Volunteers needed for aged care navigator trial

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Council on the Ageing (COTA) Queensland is seeking volunteers in Bundaberg to support members of the community to understand and navigate the aged care system.

COTA Queensland has been funded to deliver in Bundaberg one of 56 national aged care navigator trials.

The trials were announced as part of the 2018 Federal Budget.

“We will be trialling a community hub approach in Bundaberg to support local members of the community assist each other to navigate the aged care system and healthy ageing,” COTA says on its website.

“As part of the trial we will be using a range of activities which may include seminars, peer-to-peer group information sessions, and partnering with individuals and organisations to outreach to people who are not currently accessing services.

“We will be working closely with ADA Australia who will be delivering an information hub in Bundaberg as part of the trial.”

Expressions of interests close 5pm on Tuesday, 23 April 2019.

Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt, said the trial would test the way in which services offer meaningful support to people navigating the aged care system.

“Navigators will target senior people in need, especially those facing language or other difficulties, to help ensure they receive support and information,” he said.

“They will make a big difference, in keeping with our Government’s commitment to person-centred care.

“The Navigator system is critical to ensuring senior Australians have more choices for longer and better lives.”

Aged care navigator trial
Volunteers are needed for an aged care navigator trial in Bundaberg.

COTA Australia chief executive Ian Yates said the need for such a system had been identified by the National Aged Care Alliance in its discussion paper Integrated Consumer Supports.

“COTA Australia congratulates the Government for funding the trials and for recognising the urgent need to invest in ‘system navigators’ in the aged care system,” Mr Yates said.

“The great thing about these trials is that they steer away from a cookie-cutter approach to accessing aged care and recognise the importance of tailoring support to access aged care services to different situations and contexts. 

“A 90-year-old in the top end of Australia is going to have very different access support needs to a 70-year-old in inner city Melbourne.

“The trial locations and the groups in the consortium who will be delivering the support have been selected to reflect the breadth and diversity of Australia's ageing population.”

The trial will run until June 2020.