A new programme is exploring how human-animal interactions can scale down loneliness and social isolation in older people and those from intergenerational and intercultural backgrounds. Researchers in the pilot study 'Pets and People' use domesticated animals, including dogs, birds and ...
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OPAN pushes for law to stop abuse in aged care: Q&A
The nation's top advocacy group for older people has called for new laws to give aged care residents more power over the care they receive. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) released a position paper last week highlighting how substituted decision-making can ...
More »Age and veteran pensioners get $4,000 boost
Age and veterans pensioners will soon be able to work more without it affecting their Centrelink payments. It comes after amendments were moved in the House of Representatives this week which will extend the $4000 boost through to December 31st ...
More »Ageism may be driving homelessness numbers up: podcast
A manager of an aged care provider has said ageist attitudes may be behind the rising number of homelessness among older people. NSW has followed Victoria in putting forward recommendations to address the 42 per cent increase of homelessness among ...
More »Aged care pay rise leaves ‘questions unanswered’
While the majority of the aged care industry has welcomed the interim decision to raise wages by 15 per cent, sector advocates want more emphasis on recruitment and a pay rise for all staff employed in the sector. Last Friday, ...
More »‘We don’t exist’: non-care staff miss out on pay rise
Aged care support staff say they feel “insulted” after being excluded from the Fair Work Commission's interim decision to increase wages for direct workers in the sector. In a highly-anticipated ruling made on Friday, the commission ordered 15 per cent ...
More »Medicare levy a potential fix for sector financial woes
A raised Medicare levy could help address mounting deficits facing aged care providers, industry experts have said. Quarterly StewartBrown reports continue to show the aged care sector is struggling, with 67 per cent of providers losing money. The Royal Commission ...
More »Dementia tool may lead to better health outcomes
A world-first tool spearheaded by a neuropsychologist may speed up the diagnosing process and improve overall health outcomes for people with dementia. Australian's can wait up to three years before diagnosis due to the lengthy administrative process and data calculation. So, NSW's ...
More »New variants unlikely to lock down aged care: experts
The appearance of two new sub variants of Omicron in Australia is unlikely to lead to renewed restrictions and lockdowns in aged care, two immunologist experts have said. BQ.1.1 and XBB strains recently emerged in NSW, Victoria and WA, and ...
More »Aged care workers set to receive pay rise
Aged care workers are set to receive a 15 per cent interim pay rise after the Fair Work Commission ruled that existing pay did not "properly compensate" industry workers for their value. The decision, handed down by the Commission in November, ...
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