Thanks to today’s HIV antiretroviral therapy, more than 50% of people living with HIV in NSW are over 50 years of age. Ageing brings many new challenges associated with health, justice and human rights. These include questions of planning for the future, rights around prevention of abuse or exploitation, or impacts of changing familial or marital status, age-related cognitive impairments, financial status and other living arrangements.
Throughout 2022, Talkabout will run a series of practical, informative short editorials from the Seniors Rights Service, which offers all seniors across NSW free and confidential telephone advice, aged care advocacy and support, legal advice and rights-based education forums to seniors across regional, rural and remote areas of NSW. The staff listen and care, working in partnership with Seniors confidentially and collaboratively using cultural sensitivity to build rapport offering holistic legal and advocacy assistance in a way that recognises the unique needs of all Seniors.
Seniors Rights Service aged care advocate team support and assist older people who receive Commonwealth-funded aged care services at home or in residential care, as well as their carers or family members. Non-legal education sessions are regularly scheduled to listen, clarify your issues, provide information, inform you of your rights, identify possible outcomes, help you advocate for yourself and, if requested, speak up for you.
Seniors Rights Service legal team provides legal advice to older people, addressing issues of discrimination, abuse (physical, financial, psychological), wills, power of attorney, guardianship, consumer rights, debt management, unfair contracts, tenancy matters, accommodation and residential facilities, family law, domestic violence, and administrative law.
Seniors Rights Service First Nations Solicitor offers legal advice, maintaining cultural and spiritual continuity across regional, rural or remote areas. A proud Kamilaroi man with family ties to the Gubbi Gubbi Nation, he visits and reaches out across regional, rural and remote areas of NSW on a weekly basis using a friendly, non-judgmental narrative approach, through traditional storytelling, or ‘yarning.’ Seniors Rights mentor solicitors to empower the Aboriginal community with the knowledge, understanding and trust that there is justice available to them within the legal system, by building trust with local Aboriginal Communities in a culturally safe and sensitive manner.
The Seniors Rights Service staff regularly schedule rights based education sessions across NSW for older people, their families and carers, and aged care services. If you’re over 50 years of age and need some free and confidential telephone advice or support to advocate around your legal rights, call Seniors Rights Service on (02) 9281 3600 or 1800 424 079 or email info@seniorsrightsservice.org.au.
Published in Talkabout #201 February 2022
