Doug PollardCalling all Rainbow Elders
CONVERSATIONS ON AGEING WITH MINISTER FOR AGEING THE HON MARKBUTLER
“This Government is committed to ensuring that every older Australian is valued and can access quality support and care that meets their needs, when and where they need it. I want to hear your views about what that means for you. I hope you are available to join me for this important conversation.”South Australia, Victoria & Tasmania
The Minister for Ageing, the Hon Mark Butler is holding a series of conversations to hear directly from older people about their views of the recent Productivity Commission report Caring for older Australians.
But you need to book your place (see below). E.g., bookings for Ballarat close this Friday 23 September.
Further conversations will take place over the coming months. Conversations have already been held in some NSW locations, including Sydney and also in Darwin.
It is critically important that older GLBTI Australians participate in this historic dialogue to ensure that the Minister is aware of the human stories and GLBTI views of the aged care system. In particular hearing from GLBTI Seniors, their families and their carers is vitally important.
Council on the Ageing Australia are coordinating the events for the Minister and may be contacted viawww.cotaaustralia.org.au should you require further information.
Information about GLBTI recommendations from the Productivity Commission report can be found in 11.4 Catering for diversity – Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex people of the Caring for older Australians report Really Long Link accessed 19 September 2011). The report discusses:
- Potential for specialist GLBTI aged care service providers to emerge
- Indicates support for raising awareness of GLBTI issues and training for aged care staff
- Supports the development of a national GLBTI aged care strategy to address the limited recognition of GLBTI needs and preferences in aged care policy framework, delivery of services and accreditation processes.
- Recommends robust accreditation standards that cater for needs of amongst other diverse groups, GLBTI Australians (Recommendation 11.1)
PLEASE NOTE: People wishing to attend must RSVP [essential] as soon as possible as places have been filling fast.
Adelaide, SA
TUESDAY, 27 SEPTEMBER 2011 9.30am – 11.00am Clovercrest Baptist Church 2 Famechon Cr, Modbury North, SA 5092
RSVP 5.00PM Monday, 26 September 2011 P: 1800 182 324 conversationnor@cota.org.au
Geelong, VIC
WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 10.30am – 12.30pm Grovedale Community Centre 45/47 Heyers Rd, Grovedale, Vic, 3216
RSVP 5.00PM Monday, 26 September 2011 P: 1800 182 324
conversationgee@cota.org.au
Ballarat, VIC
WEDNESDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2011 3.00pm – 5.00pm Wendouree Centre for the Performing Arts, 1220 Howitt Street Wendouree Victoria, 3355
RSVP 5.00PM FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2011 P: 1800 182 324
conversationblt@cota.org.au
Tottenham Vic
THURS 29 SEPTEMBER (with Minister for Health and Ageing Nicola Roxon)
12:00pm – 2:00pm Australia Light Foundation 291/293 Sunshine Rd, Tottenham, Vic, 3012
RSVP By 5.00PM Monday, 27 September 2011 P: 1800 182 324
conversationwes@cota.org.au
Hobart Tas
MONDAY, 3 OCTOBER 2011 11.30am – 1.30pm The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel 1 Macquarie St, Hobart, TAS, 7000
RSVP 5.00PM Thursday, 29 September 2011 P: 1800 182 324
conversationhba@cota.org.au
Devonport Tas
TUESDAY, 4 OCTOBER 2011 12.30pm – 2.30pm Devonport RSL 18 MacFie St, Devonport, TAS 7310
RSVP 5.00PM Thursday, 29 September 2011 P: 1800 182 324
conversationbwt@cota.org.au
Launceston Tas
WEDNESDAY,5 OCTOBER 2011 10.00am – 12.00pm The Tramsheds 4 Invermay Rd, Launceston, TAS 7248
RSVP 5.00PM Thursday, 29 September 2011 P: 1800 182 324
conversationlst@cota.org.au
“This Government is committed to ensuring that every older Australian is valued and can access quality support and care that meets their needs, when and where they need it. I want to hear your views about what that means for you. I hope you are available to join me for this important conversation.”
The Hon. Mark Butler, Minister for Ageing
“It is vitally important that GLBTI seniors participate in the conversations with the Minister for Ageing. Minister Butler needs to hear from older people and carers in our community in their own words about their fears, aspirations, concerns and desires are in relation to growing older and accessing aged care services.
For too long older members of our community have had to de-gay their homes when staff are sent to provide home support services or they have put off going into respite care because they feared their partner wouldn’t be welcomed. No longer should older people have to feel that they show affection to their loved ones because they fear that when they walk out of a residential facility their partner might be treated differently.
Discussions about the Productivity Commission’s proposals are occurring across the country to inform the Government in their response. Given the evidence that seniors who may identify as lesbian, trans*, intersex and some gay men (particularly those living with HIV) are represented disproportionately in the lower-socio economic indicators – it’s even more crucial that we participate in these discussions that will affect our community, including pensioners.”
Gerontologist - Dr Jo Harrison
