Nursing Home Residents Deserve Better Access to Mental Health Care
Over 170 000 older Australians living in residential aged care are ineligible to access mental health services when they need them. Why? Because the Better Access to Mental Health Care program, introduced in 2006, excludes aged care residents.
This must change.
To sign COTA Australia’s petition and join the campaign click here.
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Are you interested in Dementia Friendly Communities?
Researchers from the Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre will be holding a community forum about dementia friendly communities on Tuesday 11 April from 11:30am - 2:30pm at The Italian Club, 77 Federal St, North Hobart. People living with dementia or carers of people living with dementia are encouraged to attend. The forum is free of charge and a light lunch will be provided.
For more information or to register contact Helen Courtney-Pratt on 6226 4289 or email helen.courtneypratt@utas.edu.au
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Centrelink Debt Recovery – have you been affected?
If you are one of the many people who have received a debt recovery notice from Centrelink we would like to hear from you. A new automated online system used to compare income records with Australian Tax Office records has resulted in a large number of people being issued with debt recovery notices, many of which are incorrect.
Information collected by COTA will be used to inform the parliamentary inquiry, and all responders will remain anonymous. If you have been affected please contact our offices either by phone 6231 3265 or by email admin@cotatas.org.au.
If you have received a debt recovery notice and are unsure what to do next you can contact Centrelink on 1800 086 400.
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Free Hearing Checks
The Australian Hearing Bus has kicked off its national bus tour and will be visiting Burnie, Devonport, Ulverstone and Pontville during February and March. Further dates to be announced for southern Tasmania. For a list of upcoming locations and times click this link https://www.hearing.com.au/upcoming-hearing-bus-events/
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Who do I call after hours?
Primary Health Tasmania has just launched a new education and awareness campaign to guide Tasmanians to the best options for after hours medical care. If you need care at night, over the weekend or on a public holiday you can call Tas After Hours on 1800 022 222 and speak to a registered nurse. The telephone service is free. For more information go to the Tas After Hours website.
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Official supporter of 26TEN
COTA Tasmania is pleased to announce that we have recently become an official supporter of 26TEN Tasmania. 26TEN is a program that aims to improve literacy and numeracy throughout Tasmania to ensure everyone has the skills they need for work and life. Sadly one in two adult Tasmanians don’t have the basic skills needed to fully engage with family, community and work. Every day tasks such as reading a label or filling out a form can create high levels of anxiety leading to isolation and depression.
We are very excited to be part of the 26TEN family and our staff look forward to putting the program into action. If you would like more information about 26TEN and where you can access the program call 1300 002 610 or visit their website www.26ten.tas.gov.au.
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Join the fun with Healthy Hobart!
From February 16 to April 13, the City of Hobart is running free activities for people of all ages and abilities. Some of the activities on offer include mobility & stability sessions designed to improve your mobility, core strength, balance and flexibility, heritage walks, orienteering, tennis and surf lifesaving. To view the event guide click here.
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Golf Disability Clinic
Empower Golf is a not-for-profit organisation that makes it possible for people with a disability to access golf. One of their initiatives is to establish Empower Golf Hubs which are golf facilities that have committed to provide the following:
- access to club and course
- education to golf professionals, staff and members
- specialised equipment such as gripping solutions, ParaGolfers (a purpose built electric wheelchair that stands an individual up and manoeuvres them into the correct position to swing the golf club) etc
- promoting the inclusivity of golf to their local community
Empower Golf will be holding their first clinics in Tasmania on the following dates:
Devonport Mon 6 March, 2:30-4:30pm
Launceston Tue 7 March, 9am-11am
Hobart Wed 8 March 12-2pm
Clinics are free of charge, places are limited. For more information click here.
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The Ageing Workforce Cluster Program
Partners in Change have designed a four-month program that enables organisations to develop a full understanding of their ageing workforce, the risks and opportunities they face and to design a strategy and action plan specifically for their organisation.
Each cluster will comprise of 7-8 organisations that learn and work together.
Who should attend
- Business Owners
- Operations Managers
- Human Resources and WHS Specialists
- Local/State/Federal Government Workforce Planning and Development Officers
Outcomes
At the conclusion of the program participant organisations will have
1. Undertaken an analysis of their workforce and customer demographics
2. Reviewed their policies and practices for age friendliness
3. Gained insights into the needs of their mature aged employees and customers
4. Identified their unique business risks and opportunities
5. Formulated targeted strategies to manage their risks and opportunities
6. Developed an action plan
For more information contact Partners in Change http://partnersinchange.co.nz/contact-us/
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Still want more? The following list of resources may be of interest:
Online videos:
TED Talks - Aubrey de Grey
http://www.ted.com/talks/aubrey_de_grey_says_we_can_avoid_aging?language=en
Australian Human Rights Commission, The Power of Oldness,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks8P9ZTdmhY
Films:
Driving Miss Daisy, The Bucket List, As good as it gets, Still Alice, On Golden Pond, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, The Straight Story, Wild Strawberries, Away from her, Strangers in Good Company, Amour, Flights Up, Calendar Girls, Bridges of Madison County, Fried Green Tomatoes, Grumpy Old Men, Hope Springs, Iris, Something’s Gotta Give, Still Mine, The Notebook, The Savages, The Company you Keep.
Books:
List of 25 fiction books with ageing as a theme,
http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/16281.Aging_as_a_Theme_in_Fiction
Memoirs
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
I Remember Nothing by Nora Ephron
Blue Nights by Joan Didion
Winter Journal by Paul Auster
Somewhere Towards the End by Diana Athill
The Last Gift of Time: Life Beyond Sixty by Carolyn G. Heilbrun
Articles/Reports
How Australia’s ageing population threatens our democracy – The Conversation, http://theconversation.com/how-australias-ageing-population-threatens-our-democracy-12209
25 Famous Women on Getting Older – The Cut,
http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/09/25-famous-women-on-aging.html
Australian Human Rights Commission, Fact or Fiction? Stereotypes of Older Australians, Research Report, 2013,
https://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/Fact%20or%20Fiction_2013_WebVersion_FINAL_0.pdf
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COTA Tasmania is a registered ACNC charity providing education, advocacy and support to all older Tasmanians.
If you would like to make a tax deductible donation to our organisation please go to www.cotatas.org.au
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