News

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), Council of the Ageing (COTA) Australia, and the Maggie Beer Foundation hosted an event in Parliament House on August 14 about the critical importance of food and dining in aged care and the issues… Read More »Parliamentary event puts the spotlight on aged care reform  

OPAN’s National Older Persons Reference Group meeting 2024 Age discrimination, affordable housing, and a more effective process for handling complaints … these were just some of the topics up for discussion when 23 members of OPAN’s National Older Persons Reference… Read More »Nothing about us, without us! 

 Aged care resident and National Older Persons Reference Group member Rosemary Seam Food was one of the top 5 care/service delivery issues* raised with OPAN advocates in the last financial year by older people living in residential aged care.  A… Read More »‘I spend as little time in the dining room as I can’

Judith Covell – OPAN National Older Persons Reference Group Member Almost half of the people currently on antipsychotic medication in residential aged care have not been diagnosed with psychosis.*  ‘There is absolutely a place for psychotropic medications, such as antidepressants… Read More »Become your own expert

The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) has welcomed The Federal Government’s 2024 Budget and is redoubling our efforts on its call for an expedited new Aged Care Act, expected to be released in 2025. OPAN’s CEO Craig Gear has expressed… Read More »2024 Federal Budget – OPAN’s response

Danijela Hlis – OPAN National Older Persons Reference Group member Many older people are caught between 2 worlds, according to dementia advocate and OPAN National Older Persons Reference Group member Danijela Hlis.   ‘One is the world of the family, and if we… Read More »Building resilience

National Older Persons Reference Group Member Kate Puls.  The back of an ambulance is not the place to start thinking about what’s important to you, says National Older Persons Reference Group Member Kate Puls.  An ambassador for Advance Care Planning… Read More »‘Reclaim your voice’ with Advance care plan

In the lead-up to International Women’s Day 2024, four members of OPAN’s National Older Person’s Reference Group share their views on this year’s theme: ‘Inspiring Inclusion’.  Danijela Hlis  In the country of my birth, Slovenia, International Women’s Day was always a big… Read More »What inclusion means to older women

National Older Persons Reference Group member Gwenda Darling. If I hadn’t handed in my driver’s licence, it would have been taken off me. A few weeks earlier, I had been sitting at a set of traffic lights. I saw the… Read More »Without a licence, you are trapped

Montana Manning cared for her husband, Stanley, for 15 years after he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. But as the progressive condition worsened, she found she could no longer support him at home. Reluctantly, Montana and Stanley decided it was time for… Read More »Montana feared she would lose her home