OPAN has launched a new infosheet to support older people, their families and support networks to understand optional fees in residential aged care. The Higher Everyday Living Fee (HELF) is an optional fee for extra services that go beyond the… Read More »New resource: Higher Everyday Living Fees (HELF) information sheet
Theresa Flavin Dementia advocate Lived experience dementia consultant ‘It’s a really difficult subject, and it’s a big subject.’ For dementia advocate Theresa Flavin, restrictive practices in aged care are not just a policy issue – they are deeply personal, complex, and, too often,… Read More »‘We can do better’: restrictive practices and dementia care in Australia
The Statement of Rights poster has been released in four First Nations languages, improving access to important rights information for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the Northern Territory. The posters were translated with the support of Darwin Community Legal Service (DCLS), the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) Northern Territory Top End member, to ensure essential rights information is more accessible and… Read More »Statement of Rights poster now available in First Nations languages
When something goes wrong in aged care, speaking up can be a powerful way for older people to maintain control over their lives. Complaints are a critical mechanism for protecting the rights, safety and wellbeing of older people. The Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission is the national regulator responsible for overseeing provider… Read More »‘This is my life’: why complaints matter in aged care
The 2026/27 Federal Budget leaves many challenges within the aged care system, which risks older people being worse off. While the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) acknowledges the substantial $3.7 billion investment – including 5000 new residential aged care places… Read More »Federal Budget 2026-27
As Australia’s aged care system continues to undergo significant reform, ensuring older people are heard and supported to exercise their rights remains critical. For Carolanne Barkla, that focus has guided her leadership of Aged Rights Advocacy Service – the OPAN member for South Australia – and… Read More »A voice on your side: the power of independent advocacy
The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) welcomes the announcement by the Albanese Government that older people on the Support at Home aged care program will no longer pay out-of-pocket costs for help with showering, dressing and support with continence management. OPAN Director… Read More »Changes to Support at Home welcomed, but further reforms are urgently needed
Demand for advocacy support continues to increase as many older people experience ongoing difficulty navigating Australia’s aged care system, the Older Persons Advocacy Network’s (OPAN) latest NACAP Presenting Issues Half-yearly Report finds. The interim report, released this week, shows more older people are seeking independent advocacy support and information to navigate aged care,… Read More »Advocacy demand surges as aged care system complexity persists
‘Never stop asking questions.’ This is the simple but powerful message that National Older Person’s Reference Group member Michelle Treasure has for those supporting an older person to make their own decisions. Speaking from her own experience supporting her late mother who was living with… Read More »Supported decision-making: a cultural mindset shift
Despite the much-anticipated new Aged Care Act being in effect for more than 100 days, significant challenges persist for older people on the Support at Home program, as evidenced by the nearly 18,000 cases supported by OPAN’s network members in the last quarter. A wide… Read More »Support at Home issues: OPAN urges government to act