Advocacy Tasmania | Non-governmental organisation (NGO)

Advocacy Tasmania

Phone: +61 3 6224 2240

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25.01.2022 Loneliness and Isolation for those in aged care homes is unacceptable. Yes, Ogilviemp you are so right! Thank you for asking our Premier Peter Gutwein to take action. Sadly, the Commonwealth are maintaining their position that in-rooms phones are only available to those who can afford one. With 85% of their pension going to their aged care fees and the rest used for essentials like pharmacy costs, a phone is beyond the reach of so many. Hopefully our Premier Peter Gutwein won’t abandon isolated and vulnerable older Tasmanians and something will be done.

25.01.2022 Thank You & Next Steps We’ve had an amazing response to our weekly Facebook posts and media coverage about older people in aged care homes not having access to an in-room phone to stay connected. You’ve made it very clear from your comments that you’re both shocked and outraged that in-rooms phones are not a standard service. For most of us who rely heavily on our phones to connect with family, friends and services, it is incredibly hard to comprehend that some older Tasma...Continue reading

25.01.2022 Thanks so much to The Mercury Newspaper for today’s editorial highlighting that the elderly need our support. And, it was great to see our work trying to get in-room phones for older Tasmanians in aged care homes get a mention too - we feel it’s gaining momentum! At the heart of this is dignity, independence, respect, safety and freedom for our elders. They deserve nothing less and it’s up to us to make that a reality.

23.01.2022 DISAPPOINTING RESPONSE FROM MINISTER COLBECK While AdvoTas has not received a response to its letter to Minister Richard Colbeck, we have been provided with a letter he sent to a concerned Tasmanian who asked for no cost, in-room phones to be made available to all aged care home residents. The response is incredibly disappointing. Minister Richard Colbeck says:...Continue reading

23.01.2022 Do you know an older person who is worried about family members asking for money? Do you know an older person who is worried by family arguments? Do you know an... older person who has had someone move in with them? Do they have an agreement? What are the rules and who makes the decisions? Call Relationships Australia Tasmania on 1300 364 277 and ask about our Elder Relationship Service.

23.01.2022 We were on ABC Hobart’s Drive Yesterday calling for a phone in every room in aged care facilities across Tasmania. Listen to our CEO Leanne Groombridge’s interview with ABC’s Lucy Breaden. Click the link below. Fast forward to 50:10. (You can use the ‘back 10 seconds arrow to get to the exact spot). ... We’d love to hear your thoughts! https://www.abc.net.au//hoba/programs/drive/drive/12548152

21.01.2022 Thank you Andrew Wilkie MP - Independent Member for Clark for supporting our 'in-room phones in aged care homes' campaign! Your comment to Minister Richard Colbeck that ‘barriers to communication in residential care would be seen by many as yet another example of institutionalised ageism’, is spot on. And, thank you to our Facebook supporter, Lyndall Hannaford, for writing to your local member asking for their support.

21.01.2022 The Royal Commission has today released new research on Elder Abuse in Australian Aged Care Facilities. Read the research paper on the Commission website here https://bit.ly/34vhZGx #AgedCareRC

19.01.2022 Advocacy Tasmania says it's time to tackle ageism.

19.01.2022 Older Tasmanians who have Power of Attorney or guardianship arrangements in place are especially disadvantaged through not having access to an in-room phone. A Power of Attorney is put in place to make property and financial decisions for another person. Jess had this to say about a truly shocking situation that she recently encountered: ‘I’ve supported Bob, who is 94 years old and has been in aged care for several years, on a range of issues that have worried him in recen...Continue reading

18.01.2022 A big thank you to Bridget Archer MP - Liberal Member for Bass for supporting our ‘in-room phones for aged care homes’ campaign! Bridget Archer MP was the first politician to reach out to us seeking more information about the issue. Great to see that this is being raised directly with Minister Richard Colbeck :)

18.01.2022 Concern Over Phone Access in Aged Care Homes. Thanks Ogilviemp and Jo Siejka MLC for supporting our campaign!

16.01.2022 Seniors Week is only a month away! Advocacy Tasmania is facilitating a zoom webinar in collaboration with some fantastic panellists from Legal Aid, Relationships Australia, Equal Opportunity, Office of the Public Guardian, Public Trustee and COTA. AGE! Coming to a Body Near YOU! Things YOU should know.... On 13th October 2020 10 30am -12 30pm You can register by emailing [email protected] or calling 1800 005 131.

16.01.2022 Premier Peter Gutwein to look at gaps in phone provision.

15.01.2022 There is no dignity Older Tasmanians deserve more One of our Advocates, Brad, recently supported an older lady in her 90’s, Grace. She was really depressed and felt she was at the stage where she needed to access counselling support but this was hard to access inside her aged care home. Grace didn’t have an in-room phone and said that she had to rely on the communal cordless phone. This made it really difficult to contact her as the available phone was in high demand from... other residents. When I was able to reach Grace, the cordless phone’s reception was extremely unreliable and made meaningful conversations almost impossible. Grace could not hear very well so this added to the difficulties in communication. After I was able to arrange an appointment with a counselling service for Grace, the mental health service provider told me that she had experienced similar difficulties when trying to provide support. Phone sessions were Grace’s only option to access this much needed support, as face-to-face sessions were impossible due to COVID-19 restrictions, and video conferencing technology was not available in her aged care home. Grace told me that she felt terrible about needing to get this support and she didn’t want anybody knowing about her counselling sessions, including her aged care home staff. Trying to keep her sessions private was almost impossible as she had no option but to use an unreliable, communal phone that had to be first answered by reception staff, another staff member taking the phone to her room, and someone else collecting it when she had finished so that other residents could use it. Grace felt the stigma of seeking help for her mental health issues and it really weighed heavily on her mind. I know for certain that with something as simple as a reliable, private and readily accessible phone in her room, Grace would have been able to easily access and engage with this essential support. She could have so easily avoided all the additional trauma caused by this lack of privacy and could have retained her independence and dignity. Its great that phone supports are available to older Tasmanians, but if they don’t have an easy and private way to access a phone it’s pretty pointless. At such difficult times as these, peace of mind for Grace, and other older Tasmanians in aged care homes, should be our priority. Why should older people miss out or feel this bad about accessing vital services due to the lack of an in-room phone? It’s wrong on so many levels.’ If you would like to help older Tasmanians like Grace, please SEND A MESSAGE to Minister Colbeck calling for everyone in aged care to be given a private phone in their room. You can reach the Minister at: [email protected] Advocacy Tasmania isn’t able to manage offers of help for individuals so please take action by writing to the Minister instead about the 2000 Tasmanians in this situation. Thank you!!

15.01.2022 Our Elder Relationship Service is all about providing support for older Tasmanians. If you need to discuss important life decisions and work out what’s best for... you and how this fits in with your family, our team have specific training in supporting and working with older people. At Relationships Australia Tasmania, we’re supporting people in ways that matter. Call our friendly staff on 1300 364 277 if you’d like to make an appointment.

13.01.2022 Older Tasmanians in aged care homes are five times more likely to develop mental health problems Thanks again to The Examiner for highlighting our in-room phones campaign. And, to Sue Leitch, CEO COTA (Council On The Ageing) Tasmania for your support

12.01.2022 Older Tasmanians in aged care homes do matter. Advocacy Tasmania is continuing to ask for every older Tasmania to have access to an in-room phone and we thank The Mercury for highlighting this issue in today’s paper. An in-room phone is essential to stay connected with family and friends and to access outside help when necessary. Older Tasmanians quality of life and health and well-being depends on this basic service. Those who cannot afford to pay must not be disadvantaged through such lack of access. Please read our other posts for details as to how you can send a message to Minister Colbeck and Premier Gutwein or contact your local elected representative to let them know that older Tasmanians do matter and deserve this most basic of services.

11.01.2022 Seniors Week is fast approaching and we have organised two free ZOOM Webinars: 13th October 10:30 am 12:30 pm AGE, Coming to a Body Near You! Things YOU should know. 15th October 10:30 am 12:30 pm EMPOWERING VOICES! ... Please check out the information below and register for one or both sessions! You can register by emailing [email protected] or calling 1800 005 131.

11.01.2022 We are here to listen and support you Our advocate, Claire, recently helped a client in preparing their submission to the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with a Disability. The client said they felt anxious and distressed talking about their deeply personal experiences but that it was so nice to be able to share their story with someone who listened without judgement or making them feel patronised, as they had previously experienced.... If you would like support to share your experiences with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with a Disability, Advocacy Tasmania are here to listen and help you through the process. You can reach us today on 1800 005 131, TEXT us on 0457 806 963, or email us at [email protected].

09.01.2022 This latest reported abuse is so devastating and we know that Tasmanians will be shocked and outraged at this gentleman's situation which has been highlighted in The Mercury. Thankfully, his family were able to raise the alarm. But, what of our vulnerable elders who don't have anyone watching out for them? Surely older Tasmanians have a right to be kept safe in our hospitals and their aged care homes? 'Investigation announced after revelations of maggots growing in a demen...Continue reading

09.01.2022 Abuse happens when our elders don’t have in-room phone access. At 81 years of age, Muriel had lived in the same home for a little over 59 years. Up until a couple of years ago Muriel had regular contact and support from her two sons & their families until one son moved interstate and the other, to a different region. Muriel told us that she had wanted to remain at home until the end, as this was where her husband passed away. Her daughter returned from living overseas two ...Continue reading

09.01.2022 Today we’re featuring Felicia, one of our Advocates who lives in the beautiful North West of Tasmania. Felicia recently worked with a residential aged care facility (RACF) client who has a physical disability. The client needed support to make a complaint about their RACF as they had experienced discriminatory comments and were not provided with the care determined by their doctor. Felicia talked through the various options to resolve their problem and supported the clien...t to lodge a complaint with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission through a 3 way phone call. The client was very relieved that an independent regulatory body was able to investigate their concerns. If you need assistance with something that doesn’t seem right or you feel you’re being treated unfairly, our experienced advocates will be able to assist. Call us on 1800 005 131 or email us at [email protected]

08.01.2022 Great to see that our in room phone campaign was covered on the front page of The Examiner today. We are still perplexed to see the Minister suggesting that increased funding to the Community Visitors Scheme somehow makes up for the lack of in room phones. Volunteers can not replace communication with loved ones or essential external services.

07.01.2022 Please help vulnerable older Tasmanians to access supports Advocate Kate has shed many a tear about how difficult it can be for some of her clients and the fear that they sometimes live with. With an advocate’s help, many problems can be quickly resolved but if older people don’t have in-room phones, getting that help can be really difficult. Here is a story that Kate wanted to share: ‘89 year old aged care resident, Enid, accessed a mobile phone that a visitor allowed her ...Continue reading

07.01.2022 Advocacy Tasmania’s Board, CEO and Staff would like to wish all our clients and supporters a very Merry Christmas and a happy and safe New Year. We will be closed from midday Thursday the 24th of December and will reopen on Monday the 4th of January, 2021. The Tasmanian Elder Abuse Helpline, 1800 441 169 will be open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays, as normal, excluding public holidays. We look forward to supporting our community in the New Year.

05.01.2022 Happy NAIDOC week 2020. Always was, Always will be.

04.01.2022 Help is only a phone call away.. Having an advocate on the phone with you when you attend a meeting with a service provider can be a really positive and empowering experience. Pictured is our Advocate Shaun who recently supported a client in exactly this way. The client had an NDIS Plan Review meeting scheduled with the NDIA planner and requested advocacy support at that meeting. Prior to the meeting Shaun provided options to the client about how they may like to be suppo...rted, including just having an advocate on the phone with her during the meeting. At the meeting with the planner, Shaun was also on the phone. With this support, the client was able to advocate for themselves which resulted in a very successful outcome for their NDIS plan. After the meeting the client said , ‘just having you there on the phone made me feel really confident. I knew that if I forgot to say something or they didn’t get what I was saying that you would be able to help.’ Please reach out to us If you would like information or assistance to resolve an issue that’s worrying you. We are available to help. Freecall: 1800 005 131, Text 0457 806 963, or email: [email protected]

04.01.2022 Do you need help to make a Disability Royal Commission submission? Did you know that Advocacy Tasmania can help you with your submission to the Disability Royal Commission? We can walk you through the process, link you with free counselling support, and connect you with free legal support at Your Story Disability Support. Recently, our advocate Claire helped a client have their say and to share their story with the Disability Royal Commission. The client said they felt the...y had finally had a chance to tell it as it really is and expressed their hope that by sharing their story that others experiencing violence, abuse, neglect, and exploitation because of their disability will be heard and that things might finally change. For help in sharing your story to the Disability Royal Commission call us today on 1800 005 131 or email us at [email protected]

03.01.2022 Seniors Week Event Advocacy Tasmania exists to assist people have their voices heard and their rights protected. Learn how our advocates support and empower older persons. Join us on our ZOOM webinar on 15th October 2020 at 1030am till approx. 1230pm... Be sure to register so that you can be sent the magic little link!

03.01.2022 Introducing Bridget, who has recently joined the team as one of our southern advocates and is ready to help you. Bridget has been able to help some of our clients to access services that make their lives easier. One client was looking to find some supports to improve their quality of life whilst they went through the process of applying for the NDIS. Bridget was able to organise for extra domestic and social supports and facilitate a referral to a mental health service. The c...lient was grateful for the effort that the advocate had put in and said that she had given them hope for the future. Another client contacted Advocacy Tasmania needing help to access in-home supports using their NDIS funding. The client told the advocate that she had wonderful people skills and provided them with a great sense of calm. If you would like some support from an advocate who will listen to what you want and help to empower you, you can reach us on 1800 005 131, TEXT us on 0457 806 963 or email us at [email protected].

01.01.2022 Please help vulnerable older Tasmanians in aged care homes! Great to see that we’ve got some national coverage for vulnerable and isolated older people in aged care homes. Your support has enabled us to highlight this important issue. But, we still need your help!... We need as many people as possible to continue to like and share our Facebook stories and to send a message to Minister Colbeck [email protected] so that older people can live with dignity and have their right to freely communicate protected.

01.01.2022 What can you do if something needs to change? Pictured is our advocate, Felicia, who recently helped a client with an issue that they were having with their service provider. The client told Felicia that they had provided their property’s access keycode to the service provider on the condition that, in the first instance, the support worker would contact the service provider’s head office to get the code if the client did not answer the door.... Contrary to this instruction, the client discovered that all support workers were able to access their property’s keycode from their work tablet which meant that anyone could enter their property. Felicia raised this issue with the provider who apologised for allowing their workers to have direct access to the keycode and this information was removed from their system. It was agreed that the service provider will now contact the client’s nominated person for the keycode if the client does not answer the door. The client was incredibly relieved to know that a stranger could no longer come through their door without their permission. Please reach out to us If you would like information or assistance to resolve an issue that’s worrying you. We are available to help. Freecall: 1800 005 131, Text 0457 806 963, or email: [email protected]