The Aging Council (COTA) Australia has announced key public policy areas that need to be addressed to improve the lives of older people.
The agenda covers 12 policy areas such as elderly care, retirement income, health, elder abuse, digital inclusion and social inclusion, and makes 37 recommendations to Australia’s 47th Parliament.
Ian Yates AM, COTA’s Chief Executive Officer, said: Both major parties have pride and failure, but our focus is on what we can achieve in the next three years. That’s important for the elderly, and in fact their families who are all Australians. “
Ageism endemic
“Ageism-a negative message about aging-is endemic. According to a 2021 Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) survey, 83% of Australians believe that age discrimination is a problem in Australia. 63% have experienced it in the last five years. Ageism can take many forms, including laws and policies that harm the elderly, employment discrimination, exclusion from health and other services, and social isolation. It is expressed by.
“It’s time to get rid of ageism from Australia, especially because it’s really effective because it’s strengthening the law on age discrimination and it’s now failing. And tackling ageism in employment services and health systems. Is a priority. This includes introducing oral and dental care into Medicare, as originally intended 50 years ago. In the meantime, for Australian seniors up to $ 1000 per year. Special programs for oral and dental health support need to be introduced immediately. “
Elder abuse
“Elder abuse is widespread, poorly identified and often difficult to prove. Elder abuse is much more common in the community, although it is often highlighted as a problem in nursing homes. And there are far fewer reports, usually from family, close friends, and sometimes lawyers.
“Physical, sexual, psychological, emotional and financial elder abuse is a daily crime in all parts of Australia (city, country, rich, poor). Much more coordinated action by the government. Has been postponed for a long time. If elder abuse is child sexual abuse or gender-based violence, it is unacceptable. It is time to apply to older people. Government and parliament act Have to.”
Elderly care
“After the recent transition to elderly care by the Royal Commission, a major process of transformational reform is underway. New human rights-based elderly care laws enhance elderly rights, increase transparency and improve transparency. The elderly should be at the center of the care provided.
“Elderly people need and want to choose and manage their way of life, both in home care and in home. No one should wait for home care for more than a month — all. Stakeholders must commit to this. Poor operators should be kicked out of the industry.
“It will take years to modify the elderly care system, and negative changes in the current government’s comprehensive policy response will delay the urgent schedule of reforms, but the labor currently faced. The government’s response to the power agenda is inadequate and welcomed if the opposition’s commitments are realized, but we need to look at all of their geriatric care reform policies, especially with regard to home support.
“All senior care reforms to date have been resisted by senior care providers based on selfish debates about the pace of change, and with the exception of the reform proposal margins. We are doing that again by lobbying both opposition parties who are not committed to government reform and the government in the context of elections.
“It’s time to realize that the elderly care system is about older people who need help and care so that they can maintain their independence. It’s about having their lives managed by providers and governments. is not.
“Ensuring that the Government Reform Package directly advocated by COTA is delivered in a complete and timely manner will be a challenge for the next Government and Australia’s 47th Parliament.”
Retirement income
“We also need to work on post-retirement income policies that are too often treated as political football in Australia. Instead of doing politics, direct policy changes to make the system more equitable and effective. I want
“Australia should counteract unfounded speculation that age pensions may not be there in the future by establishing a bipartisan’pension guarantee’.
“Rather than using old-age pensions to provide a better standard of living, many older people live modestly for fear of their longevity and die with a large old-age pension balance that benefits only heirs. This will need to be changed. “
Adjusted approach
“Government-wide aging strategies ensure that initiatives for older people are better coordinated, and age discrimination does not impede the excellent development and delivery of innovative and responsive services. Is expanding its digital service footprint and ensuring collaborative engagement with older people is more important than ever as the population ages. “
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