COTA Victoria 2019—2020 Review VICT ORIA Promoting Opportunities. Protecting Rights. For people 50+ Contents Message from the President 4 Board members 4 Message from the COTA Victoria staff at the Victorian Senior of the Year Award in 2019. They are: Nicky Barry, Karen Chief Executive Officer 5 Ivanka, Mitsuko Penberthy, Michelle Wright, Gemma Neve, Karen Iatrou, and CEO Tina Hogarth-Clarke. Our year in pictures 6 About COTA Victoria government, members, philanthropic trusts, businesses and the public. As a member-based Outcome one 8 COTA Victoria is the leading not-for-profit organisation, we are run by, for and with older organisation representing the interests and Victorians. COVID-19 — how we advocated rights of people aged 50+ in Victoria. For nearly One of our principal programs is Seniors Rights 70 years, we have led government, corporate Victoria, which provides information, support, for older Victorians 9 and community thinking about the positive advice and education to help prevent elder aspects of ageing. abuse and safeguard the rights, dignity and Outcome two 10 We are a not-for-profit community organisation independence of older people. and fund our activities with the support of Aged Care Navigators 10 Reach, Train, Employ 11 Our vision Our purpose Our values Assistive Technology for All 12 Ageing in Victoria is a time of COTA Victoria advances the Respect, Diversity, possibility, opportunity and rights, interests and futures of Collaboration and Integrity A Pat, Chat and a Walk a Day 12 influence Victorians as we age Information outreach program 13 Living Longer Living Stronger 13 Our cover Annual report editor and project manager: Phillip Money Outcome three Seniors Rights Victoria 14 Our cover features COTA Victoria Life Member Shirley Ramsay. Shirley began her association Graphic design: Gemma Papprill A year in numbers 14 with COTA Victoria in 1962. She rose to head the organisation, served on the Board and in the Education, information, and outreach 16 later stages of her COTA career established what Acknowledgement of country is now known as Seniors Information Victoria. COTA Victoria acknowledges the traditional The Board, management and staff of COTA owners of country throughout Victoria and Thank you to our funders 18 Victoria pay tribute to you, Shirley, and your their continuing connection to land, culture and fantastic contribution to older Victorians. community. We pay our respects to elders past, PHOTOGRAPH: Djoyobisono Photography present and future. 2 COTA Victoria Annual Review 2020 COTA Victoria Annual Review 2020 3 Message from Message from the President the Chief Executive Officer The past year has been shaped for all Victorians Local Governments; community and health The year 2019-20 will be marked down in all our • loss of employment leading to reduced by two disasters - bushfires and the COVID-19 services; and businesses to ensure needs are met life calendars as memorable, to say the least. income pandemic. On the latter, each of us; our families; on issues that affect older Victorians. Expressions like unprecedented, extraordinary, • many services placing a greater emphasis our communities; our businesses; our health The consequences of COVID-19 resulted in or without parallel hardly do it justice. We on electronic, as opposed to face-to-face, service providers; and our governments, a disproportionate loss of life amongst older began with devastating bushfires, which had a delivery excluding older people who are have had to quickly try to understand what a Australians. The recovery of older Australians significant impact on Victorians living in rural and not online. coronavirus is and the danger it poses. from the pandemic will likely be more protracted regional areas. And we know that people in those areas are more likely to be over 50. • increased loneliness for people who Importantly, we have had to accept the loss of than that of the general community. We all became isolated through lockdowns our freedom to make basic decisions about how hope the news of a vaccine is a success. Our Then in late February 2020, we began hearing • official communication that does not we work, socialise and look after our collective learning from the last six months will be crucial the word that we now know all too well — recognise the enormous diversity of health and wellbeing. in preparations for the future on how to address COVID-19. Although I might have wished for Victorians older than 50. the most vulnerable as this pandemic subsides. quieter and more conventional times in my first Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria had to • working to ensure families continue to quickly change its operations and continued Thank you particularly to The Hon. Luke (financial) year as Chief Executive Officer of Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria, I am proud safely visit their relatives in aged care to to provide online and call centre services from Donnellan, Minister for Disability, Ageing and provide that contact, love and support. home and other remote locations. That is Carers; The Hon. Martin Foley, Minister for that all of us in the COTA Victoria family have testimony to the commitment and capability of Health; The Hon. Gabrielle Williams, Minister for risen to meet some pretty significant challenges. You will read more about our advocacy efforts our Chief Executive Officer, Tina Hogarth-Clarke, Prevention of Family Violence; Gerard Mansour, As with the bushfires, COVID-19 has had a in the pages that follow. In closing, I would like and our staff. Thank you to all of you. Commissioner for Senior Victorians; Jackie greater effect on older Victorians.I would like to to thank my amazing staff for their support, Our continued ability to attract highly capable Kearney, Executive Director, Seniors, Ageing extend my deepest sympathies to the Victorians tenacity, and creativity during challenging volunteers for all aspects of our work is a and Carers, Department of Health and Human who lost or have been unable to visit family and times. I would also like to send a thank you to measure of the high standing of our organisation. Services; and Amy Schwebel, Associate Director, friends as a result of COVID-19. our volunteers. While your activities have been To our 100+ volunteers, your work is exceptional Sector Engagement and Service Design, Victorian At COTA Victoria, we have continued to work for constrained, I am confident there are bigger and and appreciated. Legal Aid. It is with your assistance, and our many all Victorians aged 50+ during this pandemic. better things on the horizon. Finally, I would other supporters, that we are able to continue to We have ensured that decision makers — no like to thank the COTA Victoria Board for your We are fortunate to have a highly qualified help all older Victorians. encouragement and support. group of volunteer Directors on the COTA matter whether they be government, business or Victoria Board. During the year we welcomed COTA Victoria will celebrate 70 years of active community leaders — are aware of the unique community engagement next year. We have challenges that many older Victorians face. Maya Avdibegovic and Kathryn Brown, who Tina Hogarth-Clarke commenced as Treasurer. I thank Jean Raar who begun preparing for that birthday by thinking These include, but are not limited to: retired during the year. about how we can build a better organisation to meet future needs. • a rise in circumstances that lead to elder COTA Victoria works closely with the State and abuse Mike Lescai Board members Mike Lescai Lynette Moore Graeme Bird Kathryn Brown Cathy Mead Gregg Nicholls Robert Caulfield Minh Nguyen Maya Avdibegovic Jean Raar Tina Hogarth-Clarke President Director Treasurer Treasurer Director Director Director Director Director Director CEO to 6 February 2020, from 6 February 2020 to 24 September 2019 Director from 6 February 2020 4 COTA Victoria Annual Review 2020 COTA Victoria Annual Review 2020 5 Our year in pictures Find something to do now - not be thinking too far ahead and being overwhelmed by what you During lockdown we called everybody on our can’t do. Think of what you member database without an email. Most of can do at this moment, the people said they were doing OK but were grateful for the phone calls. COTA Victoria survey June to August 2020 Tina Hogarth-Clarke, COTA Victoria CEO, evidence Volunteers Helen Wu and Meena Lalwani at the COTA to Victorian Parliamentary Enquiry on COVID-19 Victoria annual general meeting in November 2019 pandemic, May 2020. Zoom meetings are great for information COTA Victoria staff Nicky Barry, Mitsuko sharing, but they don’t build friendships Penberthy and Karen Ivanka at the Pauline Sharples, middle, was Senior of the Year awards in 2019. the lucky winner of an iPad COTA Victoria survey June to August 2020 in our 2019 Seniors Festival competition. Pauline is pictured Not only do we have to embrace with CEO Tina Hogarth-Clarke, positive ageing, we have to put it on the left, and Karen Ivanka frontline so there is age equity. Every Ageing is not a problem or age counts. disease, it is a powerful natural lifelong process that unites us Audience member at Challenging Ageism event with Ashton Applewhite, November 2019 all. It’s the one universal human experience. The Hon. Luke Donnellan, Minister for Disability, Ageing Ashton Applewhite, Challenging Ageism and Carers, pats Gino at the launch of our Pat, Chat and event, November 2019 Jing Yan Gong and a Walk a Day campaign in November 2019. Read more Bernard Brickhill about the campaign on page 12. attend the COTA Victoria annual general meeting in 2019. Older workers have transferrable I am concerned about going life skills. Be confident and listen. to the doctor, so I find I am Know you are of value.