Page 1434 - Week 05 - Thursday, 13 May 2021
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the community to re-establish activities and strengthen connections with older members of our community, including family and friends.
Due to the impact of COVID-19, identified actions to work with local business to support employment opportunities for older Canberrans have not yet commenced. This area of work will be a priority over the next reporting period, as we consider initiatives in light of the longer term impact of COVID-19.
The second focus area—safe, secure and free from abuse—relates to ensuring older Canberrans are able to live free from discrimination, abuse, violence and exploitation. The following actions under this focus area have been completed within the first year of the four-year plan. Amendments to record keeping requirements under power of attorney legislation have been introduced on a temporary basis to ensure that requirements are consistent, regardless of the capacity of the principal. These provisions are to be made permanent through the Justice and Community Safety Legislation Amendment Bill 2020.
The Crimes (Offences Against Vulnerable People) Legislation Amendment Act 2020 has been introduced, which will see elder abuse made a criminal offence from April 2021. Targeted promotion of the home safety program for older Canberrans has been progressed, with five workshops targeting older Canberrans held during 2020.
In addition, work on the following actions is progressing. The ACT government has continued its work with the commonwealth and other jurisdictions to develop a national register of powers of attorney documents and to improve consistency of power of attorney legislation. Public consultation has occurred to support the consideration of ways to strengthen the powers of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal in providing remedies and redress for the misuse of powers of attorney, and guardianship financial management appointment.
The third focus area of the plan—information, services and supports which embrace diversity—sees efforts to ensure older Canberrans have access to information and supports to promote wellbeing, active participation and independence. This also recognises the need for supports to be responsive to individual circumstances and affirming of older Canberrans’ equal right to choice and to control over their lives. Achievements in this focus area include consultation on and drafting of a position statement outlining a vision for older persons mental health and wellbeing in the ACT. This will form the basis for the older persons mental health strategy to be developed in 2021.
LGBTIQ+ elders have been supported to engage and participate with community through the Capital of Equality Grants Program. This saw funding allocated for an intergenerational digital storytelling project, “forward together”, which aims to foster intergenerational dialogue within Canberra’s LGBTIQ+ community. Funding was also allocated to support the initiative “a community in isolation”, which aims to highlight the experiences of LGBTIQ+ youth and adults in periods of social, emotional and physical isolation.
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