Advocacy for Older People
It can be extremely difficult to ask your aged care provider to do things differently or better – that’s where we come in. Our aged care advocates are here to help.
As a member of the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), ADACAS provides free, independent and confidential support, information and education to older people, their families or representatives to understand their aged care rights and to live free from abuse and neglect.
We help ACT residents over 65, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians over 50, to resolve issues with accessing or receiving Australian Government-funded aged care services and other support.
Whether you’re living at home, or living in an aged care home, starting out or switching providers, our aged care advocates can help you:
- Access the services you are entitled to through My Aged Care
- Make informed decisions about the aged care services you receive
- Ensure your choices and decisions are being heard by others
- Express your needs and concerns to resolve issues with your aged care provider
- Understand your aged care fees and charges on invoices and statements
- Address matters relating to elder abuse or neglect
For more resources, information and assistance for Older Persons
Access free, independent, confidential information and assistance through the ADACAS Aged Care Advocacy Line: 1800 700 600
New to aged care?
It can be stressful to enlist the help of a home care provider, move into an aged care home, or help a loved one begin the process of accessing aged care. We have the resources to make navigating the Aged Care system as simple as possible, and an expert team to help when you come across any problems.
Help with MyAgedCare
The Australian Government supports older people to register and be assessed for subsidised aged care through My Aged Care, with three different types of support available:
- Help to remain in your own home
- Short term care either in the home or in a residential aged care setting
- Support to move into an aged care home
You have the right to a fair and accurate assessment to find out what funded aged care services you need.
When you register with My Aged Care, with your consent a personalised record is created for you. This is called your client record. It contains important information about you, your aged care services, and your interactions with My Aged Care.
An aged care advocate can help you, your family, and representatives navigate information in your client record to help you get assessed and connect to funded aged care services. We can help you in person, over email, or a chat on the phone.
Aged Care Financial Advocates
You have the right to be informed about the funded aged care services you access, in a way that you understand. When it comes to your financial aged care information, you have the right to be supported to make decisions that affect your life, including your financial affairs and personal possessions.
Our free, independent and confidential Aged Care financial advocates work closely with individuals to:
- Help explain the costs and pricing for different types of aged care services
- Provide information on home care and residential aged care statements and invoices
- Work with your aged care providers, and other stakeholders, to resolve issues with fees and charges
- Support consumer choice
Financial advocates cannot provide financial advice and are unable to assist with non-aged care related financial issues such as household bills, debts superannuation or tax.
Advocacy and making decisions
You have the right to safe, quality, and fair aged care services that treat you with dignity and respect. Our team at ADACAS will advocate, support, or work on behalf of anyone to uphold their aged care rights and help them speak up for better aged care.
When working with an aged care advocate, they are on your side, the side of the older person. We will work with you, or any person of your choice, to help you achieve the best possible outcome, and have your needs and opinions heard.
An Advocate will:
- Listen to and believe the older person’s experience and concerns
- Discuss options and strategies to resolve aged care issues
- Establish agreed actions with you in a written plan
- Work with you towards achieving an outcome
- Provide practical assistance such as help to write a letter, organise and attend meetings
- Will only proceed with the consent of the older person or their legal representative
Our services are client-directed
This means the older person is always placed at the centre of the advocacy and decision-making process. Our advocates use a supported decision-making approach and will only act at the direction of the older person requesting our services.
Our services are independent of aged care service provision and free from any real or perceived conflict of interest.
Connect with our team for support so you can live your life the way you want to. Fill out our referral form, and one of our team will be in touch.
Having issues with a provider or service?
You may need support to understand your rights, make decisions or make a complaint. You have the right to get this support from an independent advocate or someone else you choose.
If you’re having issues with your aged care service provider ADACAS can help you. Our advocates are equipped to help you navigate any issue, big or small, and assist you in finding the best solution.
Your aged care provider must understand and uphold your aged care rights. If they don’t, you can make a complaint to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
If you need support to make a complaint or find information you can contact our team through the ADACAS Aged Care Advocacy Line 1800 700 600.
Information Sessions
ADACAS provides free education and information to residential aged care and in-home aged care clients, their carers and staff, or community groups across the ACT.
Our sessions are held as a formal presentation, either in-person or online, or less formal in small groups to promote sharing of information and experiences.
Aged Care Rights
Our education materials inform clients, their carers, and staff about aged care rights and responsibilities. We aim to increase understanding of advocacy and provide participants with an overview of how an advocate can assist, with examples of advocacy in action. We promote information and resources on self-advocacy to equip people with the skills they need to understand their aged care rights and speak up for better aged care services.
Awareness of Elder Abuse
Our education materials support clients, their carers, and staff to recognise the signs, behaviours and risks of elder abuse and safeguard against abuse. We aim to increase awareness to better identify the signs of elder abuse. All individuals have the right to live free from violence, abuse and neglect.
If you or someone you know needs help tackling elder abuse, visit www.compass.info or call 1800 ELDERhelp (1800 353 374).
Book today
Contact our team to book a free information session for your staff, clients and their carers.
A step-by-step guide for advocating for yourself
Want to self advocate without our help? We recommend using the toolkit created by the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN). This step-by-step guide will help you get started to resolve a problem with your service provider.
Supported Decision Making
ADACAS works with people with disability, mental ill-health and older people to support them to make informed decisions for themselves. The framework we use is called Supported Decision Making.
As a Human Rights organisation, we believe everyone has the right to make decisions about the things that affect their lives. Having choice and control over the decisions that effect you is vital to ensuring your equal participation in life.
Many people find that others are often making decisions on their behalf without being included or asked what they want.
The team at ADACAS can help you to become a more confident decision maker.
ADACAS has being working with young people with disability in the education system and also in the juvenile justice system to support young people to grow their decision making capability.
If you are looking for support from an advocate, please click below.
