News

Today, OPAN CEO, Craig Gear launched the National Aged Care Advocacy Program – Presenting Issues Report July 2023–June 2024.  This annual report offers a detailed analysis of the 44,428 instances of information and advocacy support our network members provided to… Read More »New report sheds light on key challenges for older people

OPAN CEO Craig Gear has supported the progress of the Aged Care Bill 2024 in his evidence to the Senate inquiry – provided it addresses some of the key recommendations addressed in the organisation’s submission. ‘OPAN believes this Bill has… Read More »OPAN CEO gives evidence at Aged Care Act Senate inquiry 

Aged Care Act Senate inquiry: National Older Persons Reference Group member Helen Walne gives evidence. Helen Walne told a Senate inquiry last week that her health  had deteriorated significantly in the wake of increased transport costs. Helen, a member of… Read More »Transport costs discriminate against people in rural areas 

Advocacy in action: National Older Persons Reference Group members Scott Hyams and Gwenda Darling Age erodes people’s human rights. ‘To put it bluntly, you are not seen as an equal to our younger citizens,’ OPAN CEO Craig Gear told the… Read More »Eight ways OPAN is tackling ageism

Robin Vote is a member of OPAN’s National Older Persons Reference Group, which was formed in 2020 to hear directly from older people about the issues that affect them and to facilitate their active participation in aged care reform. Tell… Read More »‘The best thing about being older is being me’  

Today is an historic day in our sector. I would personally like to congratulate the Albanese Government and the Coalition on reaching a hard-fought-for consensus on the new Aged Care Act and accompanying funding model to support it.    A rights-based… Read More »OPAN welcomes introduction of new Aged Care Act 

Kate Dalton, an advocate with Elder Rights Advocacy, OPAN’s Victorian network member Tell us a little about your background  I left school at 16 to work full time. When I was 18, I went to night school to get the… Read More »Advocacy in action: Kate Dalton

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 22 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’