Giving seniors a voice
4 Sep 2018
Share your thoughts with us – COTA NT 2018 Survey is now open
COTA NT and Office of the Public Guardian’s forum with key speaker, The Hon Dr Kay Patterson AO, Age Discrimination Commissioner was well attended last week. The theme was “Seniors Rights in the 21st Century – Your Rights Explained” and its key focus was on how all seniors should be aware of how they can have a voice, of being heard and how they ensure they receive the care they deserve in later life.
Dr Patterson also spoke on elder abuse and how it is often family members with a sense of entitlement, who perpetrate financial abuse. Some seniors are talked into providing loans or persuaded to sell their home and move in with their children or talked into providing funds for a granny flat. Among other issues, these situations may lead to homelessness for seniors, especially if marital homes are sold. If seniors’ names are not on the title deeds, they can be left in a vulnerable situation. A speaker from the Aged Care Assessment Team (ACAT) from Top End Health outlined the assessment process for My Aged Care. As we know, there is a significant number of seniors on the waiting list for packages and the Federal government needs to release more packages.
COTA NT’s 2018 Survey is now available (in print and online). This enables us to hear the voices of seniors in the Territory on a wide range of issues, which means we can more effectively lobby for change. Between 9am and 5.30pm, COTA staff and volunteers are today at Coolalinga Shopping Centre; Gateway Shopping Centre, Palmerston on Friday 7 September; Casuarina Square Shopping Centre (outside Telstra), Wednesday 12 September; and in Palmerston Shopping Centre, Friday 14 September. To get your copy of the survey, contact us for more info or visit the COTA NT website.
Tags: Seniors Voice
