Page 1217 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 9 April 2008
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a good word—to see that these people are living very active lives after their retirement from the APS. Most people in APS worked shiftwork. Some of the comments at those parties from those retirees were that their lives are now busier than they have ever been and for the first time ever they have actually had to go and buy a diary.
Seniors Week is an opportunity for older people to discover new information, services, activities and local groups and to make new friends and establish social networks. As the Chief Minister stated at the seniors breakfast on Monday, not only is the percentage of older people increasing but people are also living longer. In just the last 10 years the average life expectancy for men in the ACT has increased by five years, and by six years for women. He stated that, with years being added to our life, now we need to add life to those extra years.
Ultimately the Seniors Week message is to encourage positive and active ageing. The support of Seniors Week is just part of the ACT government’s work in the support of people who have retired from full-paid work or are approaching retirement or semi-retirement.
Other ways in which the government promotes health and wellbeing is the ACT concessions program which provides concessions to eligible older people on services such as utilities, public transport, motor vehicle registration, drivers licences and spectacles. This is especially appreciated by people on the age pension.
In 2007 the government extended public transport concessions to peak hours for seniors card holders to help maximise their community participation. This month will see the introduction of a new community minibus service which will assist seniors and other members of the community who would otherwise be likely to experience social isolation due to their limited transport options.
The ACT Office for Ageing is also currently working with the Tasmanian and Northern Territory governments to put in place reciprocal public transport concessions for seniors card holders. The MOU drafts for comment are currently with these jurisdictions. We hope to have final drafts signed by the end of April this year.
The Office for Ageing also supports the Ministerial Advisory Council on Ageing which advises the ACT government on issues including the promotion of positive attitudes towards ageing and older people, also housing, accommodation, lifelong learning, mature age employment, prevention of elder abuse and the provision of services for older people. Last year the council undertook major work on public transport and worked with the ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce and Industry on the silver lining project, which is an information package to encourage employers to appreciate the value of older people in the workforce. The department, through the ACT Office for Ageing, also funds the ACT seniors card and ACT seniors information service, both of which are administered by COTA ACT.
Other work for seniors includes the elder abuse prevention program, the sponsorship of the annual Canberra retirement and lifestyle expo and the ACT seniors grants program. In the 2007-08 grants round, $85,000 was allocated for projects that
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