Cath Barbaro

Rosemary Seam, National Older Persons Reference Group member ‘I know of someone whose family removed them from the electoral role because they thought it was an onerous responsibility for them,’ aged care resident and Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) National… Read More »An older person’s right to vote doesn’t diminish with age. 

A joint OPAN and Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO) discussion paper released today, Supports for Older People with Disability, highlights the failure of the current policy ecosystem to provide older people with disability with the same level of care, support and services… Read More »End discrimination against older people with disability

An Australian Human Rights Act will make an explicit universal statement, that reaffirms that older persons are entitled to human rights and fundamental freedoms on the same basis as everyone else, OPAN CEO Craig Gear has told the Federal Inquiry into… Read More »Human Rights Act to better protect older people

OPAN and COTA Australia were thrilled – and a little humbled – by the enthusiastic response to our consultation forums on the future of aged care. Almost 4,000 people registered for these events across Australia. Older people, their families, advocates, and others… Read More »Aged care consultations – it’s a wrap!

OPAN welcomes the release of new accommodation guidelines which support an older person’s right to live in a homelike environment with access to the outdoors and connections to the broader community. ‘Older people and their families have been calling for the deinstitutionalisation… Read More »New design guide for aged care homes

Choice and flexibility are the main reasons Lesley Forster chooses to self-manage her home care package. ‘It’s incredibly hard to find the right provider, especially when you have complex needs,’ she says. ‘And when you live in the country, like… Read More »Lesley takes control of her aged care

The theme for NAIDOC Week 2023 is ‘For Our Elders’, acknowledging the respected role older people play within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. But when it comes to health and aged care services, however, the research tells us First… Read More »Stigma, fear and geography among barriers to First Nations aged care

Dr Kay Patterson with (from left to right) Sara Blunt (CEO, James Brown Memorial Trust), Carolanne Barkla (CEO, Aged Rights Advocacy Service), Anne Burgess (Chairperson, Council of Elders) and Craig Gear (CEO, OPAN) at a farewell event in Adelaide hosted… Read More »Commissioner a powerful advocate for older people

OPAN received almost 1400 calls about abuse in the six months to March 2023. Abuse of older people can take many forms and is not always obvious. It may be psychological, emotional, physical, sexual, financial, or due to neglect. The… Read More »How to protect yourself from harm

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) has welcomed the Aged Care Reform Roadmap released today by the Minister for Aged Care, Anika Wells. ‘Older people need to know what changes are coming, when those changes are coming, and how those… Read More »OPAN backs aged care roadmap and taskforce