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Call the Aged Care Advocacy Line, our national team of advocates is available Monday to Friday 8am–8pm and Saturday 10am-4pm 

Home Diversity resources Diversity characteristics Characteristics p7

Characteristics p7

People with a disability

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) (2022) People with disability in Australia.  Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/disability/people-with-disability-in-australia/contents/about

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) Disability.  Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability

Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (2021)  Disability and carers. Available from: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/health/disability/disability-and-carers-census/2021

The Disability Gateway assists people with a disability, their families and carers, to find and access trusted information and services.  For more information, go to: https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/

The Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) is a Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO).  They are a cross-disability representative organisation, and the national voice representing people with disability in Australia.  Further information is available from: https://www.afdo.org.au/

The Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) is a dedicated resource unit funded to work with disability advocacy organisations to promote and protect the rights of people with disability.  They also provide a range of free training and resources.  Further information is available from: https://www.daru.org.au/

National Ethnic Disability Alliance (NEDA) is a national Disabled People’s Organisation (DPO) that advocates federally for the human rights of people with disability, and their families, from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) and non-English speaking backgrounds (NESB).  Further information is available from: https://www.neda.org.au/

First Peoples Disability Network (FPDN) is the peak national organisation of and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with disability, their families and communities.  Further information is available from: https://fpdn.org.au/

The following disability organisations provide education and support:


Services and support available for people with a disability

My Aged Care. Support for people living with disability.  Available from: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/support-people-living-with-disability

My Aged Care. Caring for someone with a disability.  Available from: https://www.myagedcare.gov.au/carers/caring-someone-disability

Australian Government. Carer Gateway Caring for a person with disability tips. Available from: https://www.carergateway.gov.au/tips/tips-disability-caring

Department of Social Services (DSS) (2021) Australia’s Disability Strategy 2021-2031.  Available from: https://www.disabilitygateway.gov.au/ads/strategy

Department of Social Services (DSS)Younger people in Residential Aged Care.  Available from: https://www.dss.gov.au/disability-and-carers/programmes-services/for-people-with-disability/younger-people-with-disability-in-residential-aged-care-initiative

Department of Social Services (DSS) (2020) Younger People in Residential Aged Care Strategy 2020-25.  Available from:https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/09_2020/dss_younger_people_in_residential_aged_care_v5-1.pdf

Department of Health and Aged Care. Providing aged care services to younger people.  Available from: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/providing-aged-care-services-to-younger-people

Department of Health and Aged Care (2022) Principles and guidelines for a younger person’s access to Commonwealth funded aged care services.  Available from: https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/principles-and-guidelines-for-a-younger-persons-access-to-commonwealth-funded-aged-care-services

Department of Health and Aged Care. Disability Support for Older Australians Program.  Available from: https://www.health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/disability-support-for-older-australians-dsoa-program/about-the-disability-support-for-older-australians-program

Additional services and supports for people with a disability can be found at:


Delivering safe and inclusive services for older people with a disability

Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (DARU) How to be disability inclusive.  Available from: https://daru.org.au/course/how-to-be-disability-inclusive/

People with Disability Australia (PWDA) (2021) PWDA Language Guide: A guide to language about disability.  Available from: http://prdpwd.wpengine.com/resources/language-guide/

Scope have developed a range of resources focussed on effective communication with people with a range of communication difficulties.  There are also a number of short videos available on their website that demonstrate communication strategies and tools in action.  Of particular interest may be:

Deaf Australia.  Accessibility & Inclusion toolkit.  Available from:  https://deafaustralia.org.au/accessibility-inclusion-toolkit/

Dementia Centre (2020) Deafness & Dementia: Interpreting changes in behaviour (includes videos and booklets for staff and consumers).  Available from: https://www.dementiacentre.com/resources/knowledge-hub/deafness

Vision Australia. Communicating effectively.  Available from: https://www.visionaustralia.org/information/family-friends-carers/communicating-effectively

WE C Hope (2017) How to Communicate with People Who are Blind or Vision Impaired.  Available from: https://wechope.org/resources/how-to-communicate-with-people-who-are-blind-or-vision-impaired-part-1/