RECEIVE UPDATESOlder People
The ACT Greens believe:
1. a well functioning society values all of its members and recognises the contributions that older people1 make
2. older people have the right to full participation in social, economic and public life
3. older people have the right to high-quality health and aged care services regardless of their income, status, background, or location
4. older people have the right to feel safe and live free of abuse, neglect and violence.
The ACT Greens want:
1. promotion of positive ageing
2. protection for the safety and rights of older people
3. older people to be consulted and engaged in the formulation and implementation of policies that affect their wellbeing
4. a coordinated, well-resourced and strategic response to meet the changing needs of older people
5. acknowledgment of, and respect for, the diversity of older people
6. facilitation of the social inclusion and involvement of older people in community activities.
The ACT Greens support:
1. working with community groups representing the needs and interests of older people to inform the formulation government policies and service delivery programs
2. developing a coordinated policy framework to identify and respond to the needs of older people
3. working with government and community organisations to review and improve the safety of older people in their homes, in service settings and in the broader community
4. resourcing service delivery agencies to link older people wanting supported assistance in their own homes with appropriate ‘home sharers’
5. working with the Australian and ACT Governments to assess, and respond to, current and future demand for aged care services, including residential aged care facilities and Home and Community Care and enhance the cooperation in the delivery of these services
6. increasing the availability of accessible and adaptable housing in the ACT
7. alleviating the rates of poverty and financial hardship experienced by many older people living on fixed and modest incomes through:
7.1 financial assistance and concessions
7.2 expanding financial assistance to assist ‘ageing-in-place’ (for example, assistance to meet the cost of communication and safety aids)
7.3 keeping the cost of access to ACT Government services at a minimum
7.4 free or low-cost financial advice
8. policies and strategies that assist older people to determine the timing and pace of their withdrawal from paid employment, including:
8.1 programs to eliminate age discrimination in ACT workplaces
8.2 graduated retirement programs
8.3 assistance with retirement planning
9. the provision of appropriate educational and training programs for older people, including:
9.1 retraining and professional development programs for older people wishing to remain in paid employment
9.2 programs that engage older people in lifelong learning
9.3 recreational and special interest programs
10. creating an Aged Care Ethnic Liaison Officer position within the ACT Office of Ageing to enhance the social inclusion of older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
11. ensuring that ACT Government publications and community information are produced in accessible formats for older people with sensory impairments
12. reviewing the ACT public transport system and built environment to improve mobility options for older people
13. considering a transport system catering to the needs of older people, similar to the Council Cab system operating in Brisbane and the Gold Coast
14. maintaining the ACT Seniors Grants Program for individuals and groups to develop activities that promote positive ageing in the ACT
15. the involvement of older people in community radio.
