Office of Senior Victorians

2. Office of Senior Victorians The Office of Senior Victorians is committed to enhancing the quality of life of seniors by promoting positive ageing and encouraging the community to plan for an ageing population. Background on OSV Established in May 2002 to provide a coordinated, whole-of-government, inter-sectoral response to the issues affecting older people Located in the Department of Planning and Community Development, People and Community Advocacy Division Minister for Senior Victorians: Lisa Neville OSV works closely with the Aged Care Branch of the Department of Human Services, which is responsible for delivering Aged Care programs for older Victorians who require assistance in the tasks of daily living. Background on OSV Established in May 2002 to provide a coordinated, whole-of-government, inter-sectoral response to the issues affecting older people Located in the Department of Planning and Community Development, People and Community Advocacy Division Minister for Senior Victorians: Lisa Neville OSV works closely with the Aged Care Branch of the Department of Human Services, which is responsible for delivering Aged Care programs for older Victorians who require assistance in the tasks of daily living.

3. Office of Senior Victorians Programs Positive Ageing initiatives Seniors �Go for your life� programs Victorian Seniors Card Program Victorian Seniors Festival Ministerial Advisory Council of Senior Victorians Elder Abuse prevention program Lifelong learning opportunities for older Victorians Examples of OSV programs include: Seniors �Go for your life� initiative � Living Longer Living Stronger Project Seniors Rights Victoria Seniors Information Victoria MAV/COTA Victoria � Age Friendly Communities project Mobility project Images of Age program Mature Age Workforce Participation In different ways, many of these programs have a strong focus on ensuring the safety of older Victorians. � Examples of OSV programs include: Seniors �Go for your life� initiative � Living Longer Living Stronger Project Seniors Rights Victoria Seniors Information Victoria MAV/COTA Victoria � Age Friendly Communities project Mobility project Images of Age program Mature Age Workforce Participation In different ways, many of these programs have a strong focus on ensuring the safety of older Victorians. �

4. Safety Issues: Information Seniors Information Victoria An initiative of Council Of The Ageing Victoria supported by the Department for Planning and Community Development. Seniors Information Victoria offers free information on a wide range of issues of interest to older Victorians including: Safety-related information Health and wellbeing General information on financial and legal issues Home-based and community services OSV funds Seniors Information Victoria to provide a free and confidential advice and advocacy service for older people, their family, carers and friends. Seniors Information Victoria can assist with information and or referrals on a wide range of issues including housing options and home maintenance, home-based services, health and well being, retirement, legal and financial matters, pensions and concessions, learning, recreation and physical activity opportunities. OSV funds Seniors Information Victoria to provide a free and confidential advice and advocacy service for older people, their family, carers and friends. Seniors Information Victoria can assist with information and or referrals on a wide range of issues including housing options and home maintenance, home-based services, health and well being, retirement, legal and financial matters, pensions and concessions, learning, recreation and physical activity opportunities.

5. Safety Issues: Information Seniors Safety Information Guide Includes information from: Victoria Police Metropolitan Fire Brigade Country Fire Authority, Ambulance Victoria, Seniors Rights Victoria State Emergency Service Metlink VicRoads Consolidated guide to information which will help seniors live and travel safely within our community. The Guide provides contact details (phone number, address and website) for organisations which provide safety-related services, such as the MFB and the SES, or which provide safety information about their services, for example Metlink and VicRoads. The publication will be sent to all Victorian Seniors Card holders - approximately 630,000 seniors - in early August. The Guide will be available from Seniors Information Victoria. Consolidated guide to information which will help seniors live and travel safely within our community. The Guide provides contact details (phone number, address and website) for organisations which provide safety-related services, such as the MFB and the SES, or which provide safety information about their services, for example Metlink and VicRoads. The publication will be sent to all Victorian Seniors Card holders - approximately 630,000 seniors - in early August. The Guide will be available from Seniors Information Victoria.

6. Safety Issues: Preventing Elder Abuse Elder abuse refers to any act within a relationship of trust between an older person and another person that results in harm to the older person. Abuse can include physical, sexual, psychological, financial or social abuse such as neglect. On 15 June 2006, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Victorian Government released its response to the Elder Abuse Prevention report Supporting the Safety and Dignity of Senior Victorians. The government supported all the 11 recommendations in the report and provided $5.9 million over four years in the 2006-07 Budget to deliver practical assistance to support the prevention of abuse of older people. This support includes a new legal service for older people and an education and community awareness program. On 15 June 2006, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Victorian Government released its response to the Elder Abuse Prevention report Supporting the Safety and Dignity of Senior Victorians. The government supported all the 11 recommendations in the report and provided $5.9 million over four years in the 2006-07 Budget to deliver practical assistance to support the prevention of abuse of older people. This support includes a new legal service for older people and an education and community awareness program.

7. Safety Issues: Preventing Elder Abuse Seniors Rights Victoria - Information, Advocacy and Legal Services SRV became operational at the end of April 2008. It is a major component of the Government�s elder abuse prevention strategy. SRV provides a range of services, including: information, telephone assistance and referral support to older people experiencing abuse; legal advice advocacy and support to older people and their families community and professional education regarding older people�s rights; support to expand the capacity of existing community legal centres to address the legal needs of older people. Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV) was launched by the Minister for Senior Victorians, Lisa Neville, on 27 April 2008. SRV will receive $2.64 million from the Government over three years and is a critical component of the Government�s Elder Abuse Prevention Implementation Strategy. SRV is a multi-disciplined service with shop fronts in the Melbourne CBD and in Bendigo. SRV is also offering pro bono legal services in other parts of Victoria and operates a state-wide 1300 helpline. It is centrally coordinated by COTA SRV operates from Monday to Friday and is open to the public between the hours of 10am�5pm. A helpline also operates between these hours to provide people with telephone advice and referrals. The number is 1300 368 821. Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV) was launched by the Minister for Senior Victorians, Lisa Neville, on 27 April 2008. SRV will receive $2.64 million from the Government over three years and is a critical component of the Government�s Elder Abuse Prevention Implementation Strategy. SRV is a multi-disciplined service with shop fronts in the Melbourne CBD and in Bendigo. SRV is also offering pro bono legal services in other parts of Victoria and operates a state-wide 1300 helpline. It is centrally coordinated by COTA SRV operates from Monday to Friday and is open to the public between the hours of 10am�5pm. A helpline also operates between these hours to provide people with telephone advice and referrals. The number is 1300 368 821.

8. Safety Issues: Physical Strength Strength Training Strength training involves the use of weights to build muscle strength and endurance. Strength training has been shown to have psychological and social benefits as well as reducing the risk of falls. Programs include Seniors �Go for your Life� Strength Training for Older Adults Improvement Program and Living Longer Living Stronger The Government has committed to ensuring there is a strength training program for older adults in every local government area by 2010. Two examples of programs are the Seniors �Go for your Life� Strength Training for Older Adults Improvement Program and the Living Longer Living Stronger. The Seniors �Go for your life� Strength Training for Older Adults Improvement Program is designed for Local Government Areas that have an existing strength training program that needs improving or access to the program is restricted geographically. Living Longer Living Stronger� is an endorsement scheme to promote safe, effective and appropriate strength training for people aged 50 years and over. An estimated 5,500 participants are involved in 118 programs around Victoria. OSV funding for Living Longer Living Stronger� will enable COTA Victoria to increase the number of endorsed partners, continue to improve the skill and increase the number of strength training instructors and widely promote strength training to seniors Two examples of programs are the Seniors �Go for your Life� Strength Training for Older Adults Improvement Program and the Living Longer Living Stronger. The Seniors �Go for your life� Strength Training for Older Adults Improvement Program is designed for Local Government Areas that have an existing strength training program that needs improving or access to the program is restricted geographically. Living Longer Living Stronger� is an endorsement scheme to promote safe, effective and appropriate strength training for people aged 50 years and over. An estimated 5,500 participants are involved in 118 programs around Victoria. OSV funding for Living Longer Living Stronger� will enable COTA Victoria to increase the number of endorsed partners, continue to improve the skill and increase the number of strength training instructors and widely promote strength training to seniors

9. Safety Issues: Urban Planning Age-Friendly Communities Older people need a safe physical environment which includes: pedestrian, wheelchair and mobility scooter friendly walkways outdoor seating in parks, transport stops and public spaces well-designed roads with safe crossings for older pedestrians buildings with lifts, escalators, ramps, wide doorways and passages, adequate signage and non-slip flooring car parks that allow easy entry and exit OSV and the Municipal Association of Victoria and the Council on the Ageing are working on a project with local governments to improve safety for older people. In 2005, OSV funded MAV $1.405M over 4 years to undertake the Victorian Local Government Positive Ageing project in partnership with COTA Vic. The Project aims to build the capacity of local governments to plan for an ageing population and provide leadership in promoting age friendly communities. There are two key elements to this four year project. Firstly, identifying and promoting good practice and secondly, supporting local government to undertake demonstration projects. The funding of 30 local government demonstration projects in metropolitan, regional and rural areas is producing tangible outcomes that will have broad application across the Victorian local government sector. Projects have looked at ways in which local government can: Link socially isolated older adults with existing community activities; Increase older adults confidence in using technology; Attract and retain mature workers and overcome attitudinal barriers to employment; Improve utilisation of Senior Citizen Centres; Provide new opportunities for life long learning for hard to reach groups such as older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those experiencing economic disadvantage; Seventeen projects totalling $239K announced in May 2007 will support 11 councils to start research on the needs of their ageing population. Another six councils have been funded to implement specific age-friendly demonstration projects including: more accessible shopping centres (Knox); improved pedestrian footpaths (Greater Geelong); and outdoor volunteering opportunities (Hindmarsh).In 2005, OSV funded MAV $1.405M over 4 years to undertake the Victorian Local Government Positive Ageing project in partnership with COTA Vic. The Project aims to build the capacity of local governments to plan for an ageing population and provide leadership in promoting age friendly communities. There are two key elements to this four year project. Firstly, identifying and promoting good practice and secondly, supporting local government to undertake demonstration projects. The funding of 30 local government demonstration projects in metropolitan, regional and rural areas is producing tangible outcomes that will have broad application across the Victorian local government sector. Projects have looked at ways in which local government can: Link socially isolated older adults with existing community activities; Increase older adults confidence in using technology; Attract and retain mature workers and overcome attitudinal barriers to employment; Improve utilisation of Senior Citizen Centres; Provide new opportunities for life long learning for hard to reach groups such as older adults from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and those experiencing economic disadvantage; Seventeen projects totalling $239K announced in May 2007 will support 11 councils to start research on the needs of their ageing population. Another six councils have been funded to implement specific age-friendly demonstration projects including: more accessible shopping centres (Knox); improved pedestrian footpaths (Greater Geelong); and outdoor volunteering opportunities (Hindmarsh).

10. Safety Issues: Mobility Driving Older people involved in an accident are more likely to sustain serious injury and have more difficulty recovering. The report Maintaining Mobility � the Transition from Driver to Non-driver identifies ways to support seniors maintain their mobility as they reduce and stop driving. The Mobility Advisor Pilot project investigates whether personalised advice by trained advisors can improve access and mobility for retired drivers. Drivers and pedestrians over 60 years of age are over-represented in traffic casualties. The Mobility Advisor Pilot Project is investigating whether personalised advice by trained Mobility Advisors can improve access and mobility for retired drivers, and whether this will measurably improve their well-being. The Mobility Advisors will work, case by case, with a sample of older Victorians who are reducing their driving or have ceased to drive. The sample will include seniors in metropolitan and regional Victoria in up to three pilot locations. The Office of Senior Victorians is co-funding the Mobility Advisor Pilot Project with the RACV, Transport Accident Commission, VicRoads and the Department of Infrastructure which will manage the project The Mobility Advisor Pilot Project has a total current funding commitment of $280,000 over two years (2006/07-2007/08). OSV�s contribution is $80,000 over two years with the remainder being made up by the other project partners.The Mobility Advisor Pilot Project is investigating whether personalised advice by trained Mobility Advisors can improve access and mobility for retired drivers, and whether this will measurably improve their well-being. The Mobility Advisors will work, case by case, with a sample of older Victorians who are reducing their driving or have ceased to drive. The sample will include seniors in metropolitan and regional Victoria in up to three pilot locations. The Office of Senior Victorians is co-funding the Mobility Advisor Pilot Project with the RACV, Transport Accident Commission, VicRoads and the Department of Infrastructure which will manage the project The Mobility Advisor Pilot Project has a total current funding commitment of $280,000 over two years (2006/07-2007/08). OSV�s contribution is $80,000 over two years with the remainder being made up by the other project partners.

11. Conclusion The number of older Victorians will increase rapidly over the next 10 years and beyond. It is important that we put measures in place as soon as possible to assist seniors to live and travel safely in the community and ensure they have access to information which will help them feel safe and be safe. The Victorian government is committed to improving safety for seniors and the Office of Senior Victorians is working across the whole of government to meet this objective.