September 2013 - Fifty-Plus News

4 Fifty~Plus News News
September 2013 September 2013
News
Fifty~Plus News 5
Why should we
care about
older people
and their rights? Are
the rights of older
people being ignored?
Are they different from
other groups? And do
older people really
matter anyway?
All good juicy points for
discussion! And these
are the discussions countries
had at the United
Nations Open Ended
Working Group (OEWG)
on Strengthening the
Rights of Older People
at its fourth meeting
in New York between
12 – 15 August, with
a number of panels of
experts presenting on
the gaps and issues in
protecting the rights of
older people.
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Rights and older people
Why is ageism not as abhorrent as sex or race discrimination?
I attended the meetings
as CEO of COTA
Victoria and COTA
Australia International
Ambassador. Australia
was well represented
by civil society
organisations with Bill
Mitchell and Kim
Boettcher, both lawyers
representing the
National Association
of Community Legal
Centres, as well as
Telmo Languiller, a
Victorian MP.
To date the discussions
have been about
the existing frameworks
and how they
do or do not protect
the rights of older
people. The key existing
framework is the
Madrid International
Plan of Action on
Ageing (MIPAA) 2002.
This aspirational document
is a terrific guiding
framework for
policies and programs,
and to date over 150
countries have signed
up to it.
During the three previous
meetings of the
Working Group, the
discussions from countries
have ranged at
one end from stating
that the Madrid Action
Plan is adequate and
that the rights of
older people are well
upheld in this existing
framework to the
other extreme which
hold that the Madrid
Action Plan cannot
protect the rights of
older people as it is
not a legally binding
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instrument. Others
have been more neutral
with some stating
that even if one was
needed it could not
be supported, as many
countries are in financial
crisis and could
not support the agreement
nor report to it.
At the 10 year mark
of the Madrid Action
Plan, the framework
was reviewed by the
UN, and countries were
asked to report back
on the work they had
been undertaking and
the state of the world
of ageing. There were
23 responses in total.
The reasons for such
a low response could
be many, but some
would suggest it is
not a framework many
countries are actually
engaging in and therefore
an even greater
reason for a convention
to be sought.
One question put to
the working group was
about the cost of not
introducing a convention
and not providing
a vehicle to more
strongly uphold the
rights of older people
around the world?
Susan Ryan, Australia’s
Age Discrimination
Commissioner, in her
latest report, Fact or
Fiction, quotes statistics
from a Deloitte’s
study that if we could
achieve a five per cent
increase in the employment
of older people
it would return a $48
billion contribution to
the economy.
While age discrimination
continues so
unchecked, we will
struggle to achieve this
economic and socially
important outcome.
In reflecting on the
discussions from two
years ago, I believe
there have been some
interesting developments
that point in
a positive direction
towards a convention.
The African Union has
signed an agreement
for the region which
brings 54 African
countries into the
position of supporting
a convention, which
joins up with the Latin
American group. The
America’s group of
countries are working
on an agreement for
October.
Comment
with Sue Hendy, CEO, COTA Victoria
The EU is not supporting
a convention
and neither is America
nor Canada. Australia
is rather neutral, but
informally outside the
UN has said it is open
to the idea.
An important factor
lacking in these discussions
is the voices
of older people in
the member states
(countries) across the
globe and COTA, working
in partnership
with the International
Federation on Ageing,
will be working to
increase the voices
from older people in
Australia to our government.
To this end
we will be holding a
forum in Sydney in
late November, bringing
all the relevant
groups representing
older people and
NGOs together with
human rights groups,
to develop a plan of
Call for new deal for
older Australians
Ahead of the forthcoming
federal election, COTA
Australia recruited a panel
of nearly 900 people over 50
years of age to identify the
issues that were important
to them for this election and
into the future. The panel
commented on a wide range
of issues and their voices
inform COTA Australia’s call
for an overarching national
action plan that presents a
vision to reshape Australia
to ensure a better deal for
older Australians.
The New Deal, which forms
COTA’s Federal Election
Platform, brings together
expert advice and the views
of COTA supporters and
election panel members
in a national framework to
address the challenges facing
older people and bring about
a new deal.
To achieve this COTA Australia
calls on government to:
• Develop and deliver a
five-year broad anti-ageism
campaign.
• Strengthen the Age
Discrimination Act to ensure
that it provides the same protectios
as the other anti-discrimination
Acts.
• Support the development
of a United Nations
Convention on the Rights of
Older Persons.
The survey revealed that 85 per
cent of panel members thought
that Australia was not prepared
for an ageing population and
that the most important issue
affecting older Australians was
‘access to quality health services
(72 per cent selected it in their
top five issues). Panel responses
to the survey highlighted other
particular issues to be incorporated
into the new deal for older
people including: the participation
of older Australians in the
workforce as long as they want
or need; access to quality aged
care services when and where
they are needed; ensuring that
collaborative action.
This will then feed
into a regional gathering
as a component
of the 12th Global IFA
conference on Ageing
in Hyderabad, India in
June 2014 before the
next meeting at the
UN of the Open Ended
Working group in
August 2014.
COTA has played
a leadership role in
Australia and will
continue to work for
the rights of all older
Australians. If you want
to be involved, you
can be part of raising
awareness by letting
your local federal MP
know of your concern
and telling them you
want our government
to support your
rights by supporting
a convention. You
can also find more
information at COTA
VIC’s website: www.
cotavic.org.au
older Australians can have a reasonable
standard of living; an
end to ageism and age discrimination
in all parts of Australian
society. The full report on COTA
Australia’s new deal details the
ways that government can
achieve these aims.
“COTA Australia is calling
for a new deal for older
Australians that gives them
fair and equitable engagement
in the development and
delivery of services and provides
them the opportunity
to continue to contribute to
the community as they have
done throughout their lives,”
said Ian Yates, chief executive
of COTA Australia.
“A new deal is essential not
only for the welfare of older
Australians. It is essential if
Australia is to take advantage
of the opportunities that our
changing demographics offer
our community.”
The full report is available at
www.cota.org.au
Three common misconceptions about aged care fees
The maze that is the
aged care system is
extremely complex. The
most important aspect of the
process is to make sure your
loved one makes a smooth
transition into the most
suitable accommodation. While
assisting many clients find their
way through the convoluted
fee structures, I have found
that most people have similar
common misconceptions.
Once the accommodation bond
is paid, it won’t be returned
The accommodation bond paid to
an aged care facility can range from
as little as $50,000 to the largest I’ve
seen of $1.5 million. It is commonly
thought that this is a non-refundable
‘entry fee’ to go into aged care.
In reality, however, it is more like
an interest-free loan that is either
returned to the resident when they
exit the facility, or to the resident’s
estate upon their passing.
As long as the facility is
Government regulated, the
accommodation bond is
guaranteed by the Government
and must be used for the
maintenance and development
of the facilities.
The ongoing fees are an
unreasonable amount
There are a number of fees that
can apply on an ongoing basis
in aged care, including the basic
daily fee, income-tested fee, extra
services fee and an accommodation
charge (for high-level care).
These can add up to a substantial
amount and cash flow becomes
an important factor that needs to
be managed carefully.
However, when one considers
the services being provided by a
facility, the fees have to be kept
in perspective. A facility provides
a whole host of services and benefits
including personal accommodation
(often a room with
an ensuite), communal facilities,
three main meals a day, 24-hour
care by qualified carers and
organised activities.
So what are the costs? The most
a resident can pay for the basic
daily fee is $50.57 per day, which
is actually not very much for the
services provided. It equates to
$18,458.05 per annum.
If a resident has a high income
(sometimes due to having significant
assets) they might be asked
to pay the income-tested fee. This
can be up to an additional $70.74
per day ($25,820.10 per annum),
which is a lot of money. However,
put into perspective, it is only
charged to those who have high
income and can therefore afford
it. It is still very reasonable for the
services being provided.
The ongoing fees
cannot be reduced
The costs of aged care are based
on standard rules set by the
Government, with some having
set formulas and others based on
guidelines. There are two types of
costs in particular, that can range
dramatically.
The first is the Accommodation
Seniors are political game changers
As Australia’s marathon
election campaign drags
to a close, I wonder if
political leaders have bothered
to stop and think just who
the game-changers are. These
people live in both marginal
seats and safe ones and make
up nearly half the voting population
– 47 per cent to be exact.
They are Australians aged over 50
and their numbers are growing rapidly.
National Seniors has long advocated
for them to be treated to
the same rights and respect as
the rest of the community. And
with that kind of political clout,
political parties that ignore their
issues and concerns will pay the
price at the ballot box.
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2013 election campaign on 15
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the 7 September poll to provide
more certainty in four key areas:
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care and an end to stereotyping
of older Australians and their
exclusion on the basis of age.
So, very briefly, here are some of
the issues National Seniors would
like to see addressed.
• We want an end to the constant
interference in the rules
governing superannuation which
has caused anxiety for too many
people for too long.
• We also call for the government
to help educate and empower
seniors with the knowledge they
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need to make good decisions for
their financial futures.
• Discrimination against older
workers remains entrenched and
so there needs to be more support
for mature aged employment.
• Those who have retired need
certainty that current arrangements
for bi annual pension
adjustments will be retained.
• National Seniors is also calling
for a $10,000 increase in the income
thresholds for the Commonwealth
Seniors Health Card.
• We also want Commonwealthfunded
senior and pensioner supplements
to reach the recipient in
full and not be subject to income
assessments for state and territory
charges.
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Bond, which is agreed between
the resident and the aged care
provider. The Government allows
an aged care facility to charge
a maximum bond based on the
assets of the resident. However,
often the bond may be far below
the maximum. The main thing
to ensure is that the bond being
charged is reasonable and not
‘above par’ for that facility.
The second fee that can be
variable is the ‘income-tested
fee’. It is a fee that is calculated
based on the resident’s income
as calculated by the Centrelink
income test. It is important to
know that whether one is entering
care or already in care, there
are clever financial strategies that
can be implemented to reduce
the income-tested fee. If you are
paying an income-tested fee, it
is important to speak with your
financial adviser about strategies
to try to reduce it.
Clearly, there are many facets
to the aged care system and it
is certainly not a simple exercise
• Oral health is another huge
area of concern as too many
seniors do not have access to
adequate dental care. For that
reason it should be included
within Medicare.
• And seniors who are blind
or who are losing their vision,
should not be put out of sight
and out of mind by a government
which fails to act. To do nothing
for many such people would
be to condemn them to a life of
house-bound dependence, social
isolation, depression and loneliness.
National Seniors wants a
vision health strategy focused on
medical and ancillary services.
• We want the removal of barriers
to seniors downsizing their
Managing
Money
with Thabojan Rasiah
Private Client Adviser
Shadforth Financial Group
going through it. That’s why it
is important to seek advice from
experts that are there to help,
including Centrelink Financial
Information Services Officers,
Aged Care Placement Agencies
and your Financial Adviser.
• Thabojan Rasiah is Private
Client Adviser at Shadforth
Financial Group. He works with
renowned financial adviser and
commentator Kevin Bailey. If you
would like to clarify your position,
get a second opinion or review
opportunities available to you,
they offer an obligation free
private discussion. To arrange,
contact Kevin or Thabojan,
9649 2400 or send an email to
fiftyplusnews@sfg.com.au
Comment
with Michael O’Neill,
CEO, National Seniors Australia
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