years on and DIAL-AN-ANGEL is a national Australian home care service offering a full range of home needs, including care for the disabled, eldercare, domestic cleaning/housekeeping and childcare. The company offers services to fit all ages and stages of family life.
DIAL-AN-ANGEL is "a family affair". Three generations have been involved in this family business over more than three decades which is now run by Danielle Robertson. Under her guidance the company has the strictest vetting process of any home care service in Australia.
It is one of few agencies around the world to meet every perspective employee and conduct comprehensive in-depth reference checks to assess applicants. For extra peace of mind all Angels are fully insured and have Police Clearances.
The company is also perfectly positioned to meet growing demand for home-based care for elders and also provide a viable alternative for people who don't want to go into nursing homes or help those in institutions who want additional care and assistance."
DIAL-AN-ANGEL offers COTA Members a 5% discount on cleaning, childcare and eldercare services. Just call 1300 721 111 and quote your COTA Membership Number or go to
www.dialanangel.com
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