A Guide to Services for Senior Victorians 2002 Victorian Department of Human Services 3rd edition 2002 ISBN 07311 59969 Foreword In response to a strong demand from older people and their families and friends, this Guide to Services for Senior Victorians has been thoroughly revised and updated by the Victorian Government to help provide greater awareness of the range of services and opportunities that are available to senior Victorians. It covers a broad range of subjects. It provides information from Commonwealth, State and Local support groups, that can help you to Government, as well as the maintain your independence or assist voluntary and community sectors. you if you have an illness, accident or develop a medical condition, have also The Guide will also help you with contact been included. points for new areas of activity and interest, including education, work, In recogniton of the importance of face to recreation, leisure and retirement planning. face or over the phone information and Also listed are ideas for maintaining good advice, the Victorian Government has health and well-being and organisations funded Seniors Information Victoria to that can help you to do this. A range of provide that service to you. You will find the contact details on the following page. I trust you will find this Guide opens up new avenues of interest and support for you. Hon Christine Campbell MP Minister for Senior Victorians FOREWORD 2 A Guide to Services for Senior Victorians 2002 This Guide is available in a large print version If you cannot find for people who are print handicapped. The Guide is also available in the following the information community languages: that you are Arabic looking for in this Croatian Guide contact: Dutch German Hungarian Seniors Information Victoria - a free and confidential advisory and information service Italian for older people, their relatives and friends Latvian wanting information on issues affecting older Macedonian people. The service is available: Maltese 8.30am to 5.30pm Monday, Tuesday, Friday Polish 8.30am to 6pm Thursday Russian 9.30am to 5.30pm Wednesday. Serbian Phone: 1300 135 090; Fax 9639 7859; Email [email protected] .au Spanish Ground Floor, CAE Centre Ukrainian 256 Flinders Street Vietnamese Melbourne 3000 (Seniors Information Victoria will be moving in mid 2002. Phone 1300 135 090 for the new This Guide is available on the Rural and location.) Regional Health and Aged Care Services Internet site. The Internet version is amended An initiative of Council on the Ageing funded by the Victorian Government. as appropriate. The address is: www.dhs.vic.gov.au/acmh/aged Organisations that would like to be listed in any subsequent issues of A Guide to Services for Senior Victorians are invited to apply in writing to: Positive Ageing Team Aged Care Branch Department of Human Services GPO Box 4057 Melbourne 3001 Email: [email protected] A Guide to Services for Senior Victorians 2002 3 Contents Foreword from the Minister for Housing Organisations that Employ Volunteers 31 and Senior Victorians 2 Help to Remain Living in the Community 32 Ministerial Advisory Council Home and Community Care Program 32 of Senior Victorians 6 Other Services to Help Seniors Card 6 the Householder 33 Centrelink 6 Housing 33 Contacting Centrelink 6 Aged Care Facilities 34 Centrelink Publications 7 Community Housing 34 Payments 7 Emergency Accommodation Pensioner Concession Card 8 and Assistance 36 Concessions 9 Moveable Units (granny flats) 36 Health 9 Retirement Villages 36 Transport 10 Supported Residential Services 37 Household 10 Tenancy Services 37 Commonwealth Seniors Health Card 11 Safety and Security 38 Department of Veterans’ Affairs 13 Confident Living for Senior Victorians 38 Senior Organisations 14 Emergency Call Systems 39 Need Someone to Talk to 15 Fire Fighting and Safety 39 Consumer Advice 16 Victims of Crime Support Groups 40 Local Government (Councils) 19 Elder Abuse 40 Employment 20 Aged Care Assessment 41 Retirement Planning 21 Disability 41 Money Matters 21 Caring for Others 42 Pensions and Benefits 22 Carer Support Groups 43 Getting Around 22 Victorian Carer Service Network 43 Community Transport 23 Owning and Driving a Car 23 Ethnic Services 43 Public and Private Transport 24 Umbrella Groups 43 Learning for Life 24 Translation and Interpreting Services 44 Recreation and Leisure 26 Multicultural Community Organisations 44 Exercise 27 Koori Services 46 Holidays 28 Feeling Good 47 Joining a Club 28 What You Can Do: 47 Newspapers 29 Breast Screen 47 Radio 29 Falls Prevention 47 Television 30 Foot Care 48 Volunteering 30 Hairdressing and Grooming 48 Volunteering Referral Health Insurance 48 and Resource Services 30 Influenza Immunisation 48 4 A Guide to Services for Senior Victorians 2002 CONTENTS Nutrition and Diet 48 Special Needs Groups 59 Pap Tests 49 Speech Disorders 59 Pharmaceuticals 49 Stroke 59 Self Help 49 Vision Loss 60 Information and Support: 49 Women's Health 61 Acquired Brain Injury 49 Gay and Lesbian Services 62 Acquired Immune Grief and Loss 63 Deficiency Syndrome 49 Hospice and Palliative Care 63 Addictions 50 Support Services 64 Allergies 50 Funerals 64 Arthritis, Other Musculo-Skeletal Additional Sources of Information 64 Conditions and Osteoporosis 51 Websites 65 Artificial Limbs 51 Asthma 51 Appendix I Bowel and Bladder Disorders 51 Aged Care Assessment Services 67 Cancer 51 Coeliac 52 Appendix II Communicable Diseases 52 Department of Human Services Dementia 52 Regional Offices 68 Diabetes 53 Down Syndrome 53 Appendix III Epilepsy 53 Cognitive Dementia and Memory Haemophilia 53 Service Clinics 69 Hearing Loss 53 Heart Disease 55 Appendix IV Huntington's Disease 55 Hospice and Palliative Care Providers 70 Intellectual Disability 55 Kidney Disorders 55 Appendix V Lupus 56 Community Rehabilitation Centres 71 Men’s Health 56 Mental Health 56 Appendix VI Motor Neurone Disease 57 Victorian Centrelink Offices 75 Movement Disorders 57 Multiple Sclerosis 57 Muscular Dystrophy 57 Pain Management 57 Parkinson's Disease 58 Poisons 58 Rehabilitation Services 58 Respiratory Disease 58 Smoking 58 A Guide to Services for Senior Victorians 2002 5 Ministerial Services: The Seniors Card Program has negotiated Advisory Council of discount offers with a wide range of businesses and services. Seniors Card holders can also Senior Victorians take advantage of the discounted Sixty Plus fare on the Met and discounted fares on nominated GPO Box 1239L, Melbourne 3001 off peak V/Line services. Phone: 9616 8318; Fax: 9616 8931 The Seniors Card Program is located at the Email: [email protected] Seniors Centre Website: www.dhs.vic.gov.au/acmh/macsv/ Ground Floor, 555 Collins Street, The role of the Ministerial Advisory Council of Melbourne 3000 Senior Victorians is to work with the Victorian Phone the Seniors Card Hotline: Government to improve the quality of life, health 9616 8241; Fax: 9616 8332 and well-being of senior Victorians. The Council Website: www.dhs.vic.gov.au/seniorscard was officially launched by the Premier, the Hon. Call into the Seniors Centre to 'Surf the Net' Steve Bracks MP on 15 June 2001. or enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, and a browse through the papers. Members have been selected from nominations made by seniors throughout Victoria and come from a broad range of backgrounds including people from indigenous and culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Members Centrelink bring a wide variety of expertise and involvement with organisations concerned with Centrelink is a government agency that delivers the general well-being of seniors as well as a range of Commonwealth services to the other links to the community. Australian community. Centrelink’s customers The Council Chairperson is Ms Janet Wood. include retired people, families, people looking for work, people with a disability, carers, widows, primary producers, students and young people. Contacting Centrelink Seniors Card Retirements 132 300* For calls about Age Pension, Eligibility: Commonwealth Seniors’ Health Card, Any permanent resident of Victoria, who is aged Pensioner Concession Cards. 60 years and over, who is retired or not working Disability, Sickness and Carers 132 717* more than 35 hours per week can have a For calls about Disability Support Pension, Seniors Card. There is no income or assets test, Mobility Allowance, Carer Payment, and people may apply irrespective of the age or Carer Allowance, Sickness Allowance. employment status of a partner. Other Allowances 132 850* Application forms are available at all official For calls about Mature Age Allowance, Partner Post Offices or from the Seniors Card Program. Allowance, Widow Allowance, Special Benefit. 6 A Guide to Services for Senior Victorians 2002 CENTRELINK Appointments 131 021* where they want to live, whether a private Call to make an appointment to visit your dwelling, a retirement village, hostel or closest Centrelink office. nursing home. Teletypewriter Service 1800 810 586 Australian Retiree - Your Choices: A guide for A free service provided for people who are deaf self-funded retirees (including people living on or have a hearing or speech impairment. their superannuation) on programs, services, concessions and opportunities available to help Centrelink Multilingual Call 131 202* in maintaining their chosen lifestyle. Centrelink Multilingual Call allows people What to Do When Someone Dies: to speak to Centrelink in their own language. A step-by-step guide to help people deal with (1800 numbers are free calls. All other calls this difficult time. can be made from anywhere in Australia for Centrelink also provides information about its the cost of a local call. Mobile phone calls are charged at mobile rates). payments and services in a range of languages. These products are available from Centrelink For a list of Centrelink Offices see Appendix VI Customer Service Centres, on the Centrelink Website: www.centrelink.gov.au multilingual webpage www.centrelink.gov.au and by calling 131 202. Age Pension News is available in 15 languages.