New relaxation and recreation space for aged care residents in Kyogle

A new lounge and living area is creating a more comfortable and home-like environment for aged care residents at Kyogle Multi-Purpose Service (MPS).

The residents’ lounge was officially opened this week with a ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Northern NSW Local Health District (NNSWLHD) Board Chair Peter Carter, NNSWLHD Chief Executive Tracey Maisey, local MPS supporter Tom FitzGerald OAM, residential aged care residents and community members.

NNSWLHD Board Chair Peter Carter, said the new residents’ lounge will improve the aged care service environment and support activities of daily living.

From left, NNSWLHD Board Chair Peter Carter, Tom FitzGerald OAM, MPS Resident Vera Gardner, Kyogle UHA President Margaret Mitchell.

“By providing a more home-like environment, the new residents’ lounge will contribute to improved independence, dignity, and choice for residents living at the facility,” Mr Carter said.

“This facility provides an extremely important service to our local community, and it’s so exciting to see these improvements benefit our aged care residents.

“I want to thank, and recognise the contributions of, the Kyogle community who supported the project.”

The building works were jointly funded by the Commonwealth Government Department of Health and Aged Care and NSW Health.

The local community supported the refurbishment program through donations and other forms of support, including from Kyogle MPS United Hospitals Auxiliary, Kyogle Tidy Towns, Kyogle Amateur Theatrical Society and several private donors.

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Will a new Aged Care Act deliver?

Older Australians and those close to them want human rights embedded in a new Aged Care Act. This is the major thrust of a joint submission to the Federal Government, on behalf of 13 peak organisations representing older people and carers.

National Seniors Australia has been working to shape feedback to government, contributing to the development of a joint submission and pushing for a human rights focus.

As National Seniors Chief Operating Officer Chris Grice has said, “Creating an Aged Care Act and system explicitly built on a human-rights approach will empower older people to expect and claim quality, safe care as their right.”

Importantly, the submission was based on direct information gathered from older Australians and other stakeholders and presents several key findings to the Federal Government.

The submission calls on government to develop mechanisms to monitor and enforce the rights of older people.

It also calls for an implementation plan to outline how rights will be embedded into daily aged-care operations to ensure it works in practice to protect older people.

Enforcement

As Craig Gear, CEO of Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) has noted, “A significant number of older people also told us that the Act won’t be worth the paper it is written on if it isn’t supported by the necessary regulatory levers and enforcement pathways.”

The submission wants the Federal Government to ensure any future complaints system is person-centred, robust, and effective, with alternative ways of handling complaints, overseen by a statutory Complaints Commissioner.

Older people want human rights baked into the new Aged Care Act. Here’s what else the government needs to fix.

It also recommends that supported decision-making be the foundation of decision-making in aged care, with an assumption that older people can make decisions for themselves.

As Council on the Ageing (COTA) Australia CEO Patricia Sparrow has said, “For too long, older Australians, whether due to systemic ageism or other factors, have not been given ownership of their lives when the time comes for them to access aged care. It’s time that changed.”

But as CEO of Carers Australia Jane Bacot-Kilpatrick has argued, it’s not just people receiving care. She has called for the new Act to be “carer inclusive” to ensure family and friends helping older people are adequately recognised and supported.

Embrace diversity

In supporting the submission, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia (FECCA) CEO Mary Ann Baquero Geronimo has also raised the importance of reflecting Australia’s cultural diversity, calling for “an aged care system that reflects multicultural Australia and embeds diversity at the core of its practices”.

As the government continues the long process of rewriting the Act, National Seniors and other peak body organisations will continue to advocate for a better aged care system for you.

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Backing food product claims with evidence

Four of Australia’s leading research agencies have unified their efforts to create a ground-breaking isotopic data platform aimed at substantiating claims regarding Australian agricultural and food products’ authenticity and environmental credentials.

Isotopes, distinct chemical markers akin to unique ‘fingerprints,’ offer valuable insights into the origins and cultivation methods of our food. This collaborative venture, supported by the Australian Research Data Commons (ARDC), involves a strategic partnership between CSIRO (Australia’s national science agency), Geoscience Australia, the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), and the National Measurement Institute (NMI). Their collective goal is to amalgamate dispersed data into a cohesive national repository.

Dr. Nina Welti, an expert in trusted supply chains at CSIRO, emphasised the necessity of integrating the wealth of public isotopes data stored across these organisations. This convergence aims to address Australia’s challenges in the global market by verifying product origins and credentials, crucial for meeting various international demands, such as Europe’s requirements for low-emission or deforestation-free commodities.

Data evidence can tell us where food, such as these Australian apples, were grown.

“Isotopes are not just markers for food; they also provide insights into environmental aspects like soil nutrients and groundwater patterns,” explained Dr. Welti. “Pooling these extensive databases in a trustworthy and accessible manner is pivotal for fostering research for societal welfare and advancing commercial outcomes within Australia’s agriculture, food, and water systems.”

Ensuring equitable access to verification tools across industries remains a primary objective of this collaborative initiative, led by CSIRO through its Trusted Agrifood Exports Mission. By interlinking datasets and insights along the supply chain, the aim is to enhance Australia’s market access and performance in overseas markets.

Australia’s agricultural and food exports contribute significantly to the economy, generating approximately $80 billion annually. Verification tools, such as those provided by CSIRO, play a pivotal role in maintaining existing export markets and accessing new, lucrative markets. For instance, CSIRO conducts greenhouse gas assessments for Australian canola, ensuring compliance with the European Union’s standards for biofuel production.

Tim Stobaus, NMI’s Analytical Services manager, highlighted the growing market demand for sustainable agricultural practices. He underscored the significance of leveraging stable isotope data to bolster innovation and distinguish Australian products based on sustainable farming practices. This data, crucial for evaluating trade-offs in yield, quality, and management practices, aims to propel Australian agricultural commodities into premium markets while meeting evolving consumer demands.

To ensure relevance, accessibility, and serviceability across diverse sectors, industry use cases, insights from peak bodies, universities, and other research entities will guide the development of this national digital platform.

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