We’re back on deck at COTA Victoria (COTA Vic) and Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV), with a true sense of purpose, focus, and intent. I hope you all had a safe and fabulous festive season, and that your new year has started with renewed passion and desire to continue putting the spotlight on the matters that impact older Victorians.
Our various, thought-leadership-based programs are continuing to service older Victorians across our great state. They’re led by staff that truly love what they do, and support the people that need it most. Our continued strategic objective of identifying and addressing issues that impact the lives of vulnerable, marginalised older people that seem to constantly fall through the gaps is a key focus for me and my team as we dive headfirst into 2024.
I’m excited to share some of the key projects and initiatives that we have already participated in, have planned, or are underway this year.
Midsumma Festival 2024
It was tremendous to see so many older Victorians taking part in this year’s Midsumma Festival, and we were so pleased to join with the community in celebration of gender and sexual diversity during Midsumma Carnival.
There, we asked all Victorians to have conversations about what ageing well means to them, and we received so many wonderful responses. Here are just a few.
- “Ageing well is being able to have a home that I won’t get kicked out of!” – John, 60
- “Ageing well is being fit enough for my grandkids!” – Jan, 58
- “Ageing well is retiring!” – Sash, 50
- “Ageing well is about always planning ahead.” – Matt, 46
- “Ageing well is growing and maturing within a supportive community.” – Lachlan, 34
- “Ageing well is playing footy!” – Name withheld, 9
- “Ageing well is access to safe, secure, affordable housing and transport.” – Name and age withheld
Warm Safe Home project raises elder abuse awareness
In many cultures the home is the key to our sense of safety. Our homes shelter us from the outside world and provide a space in which to carry out our lives and interact with our loved ones. In elder abuse situations however, the home can become a place of danger.
The United Nations Principles for Older Persons declares that older persons should be able to live in dignity and security and be free of exploitation and physical or mental abuse. In elder abuse situations however, the home can become a place of peril and threat, because of the actions of family or relatives. The Warm Safe Home Project uses art making to start conversations to spread the message that everyone has the right to live free from violence and fear in their homes.
As part of the Warm Safe Home Project cardboard houses are handcrafted by kinder, primary, and secondary students, artists, seniors, carer support groups, and other community members. Participants are asked to write a message on their completed home in response to questions such as “what does a warm safe home mean to you?”, “what was it about your grandparent’s house that made you feel safe and loved?”, and “what do you wish people understood about older people?”.
We aim to launch this event on 13 June at the Melbourne Town Hall, inviting key representatives from the State Government, partnering organisations, project participants, and members of the public. Stay tuned for our media release and for more information.
AusNet Awards Research Grant to COTA Victoria
AusNet has awarded COTA Vic a $30,000 Vulnerability Research Grant to investigate the impact of the energy transition on customers aged 65+, and to help inform AusNet’s plans to improve energy outcomes for older Victorians. This is the second year AusNet has funded the Vulnerability Research Grant, which is designed to support not for profit organisations to undertake research with customers experiencing vulnerability on energy-related matters.
Click here to read our full media release regarding this important project that will assist older Victorians feeling the pinch with the cost of living, and energy prices.
New Aged Care Act – our submission
COTA Vic and SRV have a vital responsibility to our stakeholders to help ensure that the new Act responds effectively to the Aged Care system in Victoria – characterised by a high proportion of public sector residential care, a large number of private-for-profit providers and the departure of many local government providers. This highlights the need for a framework that drives quality delivery across an increasingly diverse provider market in both residential and home-based care.
Our submission is based on internal staff review and input from COTA Vic members with expertise and experience in aged care, building on a submission to Consultation Paper 1. We have not sought to duplicate wider consumer consultation being undertaken by COTA Australia and the Older Persons Action Network but have liaised with these bodies and broadly support their views.
We focus our feedback on potential to strengthen the way in which the Act ensures a system that gives older people optimal choice and control while protecting them from abuse. In addition to suggestions for improving clarity and comprehensiveness of specific provisions, we offer ideas on how to improve the design of proposed arrangements for supported decision-making and older persons’ input to planning at all levels.
Keep an eye out for our imminent submission.
COTA Victoria Membership
COTA Vic is reviewing our membership services, model, and framework, with a view of providing our valued members with a more comprehensive suite of benefits, value, and membership categories. As part of this review, COTA Vic has taken direct responsibility of membership management from COTA Membership.
One of the distinct focal points for the COTA Vic Membership Services Framework is the introduction of free individual membership for every older Victorian. We recognise that the cost of living has dramatically increased in the past year, and don’t overlook the importance a saving of a membership fee can be to a COTA Vic member.
Click here for more information about the process and other exciting new membership categories that will be announced in due course.
Special General Meeting (SGM) & new Constitution
The COTA Vic Constitution is undergoing a holistic review and update since the current version was adopted in 2013. Due to the importance of such a comprehensive review and update, the process is being managed with the appropriate care, patience, and due diligence required.
Click here for regularly updated information once we confirm a date for the SGM.
Getting the VDO right: A joint submission to the Victorian Default Offer Review 2024-2025
COTA Vic and SRV were pleased to contribute to “Getting the VDO right”, a joint submission to the Victorian Default Offer Review 2024-2025. The submission represents the shared view of leading Victorian community sector organisations and energy consumer advocates. It is a joint submission made by the Victorian Council of Social Service, the Brotherhood of St. Laurence, Consumer Action Law Centre, Council of the Ageing Victoria, Seniors Rights Victoria, Energy Consumers Australia, Financial Counselling Victoria, and Good Shepherd.
Click here for more information and to download the full submission.
As you can see, there’s a lot going on at COTA Vic and SRV, above and beyond our core business of delivering state-wide programs, services, and the continued fight against elder abuse in our communities. Thank you for your valued support, I look forward to briefing you all on many more initiatives yet to be announced!
Sincerely,
Chris Potaris
CEO, COTA Victoria & Seniors Rights Victoria