Edition 25

Queensland Seniors Week 2016 - It's on for young & old

We are now days away from the state's largest senior's celebration. 

Queenslanders of all ages will come together between 13th - 21st August, 2016 to celebrate the many contributions older people have made in their communities.  This year’s Seniors Week continues the theme  It's on for young & old to further develop intergenerational connections within community.

“Seniors Week is a time for all Queenslanders to acknowledge and celebrate seniors contributions as community leaders, workers, volunteers, carers, and grandparents” COTA Queensland Chief Executive Mark Tucker-Evans said.

"With Multicultural Month in full swing this a great opportunity to highlight and showcase the fantastic diversity of older Queenslanders."

"We appreciate that Seniors Week can only be a success through the hard work and efforts of people and organisations throughout the state.  Please join us in thanking them when you are out at events." said Mark.

How will you celebrate?  Currently there are over 500 events in the calendar. Click HERE to find events near you.

Face of Ageing

Seniors Week provides the opportunity to highlight the diversity of older Queenslanders.  This year we invite you to participate in our Face of Ageing campaign.

Join us in challenging the ageing stereotype.
We have all heard the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words".

Well, your face tells the story of your life. Whether the lines on your face are the result of “I laughed a lot” or “I thought deeply” let your story shine through!

It’s easy to be part of the Face of Ageing. Simply take a selfie or an elfie (elder selfie) and upload it onto social media or to the Queensland Seniors Week Facebook page with the hashtag #faceofageing and share with us a bit about yourself.

Brisbane's Biggest Elfie!

To celebrate the launch of Seniors Week 2016 and to highlight the diverse face of ageing seniors are being urged to gather in:

King George Square
Monday 15 August 2016
5:30pm

Brisbane City Hall will be lit in purple.

But forget the purple rinse set. Forget those ‘pastel people’ frolicking on the beach in retirement. Older people are amongst the most diverse in today’s society.

So we are organising a photo bomb to showcase the many faces of ageing.

Join COTA and Seniors Minister Coralee O’Rourke in King George Square at 5:30pm on Monday 15 August as we kick off Seniors Week with the lighting of Brisbane City Hall in purple and celebrate diversity with us by taking Brisbane's biggest elfie (elder selfie).

The Bridge to Close

Over the final weekend of Seniors Week, Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 of August,   the Story Bridge will flash purple. What a fitting way to close the week after all, we have been asking you to flash a smile, take an elfie, and then to share your story. 

If you're in the area please feel free take some snaps and share them on the Queensland Seniors Week Facebook page.

We formally thank Brisbane City Council for their support.

Transition Housing Taskforce

COTA Queensland is represented on the Advisory Taskforce on Residential Transition for Ageing Queenslanders to advise the Queensland Government on affordable and simpler housing models and other initiatives to support older Queenslanders to retain their independence as they age and have control over how and where they live.

Recent meetings have focused on the development of an Issues Paper that would be circulated for consultation as well as what process would be followed for consultation.

It was agreed that the Issues Paper would be circulated through the networks of Taskforce and Advisory Group members. A workshop was held at the IFA Global Conference and facilitated by Professor Bruce Judd. COTA Queensland’s Policy Officer John Stalker led the Workshop on behalf of the Taskforce.

Further community consultation will occur on Monday 8 August

Time:    9:45am for a 10:00am start to 12:00pm
Venue: Meeting Room 1B, State Library of Queensland, Stanley Place, South Brisbane

Read more

Building Solutions: An aged care model for people experiencing homelessness

Join the launch of Seniors Week 2016 by participating in this interactive forum to discuss aged care solutions for people experiencing homelessness.

Every older Australian should be able to live well, with dignity and independence, in their community of choice and with choice of appropriate and affordable support and care services when they need them. Join organisations from the aged care, health, community and homelessness service sectors for this interactive forum on building solutions for Brisbane's most vulnerable and elderly community.

Hon Coralee O'Rourke Minister for Disability Services, Minister for Seniors and Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland, will formally open the event and officially launch Queensland Seniors Week.

We will hear from a panel of speakers including Bryan Lipmann, CEO of Wintringham, a specialised welfare company that provides housing and care to elderly, frail men and women who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  Hear what it takes to deliver this innovative, flexible, dignified housing option in Brisbane and contribute your voice and expertise a solution.

A light morning tea will be provided.  Event registrations open until Tuesday 9 August 2016.

When:  Monday, 15 August 2016 from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM (AEST)

Vision for Brighton

Brighton Health Campus is a significant community of care poised to evolve enhance and expand services to deliver excellence in all aspects.

COTA Queensland Chief Executive Mark Tucker-Evans  is Chairing the Brighton Programme Coordination Committee to coordinate multiple workstreams to implement the Vision for Brighton:

• To create a community place that encourages inclusion and participation across all aspects of community life in a safe and secure manner.
• To continue developing a place that also offers responsive and innovative care and support for older and vulnerable people and their care givers.  
• To ensure that a social health and well-being approach is taken to the future development. All investment ensures the emergent needs, as well as the longer term needs are considered and linked to a sustainable urban environment supporting health outcomes
• To build centres of excellence that seek breakthrough technology, discovery and learning that is regarded as an international leader in ageing

Read More

Queensland Multicultural Month

Queensland Multicultural Month, a Queensland Government initiative, will be celebrated for the first time in August 2016. With events and activities statewide, it’s the state’s largest celebration of our multiculturalism.

Queensland is a multicultural success story and the month will showcase and celebrate our unique diversity and its benefits. From Brisbane to Barcaldine, people will be coming together to perform, share, taste, listen, learn and acknowledge that while we may come from different cultures we all love living in Queensland. Don’t miss out! Get together with friends, attend an event or host one of your own.

Each week of the month will have a different focus to acknowledge the diverse contribution migrants and refugees have made to Queensland’s culture and prosperity.

Seniors 1, 2 FREE!

Council on the Ageing (COTA) Queensland, the seniors peak, has called on the Palaszczuk Government to retain the ‘One, two, free for seniors and pensioners’ to enable seniors who use their go card to travel free for the rest of the day after two journeys.

Under the  Fairer Fares Package, almost all commuters in South East Queensland will save with cheaper fares, travel incentives and concessions. 

How will your savings add up?

Seniors Card - More ways to save

The Queensland Seniors Card offers eligibility for certain Queensland Government concessions; discounts on goods and services at participating outlets throughout Queensland; and access to the free Senior Shopper service.

The Seniors Card +go offers the same concessions and discounts as The Qld Seniors Card, but also functions as a go card for use on public transport in South East Queensland.
If you already have a Qld Seniors Card, you can upgrade to the Seniors Card +go for free.

Seniors Business Discount Card
If you’re not eligible for the Queensland Seniors Card or Seniors Card +go, you may still be eligible for the Seniors Business Discount Card, which offers discounts on goods and services at participating outlets throughout Queensland and access to the free Senior Shopper service.

Eligibility
There is one application process for all three card types. You will be issued with the card that offers the most benefits based on your eligibility.

To check your eligibility and how to apply, go to
www.qld.gov.au/seniors/legal-finance-concessions/applying-seniors-card/

New COTA Queensland Information Session – Your Wellbeing, Your Plan

Most of us wish to age well. A core part of this is considering your wellbeing. Research informs us even the smallest change to daily activities can have a large impact on your wellbeing.

Wellbeing, active ageing, enablement, wellness, person-centred care and so forth are terms we are hearing more often when talking about ageing and aged care services in Australia. COTA is offering free information sessions to breakdown this terminology and provide tools for you to identify what is important to you as you age and develop goals that focus on what would you like to improve and how to start those making those changes.

COTA’s trained peer educators will come to your group and in interactive sessions will discuss;
• The possibilities/advantages of staying well as you age
• Your options for increasing wellbeing
• Getting community and aged care services on board to assist you
• How this can improve local and community services for everyone.
Invite one of COTA’s Peer Educators to your group for a free one hour information session to make the most of these terms and approaches. For more information download the information brochure and session poster here.
Sessions are available from August 2016 to June 2017 and are offered in Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Logan, South Burnett and Ipswich. Book now to secure a session with your group!

How to book a session:
• Download the booking  Peer Education Booking Form
• Complete and email to bookings@cotaqld.org.au or post to COTA Queensland, PO Box 15525, City East QLD 4002
• A COTA Queensland team member will be in contact to arrange a speaker and confirm the booking

For more information contact COTA Queensland on bookings@cotaqld.org.au or call 1300 738 348

This is a part of the Step Forward-Together project. Step Forward-Together is a COTA and CommunityWest Inc. project funded by the Australian Government Department of Health to support both aged care service providers and older people to co-produce aged care service models that promote wellness and enablement. 
www.cotaqld.org.au

Have your say

Don’t miss the count on August 9
On August 9, everyone in Australia has the opportunity to pause and make a difference to the nation’s future.

Conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) every five years, the Census counts every person and household in Australia. More than 10 million dwellings and approximately 24 million people will be counted.
More than 15 million people are expected to complete the Census online in 2016 – making it quicker, easier and cheaper for everyone to participate.

From August 1, most households will receive a letter from the ABS, addressed ‘To the Resident’. The letter will include your household’s unique Census Login and instructions on how to complete the Census online.

If you would prefer to complete a paper form, refer to the directions provided on your households Census letter and call the automated paper form request service on 1300 820 275.

Support is available for anyone who needs help completing the Census. The ABS encourages people to seek help from someone they trust to complete their form. This person may be a family member, friend, carer or neighbour. In some locations, such as hospitals and nursing homes, Special Field Officers will be employed to provide assistance.

The personal information collected for the Census is not shared with anyone, including other government departments or agencies, such as the Police, Housing, the Australian Tax Office or Centrelink. By law, Census staff are not allowed to share personal information collected in the Census. For more information see Your Privacy

Help shape Australia’s future and get online on August 9.

Make sense of the Census

Watch ‘Making Sense of the Census’ videos on the CensusAustralia YouTube channel, also available in six different languages.

For more information, go to census.abs.gov.au or call 1300 214 531 from 22 July.

Changes to the Sunshine Coast University Hospital service

TransLink is planning service changes to the bus network on the Sunshine Coast to support the planned opening of the Sunshine Coast University Hospital. In addition, changes will take place on the bus network in the Nambour region, designed to improve services and make the network easier to use.

A four-week public consultation program on the proposed changes commenced on Monday, 18 July 2016.

Information sessions will be held in Nambour, Maroochydore, Sippy Downs, Buderim, Caloundra and Kawana, where customers can speak to TransLink staff about the changes.  Feedback from customers will be used to inform planning and help finalise the new bus network.

The consultation program will be widely promoted through a range of channels, including on the TransLink website, print advertising in local newspapers, social media, signage at bus stops and stations, and by TransLink Customer Liaison Officers travelling on board services across the Sunshine Coast.

Customers can find out more about the consultation program by visiting  haveyoursay.translink.com.au or contacting TransLink on 13 12 30.

National Palliative Care Strategy
The Australian Government Department of Health is assessing the value and effectiveness of the National Palliative Care Strategy 2010 (the Strategy) and would like to identify new and emerging priorities and opportunities in relation to palliative care.

Urbis, who has been commissioned by the Department, would like to invite you to take part in a workshop to share your views on the achievements of the Strategy and opportunities for improvement.  The workshop will focus on the impact of the Strategy and will include a wide range of stakeholders including state/territory government health services, palliative care providers and local carer and consumer organisations.

Factors Predicting Older Persons' Completion of an Advance Directive
We are seeking persons aged 60 years or older to participate in an online survey. This research seeks to uncover some of the factors which prevent older people from formalizing their healthcare wishes in an Advance Directive. Whether you have completed an Advance Directive or not, or even if you’ve never heard of it, your feedback is important. Issues effecting older persons rarely get the attention they deserve, so this is your chance to have your voice heard. The more voices we can add to this study, the greater our understanding becomes. If we are to help people take an active role in their future care, we need to understand the barriers they face. Completing the questionnaire should take 25 minutes or less.

Follow this link to complete the survey:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YTXNM6W