Our hope is that our Leaders Forum on Ageing has helped you to decide how you will vote on 19 March to make it count for all older South Australians.

We would love to know what you think. Please let us know by using the button below or by calling us on 08 8232 0422 or free call 1800 182 324.

If you want to bring friendship to an older person experiencing loneliness, we would love to hear from you. We provide training and support and value your contribution.

We are looking to recruit volunteers who can commit to regular visits of at least one hour a fortnight.

We currently have older people in the following areas who are waiting for a visitor:

• Hillier, Elizabeth, Salisbury, Smithfield
• Hope Valley, Valley View, Paradise
• Kilburn, Taperoo, Hendon, Fulham, Plympton
• Torrens Park, Parkside
• Linden Park, Stonyfell, Glynde
• Morphettville, Somerton Park, Sturt
• Aberfoyle Park, Hallett Cove, Reynella, Marion
• Port Noarlunga, Noarlunga Downs
• Hahndorf, Murray Bridge

The CHSP

·  Supports people over 65 to live in their own homes

·  Provides a range of entry-level aged care services

·  Focusses on working with you, rather than doing for you

·  Works with your goals, preferences and choices

·  Has a strong emphasis on wellness

·  Supports you to maintain, regain or restore your independence at home and in your community

Our volunteer peer educators are available to present free information sessions to seniors clubs and groups across the Adelaide metropolitan area to talk with you about My Aged Care and the CHSP.  

Find out more about:

·  Maximising your wellness and quality of life

·  Staying living at home longer

·  Maintaining or regaining independence with support from the CHSP

·  My Aged Care and how to register

·  Your aged care rights

These sessions are not suitable for people receiving higher levels of aged care such as Home Care Packages.

Contact us to book a session at a time that suits you. A peer educator will visit your venue to present the session and will provide handouts for everyone attending. Book online here or contact our friendly reception volunteers on 8232 0422 or email them here.

Home Care Providers in particular, continue to advertise on TV, radio and in newspapers but as we are finding out, this doesn’t mean they have packages available. 

So, what are older people to do? 

1.         Use your computer or tablet, visit your local library to use a community computer or ask a friend, neighbour or family to work with you, to look at the My Aged Care website here.

2.         Using the ‘Find A Provider’ tool on the website is a great place to start – being able to specify your location, the services you need and any specialisations such as a health condition or community background, language or faith narrows down the selection. 

3.         Select the box that filters the providers to only show you those with availability.  You may be surprised to find many providers that have availability and are not the bigger providers that advertise regularly.  

4.         From this list you can click into any listing to find out more about their services and their costs.  You can also use the Compare button to select up to three and compare their listing in a side-by-side comparison. 

5.         Making telephone contact with providers is a good idea at this point to clarify availability and if their services and costs meet your needs.  Be prepared with a list of questions to ask each provider. 

You are most welcome to call our Let's Talk Aged Care team for further assistance with understanding this process or to find out more about supports and services.  Our friendly receptionists will ask you questions about your situation and will then add you to our waiting list for this valuable support. The wait time for a call back is variable depending on demand and capacity. Contact us on 8232 0422 or 1800 182 324 for country callers. 

If you need advice and assistance in the meantime, you may find it useful to consult the Let’s Talk Aged Care page on the COTA SA website for information and videos about navigating the aged care system. Here are some other useful sources of information;

• Services Australia 1800 227 475 Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm.  
  This is especially useful if your query is about aged care fees.
• ARAS (Aged Rights Advocacy Service) on 08 8232 5377 and online here for individual advocacy assistance to support older people to uphold their aged care rights and responsibilities.  
• COTA Australia’s website has some resources about self-managing a Home Care Package here.

LGBTI people are soon to be invited to participate in an important project to create greater support across generations in relation to end of life planning, care and dying.

Are you a member of the South Australian Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) community and interested in end of life planning, care and dying?
If so, you may be interested in participating in our project.

This is to support the Global Rally of the Age With Rights campaign by the Global Alliance on the Rights of Older People. The Rally’s goal is to urge governments to participate actively in the UN Open Ended Working Group on Ageing meeting from 11-14 April 2022 and support a new UN Convention on the Rights of Older People.

Join us here on Thursday 3rd March 2022 at 3:15pm (Eastern Summer Time) to hear about the progress of the campaign.

The Australian Melanoma Research Foundation is hosting the Adelaide Melanoma March once again in collaboration with Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA) and is a family friendly charity walk from Henley Square to Grange Jetty and return. 

Rolling start as participants arrive and complete QR check in, to enable social distancing and a COVID Safe Event. 

Join us and help raise funds to ensure the world-first personalised immunotherapy clinical trial can get underway, which has the potential to transform cancer treatment globally. 

Register here. For any further information. Email: admin@melanomaresearch.com.au