Independent and active:

NSW Labor’s ageing policy

March 2011
Independent and active – NSW Labor’s ageing policy

Australians have the longest life expectancy in the English speaking world – ahead of
Canada, the United States, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

We enjoy this remarkable longevity due to medical advances, preventative measures, our
healthy lifestyles and our health and hospital system.

I believe that a long life expectancy is one of the great achievements of living in NSW.

We must view our ageing population as positive and something to celebrate.

Currently around one million people in NSW are aged 65 years and older. This represents
14 per cent of the population. The proportion of older people will continue to rise as the
baby boomers begin to reach retirement age.

And while it presents demographic changes for governments, it also means we have a
workforce with wisdom and experience.

That is why we are celebrating and supporting our ageing population with Independent
and active – NSW Labor’s ageing Policy.

Our plan has a three pronged approach, comprising:

¾ Prevention and early intervention – providing improved health to reduce lifestyle related
disease;
¾ Liveable homes and communities – making our living spaces more flexible and safe
through better design and allowing older people to remain independent in their own
homes; and
¾ Social and economic engagement – including helping people plan for their ageing so
they can remain financially independent and secure.

As well as supporting people with dementia and their carers, we are also embarking on
new policies like establishing a Grandparents’ Day.
This will happen in the first Sunday of November to recognise their contribution and
achievements.

In addition, we will expand the three Premier’s Seniors Concerts at the Sydney
Entertainment Centres to Newcastle and Wollongong. They will be streamed live to
community centres in regional centres across the State.

I can also assure you that, beyond this plan, positive ageing is now a key focus across all
Government planning. Our State Plan and Metropolitan Plan, for example, ensure that our
towns and cities are being designed to meet the needs of older citizens, with more homes
close to public transport services.

With the right plans and investment, we can ensure longer lives mean additional
years that are full, independent and rewarding.

Research shows that older people remain active, if they are able to age in their own
homes and retain their independence.

More of us than ever before will have the opportunity to meet our great-grand-children, and
perhaps even better, more children will get to know their great grandparents.
What this policy means for our community
The Keneally Government supports older people by providing:

¾ Support at home with personal care, domestic support, meals and home
maintenance;
¾ Respite for them and their carers;
¾ Community transport;
¾ Community nursing and allied health services;
¾ Active and positive ageing through Seniors Week and Seniors Card; and
¾ Community awareness about issues that affect older people.

A re-elected Keneally Government will provide more accessible public services for seniors
and continue to support services that allow them to remain independent and in their
homes.

This will include important measures like low floor wheelchair accessible buses and trains.

We will ensure lifetime health is a cornerstone of the health system and that legal and
financial services are easily accessed and understood.

In addition, we will continue the Positive Ageing Grants that fund activities and facilities for
older people’s social engagement.

Under this policy care for people with complex health care needs will remain a key priority.
This is because we know that well managed care can prevent unexpected hospitalisations.

ACTION:

Positive Ageing
„ Expand the Ageing Grants Program by $200,000, which funds positive ageing activities
and facilities for older people’s social engagement
„ Expand the three Premier’s Seniors Concerts at the Sydney Entertainment Centres to
Newcastle and Wollongong and stream them live to community centres in regional
centres across the State. They usually attract about 10,000 people to each Sydney
performance.
„ Hold an annual NSW Grandparents Day on the first Sunday in November to celebrate
and recognise their contribution to our society

Shifting resources toward prevention and early intervention

„ Develop tools that concentrate our effort on prevention such as the NSW Get Healthy
Information and Coaching Service which helps adults to make lifestyle changes and
maintain healthy weight
„ Continue to fund public health campaigns aimed at reducing obesity, smoking, risk
drinking and illicit drug use

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 3

Taking action on dementia
„ Provide nine new dementia day care centres as part of the $27 million Home and
Community Care Capital Fund – providing therapeutic social opportunities for people
with dementia and also respite for their carers. This will bring the total of dementia day
care centres in NSW to 17. Centres have already been completed in Baulkham Hills,
Belmont, Cooma, Woy Woy, Orange, Fairy Meadow, Willoughby and Wee Waa. (The
new locations will be determined later)
„ $1 million allocated over three years to implement the Dementia Services Framework
which supports health, community and residential services with planning and
development of dementia services and programs. This is in addition to $1.2 million a
year to employ additional Community Clinical Nurse Consultants to provide leadership,
clinical advice and education in quality dementia care across the state

Preventing falls
„ Implementation of ‘Stepping On’ across NSW – ‘Stepping On’ is a multi-faceted falls
prevention program for elderly people living in the community so they can avoid
entering residential aged care

Helping older people to ‘age in place’

„ Support independent ageing by promoting design and planning strategies which deliver
maintainable, connected and affordable housing
„ Grow the Home and Community Care program to assist older people to remain in their
own homes and avoid premature entry to residential aged care
„ Continue investing $420 million over five years in an additional 2,800 homes for older
people and $75 million in modifications to existing social housing properties under New
Directions in Social Housing for Older People
„ $5 million to pilot an Australian first - a new model for housing for older people in Bondi
in partnership with the Benevolent Society

Legal self help

„ A new one stop shop web site for legal resources for wills and guardianship

Retaining older workers in the workforce

„ Continue to support the Working Carers Gateway providing information and advice to
people who are juggling work and caring roles
„ Support a cultural change resource that consolidates the evidence of the benefits of
mature workers
„ Extend the Sage Centre initiative to local government workers - an online tool to support
older public sector workers to balance work and life commitments

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 4

Labor and Ageing
Australians have the longest life expectancy in the English speaking world. With an
ageing population, there are both challenges and opportunities.

While increasing life expectancies bring with it many benefits it can also result in unique
health concerns such as dementia, Alzheimer’s and osteoporosis. Other concerns include
social isolation, loneliness and mobility issues.

NSW Labor’s plans are people centred and aim to ensure that as our state grows the built
environment, infrastructure and services reflect design principles that deliver accessibility.

The Government’s funding of community participation policies and programs reflects

Labor’s determination to ensure that everyone can access a network of friends and
support in their local community.

For many older Australians, the Seniors Card is a valuable resource to help with the
challenges of the cost of living.

It is a discount and concessions card which provides NSW Seniors Card members with
access to a range of discounts on products and services and valuable concessions on
NSW and interstate public transport.

A NSW Seniors Card is available to people over 60 and do not work more than 20 hours of
paid work a week.

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 5

Our Challenges
Currently around one million people in NSW are aged 65 years and older. This represents
14 per cent of the population. The proportion of older people will continue to rise as the
baby boomers reach retirement age.

By 2026, this is expected to increase to more than 1.5 million people, representing 20 per
cent of the population.

In the coming years, this will be a challenge for the health system, for urban planning, for
service delivery and many other areas of government investment.

In particular existing and age-acquired disabilities will be a challenge. Older residents in

NSW are living longer lives and while they have fewer disabilities than ever before, older
people have at least one chronic condition or disability.

The demand for health and community care services is growing and requires a shift toward
smarter investment in early intervention and improved service and infrastructure design to
ensure that we can avoid the ad hoc costs that arise from poorly managed ageing.

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 6

Our Record
LABOR OPPOSITION
„ Eight dementia day care centres „ Have no plan or policies to address the ageing
including one for the Chinese community population.

in Ultimo have already been built and

opened with nine more to come –
bringing the total to 17.
„ Increased funding for the Home and
Community Care Program (HACC) from
$318 million in 2001/02 to almost $650
million in 2010/11. This program
supports more than 210,000 seniors and
people with a disability to live
independently in their own homes.
„ Seniors Week now has more than 900
events across NSW including the
Premier's Gala Concert Series, Twilight
Hot Swing, Step Out and Get Active and
the Senior International Fiesta Day.
„ Seniors Card Discount Directories sent
to more than 980,000 people.
„ Introduced the $6 million Ageing Grants
Program.
„ $200,000 to the Council on the Ageing
for projects that support grand-parenting.
„ Introduced Ageing Applied Research
Grants program to enable continue
research about the ageing population.
„ Protected older consumers from rip-off
merchants with targeted information to
about the rights as consumers.
„ Provided over $48 million over three
years to support older parent carers of
people with a disability.
„ Reviewed the State Environmental
Planning Policy (SEPP) and developed a
new SEPP to facilitate the provision of
housing designed specifically for older
people or people with a disability

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 7

Positive Ageing – Grandparents’ Day
As people live longer, it is incumbent upon governments to provide them with the support
they need to engage with the community and maintain an independent and active lifestyle.

Positive ageing is about helping seniors remain active in their social networks, careers and
in their community.

Helping seniors engage in a wide variety of local, social and volunteer activities benefits
both them and their community.

A re-elected Keneally Government will continue to fund activities and measures that
facilitate the social engagement of seniors in our community through th positive ageing
grants program.

We will expand the Premier’s Seniors Concerts in Newcastle and Wollongong.

We will also create a new “Grandparents Day” to celebrate and recognise the
contributions of grandparents across this State.

It will coincide with Queensland’s Grandparents’ Day which was recognised for the
first time last November.

It will be celebrated in our schools, community groups and homes on the first
Sunday of November each year.

The United States, Canada, Estonia, Poland, France, Italy and the United Kingdom
also mark Grandparents’ Day – but on various days.

ACTION

„ Expand the Ageing Grants Program by $200,000, which funds

positive ageing activities and facilities for older people’s social
engagement
„ Expand the three Premier’s Seniors Concerts at the Sydney
Entertainment Centres to Newcastle and Wollongong and
stream them live to community centres in regional centres
across the State - they usually attract about 10,000 people to
each Sydney performance
„ Hold an annual NSW Grandparents Day on the first Sunday in
November to celebrate and recognise their contribution to our
society

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 8

Shifting resources toward prevention and early intervention
Healthy ageing can be supported by healthier choices earlier in life.

Our lung capacity, muscle strength and heart health peak in early adulthood. The rate of
decline is influenced by genetics and biology but is also affected by lifestyle factors like
smoking, diet, alcohol consumption and physical activity.

Adopting healthy behaviours and taking other preventative actions throughout life can
result in improvements in health status, independence and quality of life in older people.

Many of these choices are personal but the government can take a role in encouraging
people to understand the advantages of long term health.

The government does this by investing in public health campaigns to reduce smoking,
prevent fall and promote more exercise.

The NSW State Plan commits the NSW Government to identifying opportunities for shifting
resources to prevention and early intervention to achieve economic and social benefits in
the longer term.

Acting early on a population wide basis we can reduce the human and economic
consequences of lifestyle related illness in older citizens.

A re-elected Keneally government will develop a whole of government research and

analysis agenda. This agenda will support decision making on the reallocation of
resources to prevention and early intervention.

ACTION:

„ Develop tools to concentrate our effort on prevention

„ Continue to fund public health campaigns aimed at reducing
obesity, smoking, risk drinking and illicit drug use

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 9

Taking action on dementia
As the population ages we need to be prepared for a higher prevalence of degenerative
conditions in particular dementia.

In NSW, the number of people with dementia is projected to increase four-fold from
approximately 88,000 in 2010 to 341,000 in 2050.

Each year nearly 26,000 new cases of dementia are diagnosed in NSW. By 2050 this will
increase to 116,000 new cases per year.

A re-elected Labor government will support people with dementia and their carers through
the NSW Dementia Services Framework 2010 – 2015.

NSW Labor will provide an additional nine dementia day care centres, bringing the total to
17 across the State. These day care centres provide therapeutic social opportunities for
people with dementia and also provide respite to carers of people with dementia.

A re-elected Keneally Government will finalise and roll out the Framework Implementation
Plan for dementia.

ACTION:

„ Provide nine new dementia day care centres as part of the

$27 million Home and Community Care Capital Fund –
providing therapeutic social opportunities for people with
dementia and also respite for their carers. This will bring the
total of dementia day care centres in NSW to 17. Centres
have already been completed in Baulkham Hills, Belmont,
Cooma, Woy Woy, Orange, Fairy Meadow, Willoughby and
Wee Waa. (The new locations will be determined later)
„ Implement Dementia Services Framework which supports
health, community and residential services with planning and
development of dementia services and programs

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 10

Preventing falls
Falls are a leading cause of preventable injury for older people. Often they can be
prevented with simple solutions around the home and behavioural strategies.

Eliminating falls is an important part of the NSW Government’s efforts in preventive health
- around 30 per cent of injury-related deaths in Australia are due to falls.

Falls can result in serious injury, including admission to hospital – and they are the most
common reason for premature admission into residential aged care.

The NSW Government has made information available to all residents to preserve
themselves as well as possible against falls.

Stepping On is a multi-faceted falls prevention program for elderly people living in the
community which helps them to take control in their everyday lives. The program aims to
enhance confidence and reduce falls in everyday life.

Stepping On programs are now running across five NSW Area Health Services covering
the North Coast, North Sydney, Central Coast, the Hunter, New England, South West
Sydney, South Eastern Sydney and the Illawarra. A re-elected government would roll it out
across the remainder of the state.

ACTION:

„ Implementation of Stepping On across NSW – Stepping On is

a multi-faceted falls prevention program for elderly people
living in the community

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 11

Legal self help
We have produced the Planning Ahead Kit to give seniors the tools they need to plan for
their futures in circumstances where they have lost the capacity to make decisions for
themselves.

We also developed Taking Care of Business to inform Aboriginal people of the options for
planning for their future financial, health and family decisions.

A re-elected Keneally Government will create a new website to assist people to plan for
their future.

The website will be developed jointly by the NSW Trustee and Guardian and the Office for
Ageing.

The website will allow individuals to commence the process of:

• Making a will
• Enduring Power of Attorney
• Enduring Guardianship

The website will direct them to a range of options for legal completion of the documents.

ACTION:

„ A new one stop shop web site for legal resources for wills and
guardianship

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 12

Helping older people to “age in place”
Adapting our homes to suit our ageing requirements contribute to our quality of life. The
mix of new housing types will need to be tailored to meet the needs of ageing residents.
Homes will need to be close to services and accessible transport and they will need to be
designed so that they are easier to live in. Better design for the ageing will address
practical issues like stairs and also lifestyle issues such as proximity to social and
recreational facilities.
Well designed housing and urban design can help people to feel safe, maintain
connections to friends and family and remain active members of their communities.
Safe, walk-able neighborhoods with good social facilities encourage active living for good
health and well being.
An easy to maintain home in a well connected neighbourhood supports continuing
independence.

Social housing plays a key role and a re-elected Keneally government will continue to
refurbish homes to suit older residents and work with the Commonwealth to deliver new
social housing for older people.

ACTION:

„ Support independent ageing by promoting design and

planning strategies which deliver maintainable, connected and
affordable housing
„ Grow the Home and Community Care program to assist older
people to remain in their own homes and avoid premature
entry to residential aged care
„ Continue investing $420 million over 5 years in an additional
2,800 homes for older people and $75 million in modifications
to existing social housing properties under New Directions in
Social Housing for Older People
„ $5 million to pilot an Australian first - a new model for housing
for older people in Bondi in partnership with the Benevolent
Society

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 13

Retaining older workers in the workforce
While the population is ageing, our workforce is also ageing. This will create significant
challenges in the coming years, both for business and for government.

For government, it poses two challenges – declining revenue to provide services and
increasing costs of those services.

In terms of revenue, put simply, less people of a working age means less tax revenue for
the community to spend on essential services such as health and education.

In terms of costs, we will experience much higher health costs as a larger percentage of
the population are dealing with age related health and disability issues, such as dementia
and heart disease.

Therefore, it is in everyone’s interest to have a working population. However, people

should not be forced to work and can retire when they think it is necessary.

Just as this issue poses challenges for Government, it also poses challenges for business.
Businesses will be confronted with the impact of large numbers of people retiring, leading
to critical skills shortages and loss of corporate knowledge.

Business is already adapting to the changing labor market conditions and adopting new
strategies to recruit and retain older workers.

A recent Australian Bureau of Statistics study found that the workforce participation rate of
over 55s has increased from 25 per cent to 34 per cent over the last 30 years, with most of
that increase occurring after the year 2000.

In 2008/09 alone, 144,000 over 55s came out of retirement and returned to work.

To deal with this challenge, the NSW Government made it a priority in our whole-of-
Government ageing strategy Towards 2030: Planning for our changing population.

Last November, the Ministerial Advisory Committee on Ageing invited businesses and
organisations with a record of employing and retaining older workers to a roundtable
discussion on the issues and strategies of employment and older workers.

The roundtable provided the ideal opportunity to share ideas on how we can work together
to promote greater employment and retention strategies of older workers.

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 14

ACTION:

„ Continue to support the Working Carers Gateway providing

information and advice to people who are juggling work and
caring roles
„ Support a cultural change resource that consolidates the
evidence of the benefits of mature workers
„ Extend the Sage Centre initiative to local government
workers - an online tool to support older public sector
workers to balance work and life commitments

NSW Labor | Independent and active | March 2011 15

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