COTA NT has collaborated with a wide range of government agencies and organisations to help raise awareness of issues relevant to the well-being and health of Territory seniors.<\/strong><\/p>\n Some of these collaborations are detailed below. If you are interested in collaborating with COTA NT, please contact us<\/a>.<\/p>\n COTA NT worked in partnership with Go Gentle Australia to raise awareness and educate Territorians about voluntary assisted dying choice in the NT. It co-hosted two community information sessions, provided awareness raising and campaign materials, free editorial and advertising across its key channels.<\/p>\n The Textiles Travelling Suitcase is, as it names suggests, a travelling exhibition of small textile artworks and technique boards transported around Australia in a suitcase. Community members are encouraged to attend workshops to learn three embroidery stitches \u2013 running, chain and blanket – or if they already know how to embroider, encouraged to teach others a new stitch! Embroidery templates are in the suitcase and can be used to embroider a small picture which will be incorporated into a collaborative community textile work to be exhibited at the Darwin Show in 2025. COTA NT is pleased to support this project, especially as participation in embroidery is growing and beneficial for both individual and the community well-being.<\/p>\n In February 2025, Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA) launched a new podcast series called \u2018Breaking the Silence\u2019, to amplify the voices of lived and living experience. Stakeholders in the Northern Territory were invited to contact EAAA if they had experience of elder abuse and wanted to share their story.<\/p>\n In September 2024, COTA NT assisted COTA Australia and EAAA (Elder Abuse Action Australia) to promote awareness of Community Focus Groups and to send an expression of interest to attend dates in Darwin and in Katherine. COTA NT designed a flyer and used its marketing channels to promote the initiative. The focus groups were intended to help guide and inform the development of educational and awareness-raising materials to be used by those working with senior Territorians at risk.<\/p>\n At the request of Janet Anderson, Aged Care Quality and Safety Commissioner, COTA NT organised an aged care forum in August 2024 for aged care recipients and providers. This forum included a panel session featuring Janet and Maya Murphy, Acting Director of of the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, aged care providers’stories on how they are improving the care they provide and questions from the floor. The fully-booked event was hosted by Sue Shearer, COTA NT.<\/p>\n The Selfie with a Senior Award 2024 was organised by Tactile Arts and sponsored by the Northern Territory Government, NT Seniors Card and COTA NT.\u00a0<\/strong>The award coincides with the Portrait of a Senior Territorian Art Award, which recognises and celebrates the achievements and contributions of senior Territorians to our community. The Selfie with a Senior Award\u00a0<\/em>is an innovative avenue for individuals to participate in the prestigious Portrait of a Senior Territorian Art Award. The category invited participants to submit a photograph featuring themselves and a senior, along with a statement of how the senior has inspired them.\u00a0Support from COTA NT included sponsorship of $1000.\u00a0Tactile Arts is also a NT Seniors Card Business Partner and offers a reduced membership fee to NT Seniors Card holders (see details here<\/a>).<\/p>\n COTA NT worked with Relationships Australia NT to raise awareness of the issue of elder abuse and of the supports available to those at risk. COTA NT hosted two events, in Alice Springs and Darwin and also promoted an artwork competition for Territory school-aged children encouraging them to draw what respecting their elders means to them. The competition and events were promoted in our media, also featured on the Minister for Seniors social media page and in the NT News.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n COTA NT completed a Domestic and Family Violence Action Plan (DVAP) in support of NO MORE\/ Catholic Care NT\u2019s initiative to have 90 groups create 90\u00a0 VAP in 90 days. The 6 key actions committed to included: 1. Continue to advocate against ageism and elder abuse through policy, collaboration and campaign participation. 2. Help NO MORE to raise awareness of domestic and family violence in the Northern Territory by publishing NO MORE supplied editorial and At our major community event of the year, the Darwin Seniors Expo, COTA NT helped increase awareness of the NO MORE campaign asking all attendees to link arms for a community photograph showing their support of the anti-domestic and family violence campaign run by Charlie King and Catholic Care NT.\u00a0COTA NT also attended a forum in January in which older Territorians were encouraged to share ideas on how DFV could be tackled.<\/p>\n Information and resources about the campaign can be found on the NO MORE website<\/a>.<\/p>\n In August 2023, COTA NT assisted COTA Australia and OPAN (Older Persons Advocacy Network) to promote their townhall style stakeholder consultations on aged care reform.\u00a0 Across Australia, 582 people registered for 12 face-to-face events, 1,944 responses were received to a survey about the Funding Principles and a further 3,348 people registered for the 2 online events. COTA NT hosted two Stroke Safe presentations in Batchelor and Darwin to help the Stroke Foundation raise awareness about stroke help educate people on prevention.\u00a0Information about stroke and its prevention can be found on the Stroke Foundation website<\/a>.<\/p>\n The University of Sydney has recently launched a new and free service called StepUp for Ageing Research*, led by Professor Yun-Hee Jeon. From quick surveys to drug trials and everything in between, the service helps researchers recruit into studies and helps volunteers access tailored opportunities that interest them, providing a chance to \u2018give back\u2019. StepUp ambassador The Honourable Dame Quentin Bryce AD CVO said \u201cHealthy ageing is about older people becoming and remaining healthy. StepUp for Ageing Research will enable the voices of older people, families and communities to be heard and to be included\u201d. Read more (here<\/a>).<\/p>\n The goal of StepUp for Dementia Research is to make it possible for everyone who wants to be involved in dementia research to get the chance to do so and to help researchers find the people they need. COTA NT is proud to champion the project and to assist researchers connect to people in the Northern Territory (find out more about StepUp Dementia Research and how you can get involved<\/a>).\u00a0<\/p>\n Assistive Technology for All is a national campaign that is coordinated by Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria. It aims to improve access to assistive technology for people with disability who are not eligible for the NDIS.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cWhat we\u2019re talking about here is just basic needs. It\u2019s nothing special. <\/em>It\u2019s just the basic supports that we need to help us live a normal life.\u201d\u00a0<\/em>\u2013 Consumer with spinal cord injury<\/em><\/p>\n Over the past 18 months, Assistive Technology for All has had a significant research project underway involving two independent, but interrelated studies. The findings from these studies have been compiled into a single report entitled, \u201cThe Australian Assistive Technology Equity Studies: Improving access to assistive technology for people with disability who are not eligible for the NDIS\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n These reports provide a rich evidence-base to support the call for a national assistive technology and home modifications program<\/strong> to support people with disability who are not eligible for the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS). National advocacy around this issue is being coordinated through the Assistive Technology for All (ATFA) campaign \u2013 an initiative of Council on the Ageing Victoria. This campaign is now supported by more than 60 organisations spanning the health, ageing and disability sectors.<\/p>\n Researchers from Charles Darwin University wanted to understand how Territorians are connected through their social networks, community participation and attachment to the place they live.<\/strong><\/p>\n my Territory Connections was an on-line survey with questions about the interaction Territorians have with their family, friends and neighbours, the things they do to help each other, and what they give and take from their communities. Results will be used to guide decisions about what is making life better and who might be missing out. The findings of this survey have now been released in the NT Social Capital Index<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n As part of its ongoing work to tackle ageism against senior Territorians, COTA NT supported the Every Age Counts Campaign, an advocacy campaign funded by The Benevolent Society to tackle ageism across Australia.\u00a0COTA NT raises awareness of ageism and the Pledge Against Ageism<\/a> through its own advocacy, its newsletters and media releases. It combats ageism through its representation of older Territorians, positive staffing and volunteer policy (read more<\/a>).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Scams are constantly evolving and our growing use and reliance on technology provides scammers more opportunities to trick you into giving away your valuable personal information. Scammers can use your personal information to steal your identity for personal and financial gain. National Scams Awareness Week empowers you to learn ways to protect your personal and financial information in an increasingly digital environment (read more<\/a>).<\/p>\n From December 2019 through to February 2020, COTA NT supported Meaningful Ageing Australia’s See me. Know me.<\/strong> campaign through displaying their posters (in English and in-language), posting ads on social media and making the resources kit (conversations starters, questions for aged care providers and posters) available on its website. This campaign is designed to help seniors feel more valued, to help them connect with family and friends, and ultimately to empower them to find aged care services that will truly tune in to them as a whole person (find out more<\/a>).<\/p>\n From 1-7 October 2019, we supported Active Ageing Week through purchasing and displaying themed posters to promote the important messages about physical activity for health, well-being and maintaining independence as we age (read more about Active Ageing Week<\/a>).<\/p>\n As part of the National Continence Program, the Toilet Map provides information on over 19,000 publicly available toilets across Australia, including accessibility, opening hours and facilities, such as showers & baby change.<\/p>\n In 2018, COTA NT volunteers worked to increase the Northern Territory’s public toilet database and promote the project through creation and distribution of a dedicated flyer<\/a><\/p>\n COTA NT volunteer Peer Educators delivered information workshops to community groups regarding the Consumer Directed Care program. The \u2018Home Care Today\u2019<\/em> project ran from 2013 to June 2017. The Consumer Directed Care (CDC) section of Home Care Today for Providers explained what CDC was and what principles guided the delivery of Home Care Packages.<\/p>\nGo Gentle Australia<\/h2>\n
Voluntary Assisted Dying Choice in the Northern Territory<\/h3>\n
Textiles Travelling Suitcase<\/h2>\n
Exhibitions and Workshops<\/h3>\n
\n
Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA)<\/h2>\n
Breaking the Silence<\/h3>\n
Help to Tackle Elder Abuse: Community Focus Groups – Elder Abuse Action Australia<\/h3>\n
Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission\u00a0<\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Making headway: aged care forum\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Tactile Arts<\/h2>\n
Selfie with a Senior<\/h3>\n
Relationships Australia NT<\/h2>\n
\u00a0<\/h3>\n
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day\u00a0<\/h3>\n
Charlie King and Catholic Care NT<\/h2>\n
The Stand<\/h3>\n
\nartwork in Seniors Voice. 3. Train staff: understand DFV and elder abuse in the Northern Territory; recognise signs of those living with DFV and elder abuse; offer best support to those asking for help (e.g. referral to helplines and organisations offering advice, counselling and support). 4. Send dedicated emails to
\nMebers and stakheolders NO MORE\u2019s tips on recognising DFV and elder abuse, responding safely and where to seek help. 5. Display and distribute a \u201cIf you see or suspect DFV or elder abuse\u201d flowchart provided by NO MORE with local helplines, referral services, and mandatory reporting obligations in the NT context through our static noticeboards in Darwin and Alice Springs, on social media pages and a dedicated web page on our website, www.cotant.
\norg.au. 6. Raise community awareness of DFV and elder abuse by hosting an open and free event with keynote speakers from NO MORE.\u00a0<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/h3>\n
NO MORE Campaign<\/h3>\n
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN)<\/h2>\n
Aged Care Reform<\/h3>\n
\nWe were very proud that nearly 20% of people who attended events in-person to have their say, came to COTA NT’s offices in Darwin.\u00a0<\/p>\nStroke Foundation<\/h2>\n
Stroke Awareness & Prevention – StrokeSafe\u00a0<\/h3>\n
University of Sydney<\/h2>\n
Step Up Ageing Research\u00a0<\/h3>\n
StepUp Dementia Research<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Assistive Technology for All\u00a0<\/h2>\n
\n
Charles Darwin University<\/h2>\n
my Territory Connections<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The Benevolent Society<\/strong><\/h2>\n
EveryAGECounts<\/h3>\n
Scams Awareness<\/h2>\n
Scams Awareness Week<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Meaningful Ageing Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n
See me. Know me.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Active Ageing Australia<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Moving for Life<\/strong><\/h3>\n
National Continence Program<\/h2>\n
National Public Toilet Map <\/strong><\/h3>\n
Consumer Directed Care<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Home Care Today<\/h3>\n
CoolMob<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Smart Cooling in the Tropics<\/h3>\n