Aged Care
COTA NT advocates for person-centred, accessible and quality aged care services, supports policies that enable seniors to age with dignity and to remain in their own homes longer and actively delivers two programs which focus on aged care.
COTA NT’s programs, Aged Care Navigators and PICAC NT ensure Territory seniors and their carers, service providers and the general public, from all cultural and linguistic backgrounds, can access to relevant, up-to-date information about aged care services, reform and Territory providers.
Aged care information written by Age Care Navigators and PICAC NT contributors is published regularly in free print and digital publication, Seniors Voice.
Aged Care Navigators (ACN) COTA NT has run a free Aged Care Navigators service since 2022 which provides relevant, up-to-date and accessible information and support for individuals and groups about aged care services. Read > Aged Care Navigators
- COTA NT decided to continue an access to aged care service when the Aged Care System Navigator trial, of which it was part, finished.
- The program is serviced by two COTA NT employees based in Darwin and Alice Springs.
Reference
September 2025 – Sue Shearer: Canberra’s $40 million commitment to NT aged care funding – NT News Council on the Ageing Chief Executive Officer Sue Shearer said there were at least 104 seniors unable to live alone who were currently residing in Top End hospital beds. She said Palmerston Hospital mainly had dementia patients and the remainder were at Royal Darwin Hospital. “It’s untenable and harmful for people waiting in hospital for an aged care bed,” Ms Shearer said. “There’s no lifestyle for them and it’s better when they can get in-home support packages among familiar surrounds. The Commonwealth dropped the ball on aged care about six years ago and we’ve been playing catch-up and in the meantime, people are suffering and not getting the services they need.”
2024 Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission: Making headway: aged care forum At the request of Janet Anderson, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, COTA NT organised two aged care forums in Darwin and Alice Springs for aged care recipients and providers.
March 2023 – Sue Shearer New 60-bed aged care facility in the NT will not meet growing demand, advocates say – ABC News Ms Shearer, however, said there would still be a critical shortfall of aged care beds for Territorians. “I’d say even with those 60 beds, there would be 40 people still waiting for beds … that’s how chronic the shortage is,” she said, adding the shortfall is likely to increase by at least 20 beds per year. Plus, we have the fastest-growing over-65 group in Australia. So we need, besides those 60 beds, and I commend the government for doing it … but we desperately need another nursing home.”
Aged Care System Navigator trial From 2019-2022, the Aged Care System Navigator trial was a Australian government initiative led by COTA Australia in partnership with 30 organisations, aimed at helping older people navigate the complex aged care system. It provided face-to-face, telephone, and online support, including 62 trials (hubs and specialists) focused on assisting with My Aged Care and improving access to services.
August 2020 – Sue Shearer: Federal government spending on elderly Territorians ‘a pittance’ – NT News The amount the federal government spends on care for elderly Territorians to live at home is “disgusting” and “a pittance” compared to other parts of the country, according to a leading NT seniors advocate. Council on the Ageing NT chief executive Sue Shearer made the comments in response to an interim report released by the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety last month
Page updated 9 February 2026
